Creamy Chicken Broccoli Cheddar Pasta (Printable)

Creamy pasta dish with tender chicken, broccoli florets, and rich cheddar cheese sauce. A quick and easy family favorite.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne or rotini pasta

→ Protein

02 - 2 chicken breasts (about 12 oz), cut into bite-size pieces

→ Vegetables

03 - 2 cups broccoli florets
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Dairy and Cheese

05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
07 - 2 cups whole milk
08 - 1.5 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

→ Seasonings

09 - 0.5 teaspoon salt, plus more for pasta water
10 - 0.25 teaspoon ground black pepper
11 - 0.5 teaspoon paprika (optional)

→ Oils

12 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions, adding broccoli florets during the final 2 minutes of cooking. Drain and set aside.
02 - While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken pieces, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until golden and cooked through, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.
03 - In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until aromatic. Sprinkle flour and whisk for 1 minute to create a roux foundation.
04 - Gradually pour milk into the roux while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Cook until sauce thickens, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
05 - Stir in cheddar cheese, salt, black pepper, and paprika. Reduce heat to low and mix until cheese is completely melted and sauce achieves smooth consistency.
06 - Add cooked pasta, broccoli, and chicken to the skillet. Toss thoroughly to coat all ingredients in cheese sauce. Heat for 1 to 2 minutes until warmed through.
07 - Transfer to serving plates immediately. Garnish with additional cheddar cheese or fresh herbs if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in under an hour, most of it happening in one skillet you can stir without thinking twice.
  • The sauce clings to every piece of pasta and coats the chicken in a way that feels indulgent but uses ingredients you probably already have.
  • Broccoli sneaks in as part of the comfort, not an afterthought, so even picky eaters go back for seconds.
02 -
  • If you add the milk too fast or let the heat get too high, the roux can seize up into clumps, so pour slowly and whisk without stopping.
  • Pre-shredded cheese might seem convenient, but the anti-caking agents can turn your sauce grainy and broken instead of smooth.
  • Do not skip salting the pasta water generously because that is the only chance to season the noodles from the inside out.
03 -
  • Shred your own cheese from a block right before you add it to the sauce so it melts smoothly without any gritty texture.
  • Save a cup of the pasta cooking water before draining in case you need to loosen the sauce later, because that starchy water helps everything cling together.
  • Let the skillet cool for a minute after cooking the chicken before adding the butter so the garlic does not burn the second it hits the pan.
Go Back