“I like the chicken. And the broccoli is pretty good. But I like the pasta the best.” Music to this mama’s ears, especially given I was delivering whole wheat pasta for dinner.
I’m not going to paint a picture that’s all rosy and rah-rah that says my family agrees with me when I say, “Yes! Let’s eat more healthy whole foods!”
The truth is, my family is a little reluctant when it comes to downing a whole bowl of whole wheat pasta. Case in point when my husband walked into the kitchen and saw this dish on the stove, and said, “Oh. * sad face * Whole wheat pasta, huh?”
Ahhh, not to fear, I have my wiley ways. And things can change pretty quickly around here, including his mind, when I put my mind to it.
I for one (in my family) am a fan of the whole wheat, like in my Fresh Tomato and Ricotta Whole Wheat Pasta that is off. the. hook as the kids say. Or do they? That saying may very well be circa 2005. Eeek. Quick Google search and urban dictionary deems it 2002.
Okay, I may be off in my hipness, but not in my taste for pasta.
My secret to converting the family to whole foods feasting is to infuse plenty of flavor into the pasta, the sauce, and the fixins’ that go into this 30-minute meal. Hello, weeknight dinner at home.
DeLallo pasta is one of my favorite pastas because of it’s quality, and I’m all about quality in my pasta, especially whole wheat because I don’t want to go through the contortions to convince my family that whole wheat is just as tasty as regular pasta and then deliver them a cardboard flavored noodle.
As Smudge says, “No bueno mom.”
I think what sets DeLallo apart from the rest is it’s texture, it’s toothiness that gives sauce something to stick to. Their whole wheat variety is made with organic semolina from the plains of Puglia, Italy. Yep, it’s the real deal.
About the recipe:
To save a step and a clean pan, I scoop the pasta out of the pasta water once it’s done and transfer it to a drainer or bowl. I then add the broccoli to the pasta water and cook it for about 3 minutes or so, then drain it as well.
The cheese sauce starts out with a basic roux of low-fat milk added to lightly browned butter and flour. Make sure your milk is cold, straight from the refrigerator, and you’ll avoid any clumps.
This is my favorite whisk for mixing the roux. Its small, silicone balls on the ends of the whisk get into the corners of the pan and doesn’t leave any scratches.
Be sure to remove your roux from the heat before adding the cheese to the mix. You don’t want the cheese to seize and become a big clump or separate because it’s too hot.
I use shredded chicken from a store-bought rotisserie chicken to save even more time. If you’d prefer to cook the whole deal from home, here’s my 5 tips for simple and juicy roast chicken.
Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Whole Wheat Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces {DeLallo short whole wheat pasta|http://www.delallo.com/catalog/organic-whole-wheat-pasta] such as fusilli or penne
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low-fat milk
- 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups shredded fontina cheese
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese plus more for garnishing
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
Instructions
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Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions. Scoop the pasta into a drainer or bowl and reserve the hot pasta water. Add the broccoli to the pasta water and cook for about 3 minutes or until desired tenderness. Drain and set aside.
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While pasta is cooking, make the cheese sauce. Over medium high heat, melt butter in a large sauce pan and whisk in the flour. Cook while whisking for about 2 minutes. Add milk and whisk continuously to avoid any clumps. Cook until mixture thickens and begins to bubble, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Stir in the mustard and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
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Remove from the heat and stir in the cheeses. Add the chicken breast, the whole wheat pasta and the broccoli and stir to combine. Season with more salt and pepper to taste and garnish with shredded parmesan cheese.
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Serve hot.
This post is sponsored by DeLallo Foods. As always, thank you for reading and supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. This post contains affiliate links. As always, all opinions are my own.
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Kathy @ Olives & Garlic says
September 23, 2014 at 10:46 amHeidi I love this recipe for it’s simplicity and I know my daughter will love it.
Annalise @ Completely Delicious says
September 23, 2014 at 11:33 amI’ve been very skeptical of whole wheat pasta up until this point, but I’ve heard good thing about DeLallo’s, so I think I better give it a try!
heidi says
September 23, 2014 at 3:24 pmMy whole family would agree with you! But I’m turning them into converts. !!YES!!
kcaudad says
September 23, 2014 at 12:34 pmI make a very similar recipe. It is a favorite in my house and ends up in the rotation a few times a month. Here is a tip for cooking the brocolli so it is done at the same time as the pasta: I either put it in with the pasta during the last few minutes of cooking the pasta (it does not change the flavor of the pasta) or, I put a steamer pan over the pasta water and cook the brocolli over the pasta pan during most of the cooking time. I have also used leftover chicken and frozen chopped brocolli in a pinch, and it still turns out great!
Brian @ A Thought For Food says
September 23, 2014 at 1:09 pmIs it weird that I want to put tuna in here? Yea… because I kind of like tuna casserole. Yup, it’s weird. No need to say it.
This dish looks great and yay for being the mom who gets their kids to like whole wheat pasta!
heidi says
September 23, 2014 at 3:23 pmFancy that! Sandy of Reluctant Entertainer just posted a Tuna Casserole here > http://reluctantentertainer.com/2014/09/tuna-casserole/. I’m with you on liking tuna casserole, I think it gets a bad rap!
Aggie says
September 23, 2014 at 1:13 pmI’m all over this pasta! It’s perfect! (though I’m kind of with Brian on the tuna thing…could totally go that way too!). Looks delicious Heidi.
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Stephanie @ Girl Versus Dough says
September 23, 2014 at 8:09 pmThis is the perfect weeknight dinner!
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Erin | The Law Student's Wife says
September 24, 2014 at 6:56 amYep–> Off. The. Hook. (And I’m all for whole wheat pasta, especially when it has great texture!)
naomi says
September 24, 2014 at 10:15 amI have to try this whole pasta with my little guy (and the dish of course). He loves pasta and I really never thought to give him anything but the regular kind.
ashley - baker by nature says
September 24, 2014 at 1:25 pmYou know I have a major weakness for pasta of any kind, so this is *right up my alley! Making one night very SOON!!!
Emily says
September 26, 2014 at 3:59 pmMy kids would love this recipe!
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Beth says
October 21, 2014 at 6:07 pmAny suggestions for a cheaper substitution for fontina cheese? I’m sure it wouldn’t be as good, but fancy cheeses aren’t in our budget :(
Charlotte says
October 27, 2014 at 12:04 pmCan you freeze this meal after you cook it? If so, does it freeze well?
Colette says
February 25, 2016 at 8:24 amcould I substitute the fontina cheese for marble or mozzarella ?
heidi says
March 1, 2016 at 9:56 pmYes, Colette, that would be a fine substitution. Enjoy!
M says
June 11, 2016 at 10:48 amI’m gonna try this today. I’m a college student on campus for the summer, so this should be a fun meal for dinner this week!