Chicken Broccoli Cheddar Pasta (Print Version)

Pasta with tender chicken, broccoli florets, and creamy cheddar sauce in a comforting dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne or rotini pasta

→ Meats

02 - 12 oz chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

→ Vegetables

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

→ Dairy & Cheese

05 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
06 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
07 - 2 cups whole milk
08 - 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

→ Seasonings

09 - 1/2 tsp salt, plus extra for pasta water
10 - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
11 - 1/2 tsp paprika (optional)

→ Oils

12 - 1 tbsp olive oil

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions, adding broccoli florets for the last 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then cook until golden and cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle in flour and whisk continuously for 1 minute to form a roux.
04 - Gradually pour in whole milk while whisking to prevent lumps. Cook until sauce thickens, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
05 - Stir in shredded cheddar cheese, salt, black pepper, and paprika. Reduce heat to low and mix until cheese is fully melted and sauce is smooth.
06 - Add cooked pasta, broccoli, and chicken to the skillet. Toss to coat evenly with cheese sauce and heat through for 1 to 2 minutes.
07 - Serve immediately, optionally garnishing with extra cheddar or fresh herbs.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It's ready in 40 minutes flat, which means you can go from bare kitchen to everyone sitting down to eat before anyone gets hangry.
  • The creamy cheddar sauce is so smooth and rich it feels fancy, but you're literally just melting cheese into a simple roux.
  • Leftovers actually taste better the next day once the flavors settle, so you've accidentally made tomorrow's lunch too.
02 -
  • The difference between a glossy sauce and a broken, grainy one comes down to heat—once the cheese goes in, keep the flame low or it'll seize up and separate into oil and clumps.
  • Adding the broccoli to the pasta water in the final minutes is genius because it seasons the broccoli from inside and you save a pan, plus the pasta water helps thin the sauce to the perfect consistency.
  • Shredding your own cheese from a block makes an enormous difference; pre-shredded cheese has starch and anticaking agents that turn the sauce gritty.
03 -
  • If your sauce ever looks grainy or separated, don't panic—whisk in a splash of cold milk off the heat and it usually comes back together smoothly.
  • The moment you add cheese is the moment you have to stop being aggressive with heat; medium-low or low keeps it creamy instead of turning it into an oil slick.
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