Easy to make and loaded with flavor, my Garlic Chicken and Broccoli Pasta is a complete meal that is just perfect for weeknights, lunches, and anytime in between. The tender chunks of chicken are seared and simmered with broccoli in a garlic sauce, tossed with al dente pasta, and finished with grated cheese and fresh parsley.
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Chicken and Broccoli – A winning combo
I love the combination of chicken and broccoli, especially when there’s garlic involved, so I decided to put them together in this super simple garlic chicken and broccoli pasta.
The chicken is quickly seared and stays perfectly tender and juicy. While I keep the broccoli mostly intact and somewhat firm for this recipe, you could definitely cook it until it’s on the softer side and mash some of it to create a sauce, as I do for my pasta con broccoli.
I love easy all-in-one dishes like this one for weeknights, and if you make enough for leftovers, it’s great the next day too.
Recipe Ingredients
All ingredients for this recipe are shown in the pic below and special notes are made in this bulleted list to assist you.
- Chicken. I’m using chicken breast cutlets that I cut into strips. You can also buy whole breasts and slice those as well.
- Broccoli. I’m using broccoli crowns that I cut into florets but you could also use a bag of broccoli florets.
- Pasta. I’m using regular penne pasta but this dish would be great with a whole wheat or high protein pasta.
- Butter. I do use butter in this pasta. I find it adds flavor and a silkiness to the sauce, plus I love the combination of garlic, butter, and chicken, and use it in many dishes like my garlic butter chicken bites and my chicken scampi.
- Wine. I love the flavor white wine adds to pasta with chicken and broccoli. I recommend using a dry white wine like a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. You can also omit the wine and replace with a touch more stock.
- Stock. Homemade chicken stock is ideal, but you can also use store-bought low-sodium stock.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
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How to make garlic chicken broccoli penne pasta
Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Pat the chicken pieces dry and season with salt and pepper. Add 3 tablespoons of oil to a heavy pan over medium-high heat, and once shimmering, add the chicken and 1 tablespoon of butter.
- Cook the chicken until brown on all sides and work in batches to not overcrowd the pan. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover with tented foil.
- To the same pan, add the remaining oil and butter, plus the garlic, and turn the heat to medium.
- Once the garlic is golden, add the red pepper flakes and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add the broccoli florets and saute for 3 minutes. At this time, begin cooking the pasta to 1 minute shy of al dente.
- Add the wine and stock to the pan and turn the heat to high. Cook until the sauce reduces by half.
- Turn the heat to medium and return the chicken and any juices to the pan.
- Add the pasta plus 1/2 cup of pasta water and continue to cook until the pasta reaches al dente. Taste test and adjust salt and pepper if needed. Remove from the heat and add the parsley. If the sauce is dry, add some pasta water. Serve with grated cheese and enjoy.
Top tips
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. To get a really good sear on the chicken, be sure to not crowd the pan. This may mean that you’ll need to work in batches, depending on the size of your pan.
- Pasta water. Be sure to reserve your pasta water. It’s an important component of the sauce for garlic chicken and broccoli pasta, but it can also help loosen up the pasta if it dries out at all while you’re waiting to eat it.
- Additions. This pasta is great with additions. Some to consider include sun-dried tomatoes, cherry peppers, roasted red peppers, chickpeas, or olives.
More chicken and pasta recipes
Some call it a sin to combine chicken and pasta, but I don’t see why you wouldn’t combine the two! Here are a few of our reader favorites.
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Easy Penne with Garlic Chicken and Broccoli
Ingredients
- 1 pound penne pasta can sub ziti or rigatoni
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken cutlets cut into 1/2×2" strips
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 10 cloves garlic sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes optional
- 2 crowns broccoli broken into small bite size florets
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 1/4 cup minced Italian flat-leaf parsley
- 2 cups reserved pasta water will most likley not need all of it.
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Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salt water to boil.
- Pat the chicken pieces dry then season with salt and pepper.
- Heat a heavy pan to medium-high heat. Add 3 tablespoons of oil and once shimmering, add the chicken and 1 tablespoon of butter. Cook until golden brown on all sides (about 5 minutes total). Work in batches to not overcrowd the pan. Remove the chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
- In the same pan, turn the heat to medium and add the the remaining oil and butter and garlic. Once the garlic turns golden add the red pepper flakes and cook for another 30 seconds. Add the broccoli florets and saute for 3 minutes.
- At this time cook the pasta to 1 minute less than al dente.
- Add the wine and stock to the pan and turn the heat to high. Cook until the sauce reduces by half.
- Turn the heat to medium, return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan. Add the pasta along with a 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and continue to cook until the pasta reaches al dente. Taste test and season with more salt and pepper if required. Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the parsley. If the sauce is too dry, add a few ounces of pasta water and mix again. Serve with grated parmesan on pecorino cheese. Enjoy!
Notes
- Do not crowd chicken. Crowding the pan will prevent the chicken from browning and will instead steam. Work in batches if needed.
- Broccoli. 2 crowns of broccoli equal about 1 pound. You can also use a whole head of broccoli.
- Pasta. Any substantial pasta can be subbed for the penne. You can also sub in a whole wheat or protein pasta to make the dish healthier.
- Additions. This dish is great with the addition of a 1/2 cup of sliced sundried tomatoes or a 1/4 cup of chopped cherry peppers. The sundried tomatoes add a nice tangy flavor and color pop. The cherry peppers add heat and a vinegar flavor.
- Leftovers. Garlic chicken broccoli penne can be saved for up to 3 days in the fridge and can be reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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