Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta

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Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta with a creamy lemon Parmesan sauce and plenty of chicken and broccoli for only 400 calories per serving.

438 CAL 55g CARBS 13g FAT 42g PROTEIN 6
10 Comments

This easy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta is a healthier version of your favorite restaurant dish with the most delicious creamy Parmesan sauce, fresh broccoli, chicken, and a touch of lemon.

Its comforting, filling, and has about half the calories of the restaurant version. We also love this Creamy Mushroom and Chicken Pasta.

This dish was inspired by one of my favorite East coast pasta dishes - Chicken, Ziti, Broccoli. It's something I haven't seen much on menus since moving West but back home almost every menu has some version of this deliciously creamy and lemony dish.

It's usually a ridiculously huge plate of pasta (enough for at least three), tons of chicken and fresh broccoli, and a light lemony cream sauce. Then a mountain of Parmesan cheese. This version takes all those classic flavors but is lightened up.

It still tastes delicious but you don't have to worry that your dinner has more calories than you should eat all day.

The key to making this dish is the lightened-up cream sauce made with a combination of 2% milk and chicken broth. No cream needed!

The pasta is cooked in liquid so that the pasta starch is combined with the broth and milk to create a delicious, creamy sauce. It's a great trick for making any lightened-up sauce. Then the Parmesan cheese is stirred in and you have one amazing sauce.

Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta with fresh lemon and plenty of Parmesan.

Tips for Making Chicken and Broccoli Pasta

Follow these tips when making this recipe.

  • Chicken: Although I usually use chicken breast, you could also use chicken thighs or shrimp in the recipe. If you decide to make it with shrimp, just be really careful about not overcooking the shrimp since they cook so quickly.
  • Vegetarian: For a vegetarian version, just leave out the chicken and use vegetable broth instead. You could fold in some chickpeas or white beans for extra protein and fiber.
  • Different veggies: If broccoli isn't your favorite veggie, you could use asparagus, cauliflower, broccolini, zucchini, or a combination of your favorite veggies instead.
  • Different cheeses: To switch up the flavors, consider swapping in a different cheese. Creamy goat cheese or feta cheese would taste amazing and totally change the flavor profile of the dish.
  • Less spicy: If you don't like things spicy, leave out the red pepper flakes. 

Recipe Ideas for Chicken Broccoli Pasta

Follow these ideas to customize this recipe to your liking.

  • Add pesto: For extra flavor, consider stirring in some store-bought or homemade pesto. This really kicks things up and the creamy pesto flavor is insane.
  • Different pasta: You can use pretty much any kind of pasta for this recipe. Many people like it with penne, ziti, or shells since the sauce really sticks to tubular pasta shapes.
  • Creamier sauce: For a thicker, creamier sauce you can use fat-free half and half instead of milk. You can also use canned evaporated skim milk, which is thicker and creamier. This will create more of an alfredo style sauce.
  • Extra cheesy: For extra cheesy pasta, add some extra Parmesan cheese or melt some mozzarella cheese on top before serving.
  • More lemon flavor: For extra lemon flavor, add the zest of the lemon as well.
  • Add tomatoes: If you love tomatoes, consider adding a can of drained diced tomatoes to the dish. Halved cherry tomatoes are also really yummy in this dish.
  • Creamy red sauce: For a creamy red sauce, add about 1 cup of marinara sauce to the final dish.

What type of pasta is best for this recipe?

You can use almost any type of pasta for this Chicken and Broccoli pasta recipe. Regular, whole grain, and high fiber pasta all work.

You can also use any shape of pasta you like - spaghetti, shells, ziti, penne, or any other pasta shape.

Some people have asked if this will work with alternative pasta like those made with chickpeas and lentils. Honestly, I haven't had a chance to try that yet, so I am not sure. If you try it - let us know!

Looking for more healthy pasta recipes?

Here are some of the tools and products I used when cooking this recipe:

  • High fiber pasta: For a healthier pasta option, I usually try to use a high fiber pasta like this one or this one. They usually have 2-3 times the amount of fiber and more protein. You could also use a whole wheat pasta.
  • Since the chicken broth adds a lot of flavor to the sauce in this recipe, I like to use a really flavorful high-quality chicken broth like this one or homemade if I have some in the freezer.
The Recipe
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Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta

438 CAL 55g CARBS 13g FAT 42g PROTEIN 6
PREP TIME: 5 Min
COOK TIME: 25 Min
TOTAL TIME: 30 Min
10 Comments
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Ingredients

US METRICS
  • 8 oz. high fiber pasta
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into small chunks
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 4 cups broccoli florets
  • 1/2 cup 2% milk
  • 2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flake
  • 1/2 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tbsp. lemon juice
  • salt and pepper

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Instructions

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1

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat up the olive oil (and some extra cooking spray if needed) in a large saute pan and cook the chicken until it is lightly browned and just cooked. Set aside in a separate bowl. Be careful not to overcook the chicken. It's fine if its a little underdone since it will cook again with the sauce.

2

In the same saute pan, add the onion and cook for 5-7 minutes until it begins to become translucent. Add the garlic and cook another minute or two until fragrant.

3

Add in whatever pasta you are using and 2 cups of the chicken broth, red pepper, and basil. Bring to a boil and then simmer until the water is almost completely absorbed and pasta is close to cooked about 8 minutes.

4

Add in the broccoli and the additional 1/2 cup of chicken broth. Cover and let simmer for about 4 minutes until broccoli is bright green.

5

Add in the chicken, milk, cheese, and lemon juice. Stir together and simmer for about 5 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken. Turn off and let the pasta sit for 2-3 minutes longer so the sauce can continue to thicken. Serve!

Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 2 cups
Amount Per Serving
Calories 438
Calories from Fat 110
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 13g
19%
Saturated Fat 3g
15%
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Cholesterol 68mg
22%
Sodium 357mg
16%
Total Carbohydrate 55g
18%
Dietary Fiber 9g
35%
Sugars 6g
Protein 42g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method.

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About the author Meet Kristen McCaffrey
Hi, I’m the cookbook author, recipe developer, and food enthusiast behind Slender Kitchen. I am obsessed with making healthy food that is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. Meal planning is my secret weapon and I hope I can make meal time easier for you with our tried and tested recipes and foolproof meal plans. Learn More
† We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
10 Comments
On Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta
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Katrina
February 13, 2024 - 13:47
Add a Rating:
5
This recipe is my husbands favorite, so I make it most Valentine’s Day dinners! I do add more cheese to boast the flavor. Cooking the pasta in the broth is amazing!
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Megan
January 28, 2020 - 20:21
Add a Rating:
4
Second time making with a few adjustments and it came out even better than the last! A new fav in our house! :)
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Jo Kraft
April 8, 2019 - 08:24
Sounds good so will try it soon.
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Dawna
June 10, 2018 - 16:46
Add a Rating:
4
Yum!
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October 10, 2018 - 08:18
It's hard to beat creamy pasta!
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Kim
April 4, 2019 - 07:18
This was really yummy, but I had trouble getting the sauce to thicken. Any tips?
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Shadow Warrior
January 29, 2017 - 13:57
Add a Rating:
5
Hearty and healthy, thoroughly enjoyed
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October 10, 2018 - 08:18
Those meals are the best ones. Glad to hear you enjoyed it!
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Gillian
December 21, 2018 - 08:23
How many serving does this recipe make?
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March 27, 2019 - 11:04
It makes four good sized servings.
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