This chicken broccoli ziti is a light and creamy pasta dish that comes together in just 30 minutes. It’s perfect for feeding your entire family on busy weeknights.
It comes complete with al dente ziti pasta, tender broccoli, and juicy chicken. It’s so good and complete on its own that you don’t even need a side dish really (but we always do anyway!).
The pasta and broccoli cook together in one pot, but then everything comes together as a one skillet meal. It’s such an easy, quick, and comforting meal!
When the cool weather approaches, I’m always looking for new, simple, and comforting pasta dishes. My Chicken Pesto Pasta and Rigatoni Bolognese are in good company this season.
Today, I’m excited to share this chicken broccoli ziti recipe! It’s a bit lighter than my beloved chicken broccoli alfredo, but just as delicious! Instead of heavy cream, I use half-and-half, so that it’s not so heavy and rich. It’s nice to have options!
This chicken and broccoli pasta dish is made with ziti pasta, broccoli florets, and juicy chicken smothered in a light creamy sauce finished with lemon zest for that pop of brightness.
You can serve the chicken broccoli ziti on its own, but if you’re like me, you’re always going to have a basket of cheesy garlic bread as well!
Because this chicken broccoli pasta is made with simple ingredients, I highly recommend grating your own parmesan cheese (makes for a smoother sauce). Other than that, gather your ingredients and meet me in the kitchen. I’m going to show you how to make the BEST chicken broccoli ziti!
Looking for more weeknight chicken pasta options? Try my Chicken Tortellini Alfredo or Chicken Piccata Pasta!
Why I love making this chicken broccoli ziti:
- It’s slightly creamy and cheesy enough, but not too heavy or rich, and the flavors are spectacular! I use half-and-half and freshly grated parmesan cheese instead of heavy cream.
- Ready in just 30 minutes or less, and can easily be doubled if needed.
- You can customize it to your liking. Feel free to add your favorite veggies or swap the protein.
- Makes great leftovers and reheats beautifully. I always make a big batch for the week.
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Ingredient Notes
There’s nothing like a fresh, flavorful chicken broccoli pasta dish made with simple, wholesome ingredients. Below, I have included a few helpful tips from recipe testing, and specific ingredient quantities can be found in the recipe card down below.
- Chicken breasts: Boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch cubes evenly.
- Ziti pasta: This medium tube-shaped pasta looks a bit like penne without the ridges. So, as you can imagine, penne or similar can be used as a substitute. Also, don’t forget to reserve the pasta water!
- Broccoli: Washed and chopped into broccoli florets. You can also pick up already chopped florets from the grocery store.
- Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper for the seasoning. Gives the sauce plenty of flavor and still allows for the parmesan and lemon zest to shine.
- Minced garlic and minced shallot are the aromatics here. It’s not overly garlicky, but garlic always pairs well with a cream sauce.
- White wine: Any white wine you’ve got on hand will do the trick. You can use a 1-to-1 swap with chicken broth if preferred.
- Half-and-half: Half-and-half combined with pasta water and fresh parmesan cheese makes a lighter yet creamy sauce. If you want it creamier, feel free to use heavy cream instead.
- Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated.
- Lemon zest: For a bright, vibrant finish that cuts through the creaminess. It’s delicious!
Step-by-Step Tutorial
There is just 15 minutes of prep time that goes into making this hearty pasta dish. Cut the broccoli and chicken, boil the pasta, and then it all comes together with a sauce. Here’s how I make my chicken broccoli ziti dish!
Step 1 | Cook the pasta and broccoli
Cook that pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. Make sure to generously salt the water to infuse the pasta with flavors. With 3 to 4 minutes left in the cooking time, toss in the broccoli florets to cook until it’s crisp tender. Don’t overcook the broccoli, as it will continue cooking on the skillet later.
Reserve 1-2 cups of pasta water. Then drain and immediately run the pasta under cold water to stop it from cooking, especially the broccoli so it maintains its bright green color.
Step 2 | Season and cook the chicken
While the pasta cooks, season the chicken with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Quick tip: Pat dry the chicken to get a nice golden brown sear when cooking the chicken.
Then, cook the chicken in the skillet with melted butter. Once the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, transfer it to a plate and set it aside.
Step 3 | Make the sauce
Using the same skillet, melt the rest of the butter. Sauté the garlic and shallots for a few seconds and then pour in the white wine. Use a wooden spoon to deglaze the bottom of the pan until reduced. This will add even more flavor to your dish.
Then, stir in the half-and-half and bright to a light simmer for just a few seconds. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 4 | Toss with pasta, chicken, broccoli
Add the cooked ziti pasta along with some of the reserved pasta water as needed. As it simmers, it will thicken. Then, return the cooked chicken and broccoli.
