Baked Chicken and Broccoli Pasta

If you’re looking for something warm and hearty, you’re in the right place because this Baked Chicken and Broccoli Pasta is the ultimate comfort food that will satisfy the whole family.

The tender pasta baked in a rich, creamy sauce with chunks of chicken, broccoli, and two different types of cheese is an unmatched combination. You will also love how this Baked Chicken and Broccoli Pasta is…

• Easy, for many reasons. This recipe cooks the pasta and broccoli together to cut down on time. It also has a semi-homemade cream sauce that is completely foolproof, but so delicious.
• Perfect for making days ahead or freezing for months later.
• Versatile and easy to modify. Swap out the chicken for ham, fresh broccoli for frozen, you can even skip baking it all together.
• Adult and kid-friendly recipe. I guarantee everyone will love the flavors and textures of this baked pasta.

Baked Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Ingredients

• Chicken Breast: They should be cut into bite-sized chunks. You can also use pre-cooked chicken, rotisserie chicken, or even canned chicken to make this recipe even easier.
• Pasta: Chunky, cylinder shapes are best for baked pastas because they really hold onto a lot of sauce. I used tortiglioni but you can also use penne, rigatoni, or ziti.
• Broccoli: Use raw broccoli cut into bite sized florets.
• Cream of Chicken Soup: This is my shortcut to a super delicious and quick sauce. Feel free to use cream of mushroom or cream of broccoli in its place.
• Sour Cream: Adds a tanginess to the sauce. This can be substituted for plain Greek yogurt with little to no difference in taste or texture.
• Milk: Whole milk works best in baked pasta because of the fat content. Milks with less fat or no fat at all lead to a watery and thin sauce.
• Dijon Mustard: For added flavor and spices.
• Garlic Powder: For garlic flavor.
• Onion Powder: For onion flavor.
• Salt and Black Pepper: Essential for a well seasoned dish. You can either season the baked pasta at my recommendation or to your taste preference.
• Cheese: I use a blend of medium cheddar cheese and italian cheese (mozzarella cheese, asiago, and parmesan).

Equipment Needed

• Large Pot: It needs to be big enough to cook the pasta and broccoli together as well as mixing everything together before it goes into the pan to bake. I recommend one like this.
• Colander: Again, make sure it’s a big one. I also always recommend using metal colanders.
• Large Skillet: This is used to sear and cook the chicken chunks. Use your favorite pan, this is mine.
• 9×13 Baking Pan: I use a ceramic Staub baking dish so I can broil the cheese at the end. You can use glass or cast iron as well.

How to Make Baked Chicken and Broccoli Pasta

Here’s a super short summer of how to make this baked pasta. The recipe card below will have complete instructions.

1. BOIL THE PASTA AND BROCCOLI in a large pot with salted water. Once cooked you will strain away the water, rinse the broccoli and pasta with cool water, and put it back into the large pot.

2. COOK THE CHICKEN BREAST chunks in a large skillet with a little bit of olive oil. Once cooked, add it to the pot of broccoli and pasta.

3. MAKE THE SAUCE – cream of chicken soup, sour cream, milk, dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper, combined in a small bowl. Pour that over the cooked chicken, broccoli, and pasta.

4. COMBINE EVERYTHING TOGETHER until the chicken, broccoli, and pasta are evenly coated in sauce.

5. SPREAD OUT HALF OF THE PASTA MIXTURE into a lightly greased 9×13 baking pan. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the pasta.

6. TOP WITH REMAINING HALF of the pasta mixture and cheese.

7. BAKE UNCOVERED until golden brown and bubbly. If you want cheese that is crunchy and even more browned, you can place the pasta bake under the broiler for a few minutes (only with ceramic and cast iron dishes, NEVER glass).

8. ALLOW THE BAKED CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI PASTA TO REST for 5 minutes before scooping and serving.

Storing Information

Any leftover Baked Chicken and Broccoli Pasta should be stored in an airtight container or covered tightly with aluminum foil and refrigerated. It will keep up to 4 days. Easily reheat leftovers in the microwave or oven (at the same temperature in the recipe card) until heated through and warm.

Make Ahead Information

One thing I love about this baked pasta is it can easily be made a day or two ahead of time. All you have to do is assemble, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and refrigerate. As your oven preheats take the pasta bake out of your refrigerator and remove the aluminum foil. Add about 10 minutes to the cook time since the pasta bake will be cold.

You can also assemble and freeze it up to 3 months before baking. If you choose to do it this way, I recommend freezing the pasta bake in aluminum foil containers. As your oven preheats take the pasta bake out of your freezer. Since the pasta bake is frozen, it will need to cook covered for 15 to 20 minutes and then cook uncovered for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.

Recommended Recipe Variations

SWAP OUT THE CHICKEN for ham, pork, shrimp, turkey, or whatever you like. You can even make it a meat free meal by leaving out the chicken all together.

USE FROZEN BROCCOLI INSTEAD OF FRESH. If you choose frozen broccoli do not add it to the boiling pasta. You will want to cook it in the microwave for half the time the package specifies. Follow all other directions as written.

SKIP BAKING IT! This is a great option if you are limited on time. Once the chicken, broccoli, and pasta has been coated with the sauce, heat it on the stove over low heat until warmed through. Sprinkle in the cheese and fold it together a few times before serving.