One Pot Chicken Broccoli Pasta

On busy weeknights, no one wants to be doing a ton of dishes! One Pot Chicken Broccoli Pasta to the rescue! Lean chicken breast, healthy broccoli, fiber filled whole wheat pasta, and extra cheese makes this dinner satisfying and a family favorite!

We all have busy lives these days, especially as our kids get older. As much as I love a slow cooked dinner that is simmered for hours, sometimes you just need to get a delicious and healthy dinner on the table that will satisfy everyone's tummies.

Why You Should Make This

One pot! No slaving over the sink to clean tons of dishes or pots and pans. Everything goes in one pan, simmers, and you're done!
No waiting for the pasta water to boil. The pasta is cooked completely in the chicken broth and soaks up all the liquid to make a creamy sauce.
It's loaded with healthy ingredients. I'm always trying to get my kids to eat healthy things, and I've found that adding cheese to anything will get them to eat it, even broccoli!

Please do not cook the pasta before you put it into the sauce to simmer. You'll have way overcooked pasta. The uncooked pasta will soak up the chicken broth, and if it's already cooked, you'll just have a soup.

INGREDIENTS YOU WILL NEED

Ingredients for the one pot chicken broccoli pasta

Chicken broth- I used homemade here, but boxed chicken broth is perfect too. Get the low sodium chicken broth so you can control the amount of salt that goes into the dish.
Broccoli- Two heads of broccoli is enough for this recipe, but if you love broccoli feel free to add more.
Chicken Breast- One large chicken breast, or two medium chicken breasts. You'll need about 1 pound, or 2 cups chopped.
Dry Mustard- Seems weird right? But trust me, it's necessary! It gives the dish a depth of flavor and works perfectly with the cheese.
Heavy Cream- Adds to the creaminess of the sauce.
Cheddar- Colby or white cheddar can be used instead of yellow cheddar. If you want to make it spicy, try Monterey jack too!
Pasta- Whole wheat pasta is a great way to get some extra fiber into your family's diet.

Step by step photos

the chicken is chopped up and being sautéed in the pan — Sauté the chicken and olive oil

The chicken broth, heavy cream, and dry mustard are added to the pan. — Sauté the chicken and olive oil

How To Make One Pot Chicken Broccoli Pasta From Scratch

Wash the heads of broccoli and chop them into bite sized pieces. Set that aside.
Cut the chicken breast into bite sized pieces. Add the chicken to the pan with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for five minutes until the chicken is browned. The chicken is going to cook for another 8-10 minutes when you put in the pasta, so be careful not to overcook it at this point.
Once the chicken is cooked, add the chicken broth, heavy cream, and dry mustard. Season with salt and pepper again and stir to combine.
Add the pasta to the pan and try to get as much of the pasta submerged as possible. Turn the heat to medium and cover for 5 minutes.
After five minutes, add the chopped broccoli to the pan and cover again for four minutes or until the pasta is al dente.
After four minutes, add the cheddar, salt, and pepper to the mixture and stir until the cheese is completely melted. Top with more cheddar if you would like and serve immediately.

What type of pan should I use?

You'll want to use a pan that is at least 2 inches high, and has a tight fitting lid. A Dutch oven or a nonstick pasta pot would work here as well. Just make sure that it has a tight fitting lid and will be high enough to hold a pound of pasta plus all the broccoli.

Can I use other types of pasta?

Sure! There are some people who aren't a fan of whole wheat pasta and that's ok! Regular pasta would work, as would gluten free or even chickpea pasta. Just check the package to make sure the pasta will be ready in 7-9 minutes. You might need to adjust the time based on the pasta.

Spaghetti, farfalle, and rotini are all great shapes to use. If you choose to use spaghetti, just make sure you have enough room in your pan for the spaghetti to cook.

What other veggies could I use?

Not a broccoli fan? Try cauliflower! You can sauté mushrooms, zucchini, yellow squash, or bell peppers to add to this recipe instead. If you want to add a leafy green like spinach, I would add it at the end when you are adding the cheese so the residual heat will wilt the spinach.

Two plates of the pasta with a glass of wine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen broccoli?

Yes! If you don't have fresh broccoli on hand or prefer frozen broccoli that would work in this recipe as well.

What do I do with leftovers?

If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can even freeze leftovers if you have any. When you are ready to defrost the leftovers, simply place them in your refrigerator until they are defrosted and them microwave them for 2-3 minutes. You can also reheat them in a pan with a little bit of chicken broth to heat them through.

Can I make this vegetarian?

Sure! Just use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth and leave out the chicken. Bump up the veggies by adding a few cups of cauliflower too for some extra nutrition.

An overhead shot of the one pot chicken broccoli pasta

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