Description
A creamy, cheesy baked pasta dish with chicken and broccoli in Alfredo sauce — perfect for a comforting one‐dish dinner.
Ingredients
- 500 g short pasta (penne, fusilli, rigatoni)
- 2 cups broccoli florets (about 1 medium head)
- 1 rotisserie chicken (shredded) or about 2 cups cooked chicken
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all‑purpose flour
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups milk (or a mix of milk & cream if desired)
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese + extra for topping
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200 °C / 400 °F. Grease a baking/casserole dish.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta for a few minutes less than package directions, adding broccoli florets in the last 2 minutes. Drain, reserving a little pasta water.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add minced garlic and cook briefly until fragrant. Stir in flour to make a roux, cook for about 1 minute.
- Whisk in milk (and/or cream), bring to a simmer, cook until sauce is slightly thickened. Remove from heat, stir in Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add cooked pasta, broccoli, and shredded chicken to the sauce. Stir to combine; if sauce is too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water.
- Transfer mixture to the baking dish. Sprinkle half of the mozzarella on top, then the rest of the pasta mixture if layering, then top with remaining mozzarella and extra Parmesan.
- Bake in oven for about 15‑20 minutes until cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden on top. Optionally broil for 1‑2 minutes to brown the top.
- Let rest a few minutes after baking, then serve warm.
Notes
- You can substitute frozen broccoli if you can’t get fresh; just adjust cook time when blanching.
- If you prefer a richer sauce, use half cream / half milk.
- Leftovers can be stored in refrigerator for 3‑4 days; reheat gently to avoid sauce separating.
- For lower fat, use reduced‑fat milk and less cheese.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 of 6
- Calories: 613 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 826 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: —
- Trans Fat: 0.03 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 45 g
- Cholesterol: 105 mg
