The key recipe details
The order of the recipe is important, so follow the recipe steps exactly. You’ll brown the ground chicken with the seasonings first, then the dry pasta goes in and gets pushed down until the broth covers it.
The broccoli goes in on top to steam. We learned in testing that if you put the broccoli in at the same time as the pasta, it mixes with the noodles and displaces them so it’s hard to get the noodles covered in broth. They won’t cook through if they aren’t fully covered in liquid. No one likes crunchy bits of pasta.
So the keys are: the pasta needs to be covered in broth, the broccoli goes on top to cook covered. Once the pasta is tender you stir in the cream, Parmesan and the roasted peppers, then melt mozzarella over the top. Follow the steps and it’s an easy one pan ground chicken dinner recipe.
How to make chicken and broccoli pasta (step-by-step)
What we learned testing this
- Keep extra broth nearby: If the top layer of noodles pokes out after you press them down, pour in a little more until the liquid just covers them. Different pasta shapes will need different amounts of broth to cover.
- In step 6, the pasta meeds to be al dente: It keeps softening while the sauce simmers and the mozzarella melts, so a a little firmness to the noodle at that point will be just right by the time you serve it.
- Whisk the cornstarch into the cream before pouring: Give it a quick whisk in the measuring cup right before it goes into the pan to prevent clumping.
- Ground chicken or ground turkey: Both work. Dark meat ground chicken has more flavor than ground chicken breast meat, but any version will work.
- Leftovers: The pasta can harden up in the fridge. Reheat it with a splash of broth or cream to soften it back up.
More ground chicken dinners
We use ground chicken for a lot of our easy weeknight dinners. If you want this same one pan idea without the noodles, try our ground chicken and rice with veggies. That recipe uses frozen vegetables and is ready in about 35 minutes.
If you’d rather have a red sauce night, our ground chicken spaghetti bolognese is made with a scratch red sauce instead of cream. When you need a super-fast dinner, our 20-minute ground chicken stir fry cooks in one pan with a savory-sweet sauce. Finally, for taco night (weekly in our house), our ground chicken tacos are the way to go.
Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta (Ground Chicken, One Pan)
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken, can sub ground turkey
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 1 tbsp jarred minced garlic, about 3 cloves
- 10 oz short pasta such as penne, or rotini, or cavatappi (about 3 cups dry)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 1 16 oz jar roasted bell peppers, drained
- 2 cups packed baby spinach, optional
- 1 cup pre-shredded mozzarella
For the seasoning:
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp paprika
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix the seasonings together. Prepare the onion and broccoli as noted.1/2 yellow onion, diced, 4 cups broccoli florets, 1 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp paprika
- Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a large skillet (with a lid) over medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken and the seasoning mix. Cook 5-6 minutes, breaking the meat up, until it is no longer pink. Stir in the onion and minced garlic and cook 2 more minutes.1 lb ground chicken, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp jarred minced garlic, 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- Add the chicken broth and crank the heat to high. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Then, add the pasta and push it down into the liquid so it submerges. If it's not completely submerged, add a little more broth until it is. Add the broccoli on top of the pasta. Bring the pan to a low boil.10 oz short pasta such as penne, 4 cups chicken broth, 4 cups broccoli florets
- Once the broth is boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 8-12 minutes, until the pasta is al dente and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Adjust cooking time as needed based on the cooking directions for the pasta you use.
- While the pasta is cooking, shred the Parmesan cheese and mix the corn starch into the heavy cream. Gather remaining ingredients.1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, 1 16 oz jar roasted bell peppers, drained, 2 cups packed baby spinach, 1 tbsp corn starch
- Once pasta is cooked, give the cream and corn starch mixture a quick stir. Add in the heavy cream, grated Parmesan, roasted bell peppers and stir in the spinach now if you are using it; it wilts from the heat. Stir to mix.1/2 cup heavy cream, 1 tbsp corn starch, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, 1 16 oz jar roasted bell peppers, drained, 2 cups packed baby spinach
- Simmer for a couple of minutes while the sauce soaks in and thickens up and the peppers warm up. Then, remove from heat and sprinkle the mozzarella over the top. Cover and let sit for two minutes while the cheese melts. Serve immediately.1 cup pre-shredded mozzarella
Notes
- Nutrition estimates are per serving and an estimate provided for reader benefit. See our full nutrition information disclosure here. Â
