Description
A delightful and creamy pasta dish featuring rotisserie chicken, broccoli, and a rich cheese sauce, perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb penne pasta
- 1 whole rotisserie chicken (3–4 lbs, shredded, about 4 cups meat)
- 4 cups broccoli florets (fresh or frozen)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic (minced fine)
- 1 medium yellow onion (diced small)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup whole milk mozzarella cheese (shredded)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook penne pasta according to package directions until al dente. During the last 3 minutes of cooking, add broccoli florets directly to the pasta water. Reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water before draining. Drain pasta and broccoli together and set aside.
- Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Cook diced onion for 4-5 minutes until softened, then add minced garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth, bringing the mixture to a gentle simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from heat before adding cheese. Whisk in Parmesan and mozzarella until smooth, then season with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Add the drained pasta and broccoli to the creamy sauce, tossing gently to coat. Fold in the shredded rotisserie chicken last.
- Add reserved pasta water 2 tablespoons at a time until you reach a creamy consistency. Stir in a cold knob of butter just before serving.
Notes
For a lighter version, use whole wheat pasta and substitute half-and-half for the heavy cream. Consider adding cooked bacon for extra flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 85mg