Make this amazing Chicken Broccoli Ziti coated in delicious creamy sauce! This is an easy weeknight dinner recipe that you can make in under 30 minutes!
If you are looking for a quick and easy comforting meal, try this amazing Chicken Broccoli Ziti! This is a delicious pasta recipe, made with creamy sauce, similar to Alfredo sauce, and packed with sauteed chicken and healthy broccoli.
The whole recipe comes together in only 30 minutes. And the only appliances you’ll need is a pot to boil pasta and broccoli, and a large skillet to sear the diced chicken, make the sauce, and mix all the components together.
If you like more comforting quick meals, check out these recipes:
- Hawaiian Chicken Recipe
- Tortellini in Tomato Sauce
- Cheesy Broccoli Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Meatless Baked Ziti
- Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
- Old Fashioned Goulash Recipe
- Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta
- Pink Sauce Pasta
Why you will love this recipe
- Quick and Easy. The whole recipe takes less than 30 minutes to make! Plus, it’s so easy to put it together. While the pasta and broccoli are cooking in a pot, you can sear the meat and prep the sauce. Then just mix everything together and the dinner is done!
- Delicious. The sauce is very similar to the popular Alfredo sauce! It’s has a rich creamy texture that even picky eaters love!
How to make it
Cut the chicken breasts into 1×1-inch cubes and set aside. Cut a bunch of broccoli into florets and set aside.
Bring a large pot with water to boil. Transfer 10 oz ziti pasta and cook according to the instructions until al-dente.
When the pasta is almost cooked, add broccoli florets into the cooking pasta and cook for 3-4 minutes. When done, drain all the water.
While the pasta is cooking, preheat a large pan over medium/high heat and add 2 tbsp olive oil.
Add cubed chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 7-10 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through. Then scoop all the cooked meat out of the pan into a plate and set aside.
Low the heat to medium. In the same pan, melt 3 tbsp butter. Add 3 tbsp all-purpose flour and whisk until well combined for about 1 minute.
Add 1 ½ cups chicken broth and 1 cup heavy cream, then whisk again until the butter/flour mixture is dissolved.
Then add the seasoning (1 tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, ½ tsp onion powder, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp dried oregano, and ¼ tsp red pepper flakes). Whisk and continue to whisk until the sauce gets thicker, about 7-10 minutes.
Then add ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese and whisk again until well combined.
Add cooked pasta and broccoli and toss them well, so everything is coated with the sauce.
Serve and enjoy this delicious Chicken Broccoli Ziti!
Tips for best results
- Skillet. Make sure your skillet is large enough and has high rims, so it can fit everything. Mine is 4.5 qt and perfectly fits the whole meal.
- Red Pepper Flakes. If you like your pasta a bit spicier, you can add some extra red pepper flakes. But remember that the longer you cook them in the sauce, the spicier they will be.
- Pasta. While this recipe is for Ziti, you can really use any pasta you have on hands.
- Chicken. When you pan sear the chicken, make sure you don’t overcook it, otherwise the meat will come out dry.
How to make this recipe healthier?
This recipe is definitely more comforting and includes more calories. While it’s totally worth to indulge it, there are a few ways you can make it a bit healthier.
- Heavy Cream. Cream helps to make the sauce rich and creamy. It you want to reduce fat, you can substitute it with some light cream or even milk. Although, if you use milk, I would use 2 ½ cups of milk instead of 1 ½ cups chicken broth and 1 cup heavy cream. This way you still will be smooth and velvety
- Vegetables. You can easily add more vegetables to this dish, like peas, cherry tomatoes, red bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, and more. If you want to use frozen peas, just add it to the boiling water together with broccoli. The rest of the vegies will need to be seared in the pan after to finish cooking the chicken.
- Pasta. Feel free to use whole wheat or gluten-free pasta in this recipe. The cooking time for it might be slightly different, just follow the instructions on the box.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can store the leftovers in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.
I would not suggest to freeze this meal. The creamy sauce doesn’t freeze that well and it’s hard to defrost it keeping it creamy.
Yes, you can use fresh or frozen broccoli in this recipe. Although, I prefer fresh.
While I prefer to use chicken breasts, you can also use skinless boneless thighs or even tenders. Just cut then into bite-size pieces.
