In this chicken and broccoli pasta, a hint of stone ground mustard gives a bit of tang to creamy melted cheese mixed into whole wheat pasta, broccoli florets, and shredded chicken.
Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta
“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 its 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 its texture, its 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.
What’s in This Creamy Chicken Pasta?
This whole grain pasta recipe is a cinch to make, and the ingredients list is minimal. Here’s what you’ll need to make this chicken broccoli pasta:
- Whole wheat pasta
- Broccoli florets
- Butter
- All-purpose flour
- Low-fat milk
- Whole grain mustard
- Shredded fontina cheese
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Shredded, cooked chicken
How to Make Chicken and Broccoli Pasta
First, you’ll need to cook the pasta according to package instructions. Then, 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.
While the pasta and broccoli are cooking, make the cheese sauce. 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.
Cook the roux until the mixture thickens, then stir in the mustard and season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and stir in the two types of cheese. Then, it’s just a matter of stirring in the cooked pasta and broccoli and diving in.
What Type of Pasta Should I Use?
Any short, sturdy whole grain pasta will work. I recommend buying something like penne or fusilli.
Can I Use Other Types of Cheese?
I’m sure you can! I bet shredded cheddar would also work in this recipe, as would Monterrey Jack. If you use another type of cheese, leave me a comment below letting me know how your whole wheat pasta dish turned out.
Tips for Making Chicken and Broccoli Pasta
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.
More Easy Pasta Recipes to Make
- One-Pot Penna Pasta with Turkey and Spinach
- Spaghetti Alla Carbonara
- Lighter Penne Alla Vodka
- Baked Sausage and Cheese Rigatoni
- Creamy Pasta with Salmon and Asparagus
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Bookmark this recipe and leave a comment below, or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces DeLallo short 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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. Serve hot.
Nutrition
More Italian Recipes to Make for Dinner
- Homemade Chicken Parmesan
- Mom’s Homemade Spaghetti and Meat Sauce
- Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
- Gnocchi with Pomodoro Sauce
- Easy Homemade Pesto Pasta
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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. There may be affiliate links in this post of which I receive a small commission. All opinions are always my own.
