Creamy Chicken Penne with Broccoli

Finding recipes that please both children and adults can be a challenge, but this Creamy Broccoli Chicken Penne reliably works in our household. It combines two kinds of cheese—cream cheese for a silky sauce and freshly grated Parmesan for a bright, savory finish—which almost always gets the kids on board. I’ll even sprinkle a little extra Parmesan on their plates before serving, just to be certain they recognize the cheesy goodness. It’s funny how a generous dose of cheese can make broccoli far more appealing to picky eaters.

Pasta can become heavy quickly, so I like this version because it feels lighter without skimping on flavor. The sauce starts with chicken stock and cream cheese, creating a smooth, thin emulsion that coats the penne without making the dish overly rich. You still get the mouthfeel and comfort of a decadent pasta, but it doesn’t leave you feeling weighed down.

I love a good pan sauce and tweaked this one until it hit the balance I prefer, but feel free to adjust seasonings to suit your taste. If you enjoy heat, a pinch of red pepper flakes or a dash of cayenne will brighten the sauce. Garlic salt or your favorite seasoning salt can be used if you prefer. I opted for a splash of fresh lemon juice to lift the flavors, but for a more nuanced depth try deglazing the pan with 2–3 tablespoons of white wine after cooking the chicken and before adding the garlic. That extra step adds complexity without much effort.

Frozen broccoli is a convenient pantry staple I keep on hand. It works really well in casseroles, rice and pasta dishes because it absorbs sauce and blends into the dish so you rarely miss fresh broccoli. If you have fresh broccoli available, by all means use it—just remember fresh florets usually need less cooking time than frozen, so watch the skillet and cook to the tenderness you prefer.

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Creamy Broccoli Chicken Penne

Recipe by Add Recipes

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Ingredients

• 2 Chicken breasts, boneless and skinless

• 1 package Broccoli florets, frozen (12–16 oz)

• 1 lb Penne

• 1 1/2 cup Chicken stock

• 4 oz Cream cheese

• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

• 2 tablespoons Olive oil

• 2 cloves Garlic, minced or microplaned

• 1 tablespoon Fresh lemon juice

• 1 1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning, divided

• 1 teaspoon Salt

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

• Cut the chicken into bite-sized cubes. Season with 1/2 tablespoon of Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to taste.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the penne, following package guidance.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the diced chicken and cook until golden and just cooked through (an internal temperature around 180°F / 82°C). Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
• Lower the heat to medium-low. Add the garlic, chicken stock and the remaining 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning to the skillet, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Add the frozen broccoli, cover, and cook 4–6 minutes or until the broccoli reaches your preferred tenderness. Remove the broccoli to the plate with the chicken.
• Add the penne to the boiling water and cook according to package directions, but stop 1–2 minutes before the recommended time so the pasta finishes cooking in the sauce.
• While the pasta cooks, return the skillet to medium-low and whisk the cream cheese into the chicken stock mixture until smooth. Stir in the Parmesan and a pinch of salt. If the sauce seems too thick, add reserved pasta water a quarter cup at a time until the sauce loosens to the desired consistency. Let the sauce simmer gently while the pasta finishes.
• Drain the penne when it is al dente and add it directly to the skillet. Toss to coat and let the pasta finish cooking in the sauce for 1–2 minutes.
• Stir in the lemon juice and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Return the chicken and broccoli to the skillet, toss to combine, and allow everything to reheat together for about one minute. Serve immediately.

Notes

• Use block-style cream cheese for the most reliable sauce texture; whipped varieties may not blend as smoothly.
• Penne works beautifully here, but you can substitute other dry pasta shapes—bowties, rotini, elbows or rigatoni are all good choices.
• If you prefer, substitute fresh garlic with about 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder, adjusting to taste.
• Avoid extra-virgin olive oil for high-heat searing; use regular olive oil, vegetable oil, canola, or grapeseed oil if needed.
• If you don’t have Parmesan, Pecorino or Asiago are flavorful alternatives.
• To use fresh broccoli, plan on 1 1/2 to 2 heads and reduce the cooking time—cook until it reaches your preferred tenderness.

Penne is one of my go-to pastas for dishes like this. I prefer ridged penne rigate because the ridges help the sauce cling to the surface, ensuring each bite is well coated. The hollow shape also traps sauce inside the tube, so you get small bursts of flavor with every mouthful. If you haven’t cooked with penne before, it’s an accessible and very rewarding choice for weeknight dinners and family meals.