Chicken and Broccoli Pasta with Lemon Parmesan Cream Sauce
By Noah Bennett
Prep
10 min
Cook
30 min
Total
40 min
Servings
6
Level
Easy
Choose boneless‚ skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces as a nutritious‚ easy-to-cook‚ and store-friendly ingredient․ Chicken and broccoli pasta with rotini includes chicken and broccoli florets in a parmesan and lemon cream sauce with lemon flavor․
Rotini's curly shape helps the sauce cling to the pasta․ Broccoli florets cut 1 inch in diameter are cooked with the pasta near the end of cooking․ Garlic‚ chicken broth‚ heavy whipping cream‚ parmesan cheese‚ lemon zest‚ and lemon juice are added to the skillet with cooked chicken to make the sauce․ Some pasta cooking liquid is saved to add to the sauce if needed․ Heavy whipping cream helps thicken the sauce as it cooks․
As you cook the chicken‚ leave it in place and avoid overcrowding the pan to brown the chicken on both sides․ Add the browned chicken to the pan with garlic and cream sauce․ The sauce is ready when a spoonful just coats the spoon․ One potential error in cooking broccoli is overcooking it‚ broccoli should be green and tender‚ not limp․ Stir the broccoli frequently to keep the cream sauce from burning on the bottom of the pan․
Serve the pasta hot‚ topped at the table with parsley‚ basil‚ chives‚ or other dried Italian herbs‚ if desired․ Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator‚ leftover hot pasta can be reheated in 30-second increments in a microwave‚ stirring between increments until hot․ More pasta cooking liquid can be added to leftover pasta if it is dry․
Why you'll love this recipe
- Boneless‚ skinless breast meat provides large‚ tender meat pieces because cubes of meat one inch on a side sear quickly in oil and are mixed with pasta․
- Rotini pasta pairs well with creamy sauce because each bite includes parmesan cheese‚ lemon juice‚ and other sauce ingredients from the tightly wound noodles․
- Small pieces of broccoli cook separately and get a nice texture if added to the pasta while blanching at the end of the cooking process‚ rather than cooking with other sauce ingredients․
- Heavy whipping cream with a milkfat content of at least 36% makes a thick sauce that remains on a spoon when cooked down without additional thickener․
- Fresh lemon zest and juice provide contrasting citrus flavor to the parmesan sauce‚ offsetting the cream’s richness without masking the chicken flavor․
- One pound of chicken and eight ounces of rotini along with three cups of broccoli provide six entrée portions as part of a full meal․
Ingredients
- •3 quarts water
- •1 tablespoon kosher salt (divided)
- •8 ounces dried rotini (2 1/2 cups)
- •3 cups broccoli florets (1-inch pieces)
- •1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
- •¾ teaspoon black pepper (divided)
- •3 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
- •2 teaspoons minced garlic
- •1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
- •½ cup unsalted chicken stock (or broth)
- •½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- •1 teaspoon lemon zest
- •1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- 1
Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and stir to dissolve.
- 2
Add the rotini and cook until al dente, about 10 to 12 minutes, or according to the package directions.
- 3
A few minutes before the pasta is ready, add the broccoli florets and cook until bright green and tender, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- 4
Reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water, then drain the pasta and broccoli.
- 5
Cut the chicken breast into about 1-inch cubes and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
- 6
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil once the pan is hot.
- 7
Add the chicken in a single layer and cook without moving until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a clean bowl.
- 8
Adjust the same skillet to low heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and minced garlic, then sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- 9
Stir in the heavy cream, chicken stock, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- 10
Frequently scrape the sides and bottom of the pan as the sauce reduces until it starts to thicken and lightly coats the back of a spoon, about 5 to 6 minutes.
- 11
Turn off the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and lemon juice. If needed, add reserved pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time to reach the desired consistency, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
- 12
Add the rotini, broccoli, and chicken to the sauce and stir until combined. Serve hot.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
407
Protein
22g
Fat
33g
Carbs
7g
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