Add freshly grated parmesan cheese, this will help thicken it even more. Toss until everything is coated. If you feel it needs a bit more creaminess, add more half-and-half and pasta water.
Finish your chicken broccoli ziti with a grating of fresh lemon zest and a generous amount of extra parmesan cheese on top!
Make Ahead and Freeze
Whenever I make it ahead, I always leave out the broccoli. I like to cook the broccoli fresh right before serving so it’s bright green and crisp tender (cooked broccoli turns yellow when refrigerated).
Make it up to 2 days ahead. You might find it needs a bit of liquid to loosen it up again as it reheats. Feel free to add a splash of cream.
Chicken broccoli pasta freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Keep it in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container, and then thaw it in the fridge before reheating it in either the microwave or a pan on the stovetop.
Pairing and Serving Ideas
This is one pasta dish that doesn’t need much to complete it, but we always pair it with a few sides because, well, we are food lovers over here!
Here are some of our favorite side dishes, which I typically only make when serving a larger crowd. Sides like a kale and apple salad, our house salad, or lemon green beans are always good choices.
Recipe FAQs
You can use any small or medium-shaped pasta you have on hand. Penne, bowties, small shells, rigatoni, or fusilli all work.
The starchy pasta water and freshly grated parmesan cheese help it achieve a light and thin creamy saucy. If you want it to be richer, feel free to use heavy cream instead.
Mushrooms and bell peppers are always great choices. You can even replace the broccoli with cauliflower or asparagus for something a little different.
If you have the extra time, you can transfer everything to a baking dish, top it with shredded mozzarella cheese and breadcrumbs, and bake until melted.
Tips for Success
- Before you begin, make sure to find a skillet large enough to hold everything and make it easier to mix. I use a large 12-inch deep skillet.
- Generously salt your pasta water when cooking the ziti. It will add great flavor throughout.
- Cut the broccoli and chicken to a similar size for even cooking and to make it easier to serve and eat.
- After cooking the broccoli, run it through cold water (or use an ice bath) to help maintain its bright green color.
- Do not overcook the chicken. Cook it until it’s just golden and cooked through. Any longer, and it’ll be dry once it simmers in the sauce.
- Use freshly grated parmesan cheese. Store-bought grated cheese contains extra ingredients that can make the cheese taste gritty when exposed to heat.
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Chicken Broccoli Ziti
Equipment
- box grater for the cheese
Ingredients
- ½ pound ziti pasta
- 2 to 3 cups broccoli florets
- 2 medium chicken breasts - cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter - divided
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 1 small shallot - finely minced
- ½ cup white wine - or chicken broth
- ¾ cup half-and-half - plus more to as needed
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese - plus more as needed
- Lemon zest
Instructions
- Cook pasta and broccoli: In a large pot with generously salted water, cook the pasta according to package directions. 3 to 4 minutes before the pasta cook time is up, add the broccoli florets and cook together with the pasta, until the pasta is al dente and the broccoli is tender crisp. Reserve 1 to 2 cups of pasta water for later just in case. Drain and run through cold water to stop the cooking process and to keep the broccoli crisp and bright green.
- Season chicken with a few drizzles of olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, Kosher salt (1 teaspoon) and pepper.
- In a skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter and cook the chicken until golden brown and fully cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- In the same skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, and sauté garlic and shallots for a few seconds. Add the wine wine (or broth) to deglaze, scraping the brown bits to release.
- Stir in the half-and half and bring to a light simmer for a few seconds. Then, add the cooked pasta and some of the reserved pasta water as needed. The pasta water will help thicken the sauce, which should be light and slightly creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Return the cooked chicken and broccoli to the skillet, and toss until coated. If needed, add more half-and-half and pasta water until you get the right consistency.
- Finish with grated parmesan cheese tossing to combine.
- To serve, top with fresh lemon zest and more parmesan cheese as garnish. Enjoy!
Notes
- Remember to reserve the starchy pasta water. You’ll need it for the sauce.
- Half-and-half: Makes for a lighter sauce. The starchy pasta water and freshly grated parmesan help thicken it. It’s a slightly creamy and light sauce. However, if you want it to be richer, use heavy cream instead (and omit the pasta water).
- Run the cooked broccoli florets through cold water, or use an ice bath, to keep it bright green and crisp tender.
- Ziti: Penne, bowties, small shells, rigatoni, or fusilli are great options.
- Chicken breast: Chicken thighs.
- Vegetable add-ins: Mushrooms, bell peppers, spinach, kale.
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