Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake

• servings: 6 servings
• active time: 20 minutes
• total time: 1 hour

Ingredients

1 ½ cups chicken broth

1 ¼ cups half and half

½ chicken bouillon cube

1 teaspoon hot sauce

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon EACH: onion powder, oregano, parsley

¼ teaspoon EACH: paprika, garlic salt

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1 ¼ lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast

Salt/Pepper

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

½ cup dry white wine (see notes)

3 cloves garlic (minced)

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

½ lb. fusilli pasta

3-4 cups broccoli florets

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

3 cups cheddar cheese

1 cup crispy fried onions

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Combine the sauce ingredients in a large measuring cup with a spout and set aside. Measure out remaining ingredients before beginning.

Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes and pat it dry. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear until golden, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. Set aside.

As you continue with the following steps, bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Once a boil is reached, stir in some salt and cook the pasta 1 minute less than what's noted on the package instructions. **Add the broccoli to the boiling pasta water during the last 4 minutes.** Drain once cooked.

As the water heats up, add the wine to the same skillet used to cook the chicken and set the heat to medium. Use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom and sides of the skillet, this will add more flavor to the sauce. Simmer until the wine is reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the butter and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the flour and stir continuously for 2 minutes.

Add the sauce mixture (from step 1) in small splashes, stirring continuously. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.

Gradually sprinkle the Parmesan cheese and HALF cheddar into the sauce until combined.

Add the cooked pasta and broccoli and stir to combine.

Add the chicken back along with any juices from the plate and stir to combine.

Remove from heat and transfer to a lightly greased 9 x 13-inch casserole dish if your pot isn’t oven safe.

Top with remaining cheddar cheese. Cover and bake for 15 minutes.

Uncover and add the crispy fried onions. Bake uncovered for 8-10 more minutes. Serve!

Nutrition

• Calories: 658 kcal
• Total Fat: 41 g
• Saturated Fat: 21 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
• Trans Fat: 0.2 g
• Cholesterol: 153 mg
• Sodium: 1170 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 27 g
• Dietary Fiber: 2 g
• Total Sugars: 4 g
• Protein: 40 g