More Dinner Recipe Ideas:
- Instant Pot Taco Soup
- Taco Zucchini Boats
- Buttermilk Chicken Tenders
- Baked Chicken Cutlets
- Pasta e Fagioli Soup
- Instant Pot BBQ Ribs
- Easy Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
- Baked Cheese Tortellini
- Pork Milanese
- Cast Iron Chicken Breast
Chicken Broccoli Ziti
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1×1-inch pieces
- 10 ounces ziti pasta
- 1 bunch broccoli cut into florets
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- Cut the chicken breasts into 1×1-inch cubes and set aside. Cut a bunch of broccoli into florets and set aside.
- Bring a large pot with water to boil. Transfer 10 oz ziti pasta and cook according to the instructions until al-dente.
- When the pasta is almost cooked, add broccoli florets into the cooking pasta and cook for 3-4 minutes. When done, drain all the water.
- While the pasta is cooking, preheat a large pan over medium/high heat and add 2 tbsp olive oil.
- Add cubed chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 7-10 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through. Then scoop all the cooked chicken out of the pan into a plate and set aside.
- Low the heat to medium. In the same pan, melt 3 tbsp butter. Add 3 tbsp all-purpose flour and whisk until well combined for about 1 minute.
- Add 1 ½ cups chicken broth and 1 cup heavy cream, then whisk again until the butter/flour mixture is dissolved.
- Add the seasoning (1 tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, ½ tsp onion powder, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp dried oregano, and ¼ tsp red pepper flakes). Whisk and continue to whisk until the sauce gets thicker, about 7-10 minutes.
- Then add ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese and whisk again until well combined.
- Add cooked pasta and broccoli and toss them well, so everything is coated with the sauce.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Skillet. Make sure your skillet is large enough and has high rims, so it can fit everything. Mine is 4.5 qt and perfectly fits the whole meal.
- Red Pepper Flakes. If you like your pasta a bit spicier, you can add some extra red pepper flakes. But remember that the longer you cook them in the sauce, the spicier they will be.
- Pasta. While this recipe is for Ziti, you can really use any pasta you have on hands.
- Chicken. When you pan sear the chicken, make sure you don’t overcook it, otherwise the meat will come out dry.
- How to store. You can store the leftovers in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.
Absolutely delicious! My extremely picky daughter loves it too! Simple and delicious fast dinner that makes the impression you spent hours preparing it!
Delicious! Your instructions made it soooo easy too. Love the little kick from the hot pepper flakes but, if you don’t like a mild hot…..leave them out. Extra parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top….yum!
What is the serving size for the nutritional breakdown?
Nice quick recipe with good seasonings, I did cut salt to 1/2 tsp and will reduce further next time, I don’t like things too salty and the cheese and chicken broth both add salt. I subbed a can of evaporated milk for the heavy cream and it still came out nice and creamy. Will add more broccoli next time, again this is personal preference. Thank you for your recipe. Also appreciate that you put seasoning amounts in the body of the recipe so I didn’t have to keep flipping back.
I’m not a creative chef but I can follow a recipe to the tee. However, I did add the cheese a bit early! Oversight!! What I can say is this dish is easy and so delicious!!! Highly recommend!!
Thank you so much, George! So happy you enjoyed the recipe 😉
My 8 year old daughter finally didn’t respond with” meeehhh ,I’ve had better”
An 8 year old is your test market? Okay. Guess it didn’t beat grilled cheese sandwiches or chicken tenders. I can live with that!
It doesn’t say when to add the chicken – other than that, very good!
AMAZING!! This was so good quick and easy. I will make again!
Thank you Aaron and my mom loves it
Increased chicken broth to 2 cups and used 4 tablespoons flour. Recipe didn’t indicate when to add chicken, so seemed appropriate to add after pasta and broccoli added to sauce.
Thank you, Candace! Glad you liked it!
Thumbs up by all….Easy / Quick / Delicious
Substituted heavy cream with coconut milk.
Thank you, Leo! Glad you all loved it 😉
This was delicious! I went from not knowing what was for dinner at 4:20 to dinner on the table at 5:30 and everyone liked it!!!
Yaay! Thank you so much, Lauren! So happy you and your family loved the recipe!
Lovely, trying this tonight!
Thank you, Naomi! Let me know how you liked it!