Cooking for Students Broccoli Pasta with Chicken

Broccoli Pasta with Chicken

Posted on July 28, 2015 by Cooking for Students

Broccoli pasta with chicken is a great college friendly recipe. The recipe is easy and the ingredients are really simple. This pasta dish is fresh, filling and allows students to enjoy a home cooked meal while away at school. The chicken is juicy, the pasta is cooked well and the broccoli is tender and adds vibrant color to the plate. Every bite is unforgettable and this dish can be made in 30 minutes or less.

What’s in it?

  • 1 chicken breast, boneless and skinless
  • 1lb angel hair pasta
  • 3 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup broccoli florets
  • Garlic powder
  • ¼ cup butter
  • Salt, to taste
  • Pepper, to taste
  • Shredded Parmesan

*Serves 4

How’s it made?

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Grease a baking dish with a tablespoon of butter.
  3. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.
  4. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until cooked through and the juices run clear.
  5. Bring a pot of water to a boil.
  6. Generously salt water and add the pasta.
  7. Cook according to the packaging instructions. Pasta should still have some bite since it will finish cooking in the sauce.
  8. Drain the pasta.
  9. Melt the remaining butter in a skillet over medium heat.
  10. Pour in chicken broth. Add a little garlic powder.
  11. Season with salt and pepper.
  12. Bring to a simmer and add the broccoli. Cook for about 3 minutes or until tender. Add water to the sauce if the broth dissolves too much
  13. Taste the sauce and adjust seasonings.
  14. Pour the sauce over the pasta.
  15. Stir in some Parmesan and cover so the cheese will thicken the sauce.
  16. Plate the pasta.
  17. Slice the chicken and place it over the pasta. Garnish with more Parmesan if desired.
  18. Eat!

Once you put in the work you have a pot of pasta to eat for a few days. You can keep any leftovers in the fridge or take some with you on the go for a nice lunch. If you do not have chicken on hand, the pasta tastes just as good on its own. You can even add some chili flakes to the recipe for some spice. For those days when you do not have all the ingredients, the chicken broth can be replaced with vegetable broth and you can use frozen florets to save money. This dish is really flexible and the end result is always satisfying.