Description
Creamy broccoli and chicken penne brings comfort and elegance to your dinner table, blending wholesome ingredients with Italian-inspired flavors. Rich, velvety sauce and tender chicken promise a satisfying meal that welcomes you home with warmth and deliciousness.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 2 lbs chicken breast, boneless and skinless
- 1 cup parmesan cheese
Vegetables:
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- 1/2 cup onions, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Dairy and Sauce Ingredients:
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup milk
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup cream cheese
Additional Ingredients:
- 16 oz penne pasta
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Slice chicken breasts into uniform bite-sized pieces to ensure even cooking.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and season chicken with salt and pepper.
- Sauté chicken pieces until golden brown and fully cooked, approximately 6-8 minutes, then transfer to a separate plate.
- In the same skillet, melt butter and sauté diced onions and minced garlic until fragrant and translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
- Pour heavy cream and milk into the skillet, stirring continuously to create a smooth base sauce.
- Add cream cheese and whisk until completely integrated and sauce becomes velvety.
- Simultaneously, cook penne pasta in a separate pot according to package instructions until al dente, typically 8-10 minutes.
- Incorporate broccoli florets into the cream sauce and simmer for 3-4 minutes until tender-crisp.
- Return cooked chicken to the skillet and gently fold into the creamy sauce.
- Drain pasta and add directly into the skillet, mixing thoroughly to coat with sauce.
- Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the dish and stir to distribute evenly.
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley before serving hot.
Notes
- Choose chicken breasts with consistent thickness to guarantee uniform cooking and prevent dry or undercooked sections.
- Pat chicken pieces dry before seasoning to help achieve a perfect golden-brown exterior with enhanced flavor development.
- Use fresh broccoli florets for maximum nutritional value and crisp texture, avoiding frozen alternatives that might become mushy.
- Consider swapping heavy cream with Greek yogurt or half-and-half for a lighter, lower-calorie version of the sauce without compromising richness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 794
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 715 mg
- Fat: 40 g
- Saturated Fat: 23 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 64 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 46 g
- Cholesterol: 182 mg