Recipe Inspiration
This Chicken Broccoli Alfredo is the perfect easy pasta dinner! Tender Cavatappi pasta and cooked broccoli are tossed in a rich and cheesy cream sauce, then topped with juicy slices of chicken.
– 225 grams pasta of any kind* (8 ounces) – 2 cups broccoli florets – 2 tablespoons oil – salt and pepper – 2 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts (about 1 lb) — thinly sliced – 1 tablespoon freshly minced garlic – ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning – ½ teaspoon salt – ⅛ teaspoon black pepper – ⅛-¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (depending on your spice preference) – ¾ cup low sodium chicken broth – 1½ cups heavy whipping cream** – 1 tablespoon corn starch – 1 tablespoon water – ¼ cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
– Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Add broccoli in last 2 minutes of the cook time. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, drain and set aside.
– Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil. – Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook in skillet for about 3-4 minutes per side, until browned and cooked through. Remove from the skillet and keep warm (optional: you can also leave the chicken in the pan!).
– Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and pepper flakes and cook 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits. – Stir in the cream, and cook and stir over medium heat until thickened, about 4-5 minutes. If desired, whisk together corn starch and water and stir in to thicken further.
– Stir in the cooked pasta, broccoli, chicken and Parmesan. If needed, use reserved pasta water to thin the sauce to coat the pasta (if you forgot to reserve pasta water, just use additional broth or cream).