Tender chicken, pasta shells, fresh broccoli, and a rich homemade cheddar cheese sauce come together in this simple comfort-food dish, Chicken Broccoli Shells & Cheddar. Ideal for a fast family dinner!
Ten minutes for preparation
20 minutes for cooking
30 minutes in total
Four servings
Ingredients:
8 ounces of medium pasta shells
One pound of skinless, boneless chicken breast, sliced into small pieces
Two cups of broccoli florets
One tablespoon of olive oil
Two teaspoons of butter
Two minced garlic cloves
Two teaspoons of all-purpose flour
One and a half cups of milk
1½ cups of cheddar cheese, shredded
¼ cup of grated Cheese from Parmesan
Half a teaspoon of powdered garlic
One-half teaspoon of paprika
Half a teaspoon of Italian seasoning
To taste, add salt and black pepper.
Instructions:
To prepare the pasta, boil a big pot of salted water. Cook the pasta shells until al dente, following the directions on the package. After draining, set away.
Prepare the broccoli: In the final two to three minutes of cooking the pasta, add the broccoli to the boiling water. Together with the spaghetti, drain and leave aside.
Add garlic powder, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper to the chicken to season it.
Prepare the chicken: In a big skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring now and again, until it is brown and cooked through. Take it out of the skillet and put it aside.
To make the cheese sauce, melt the butter over medium heat in the same skillet. Cook for about 30 seconds after adding the minced garlic. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
Pour in the milk: Pour in the milk gradually, whisking constantly until smooth. Cook until the sauce starts to thicken, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Put the cheese in there: Turn the heat down to low. Add the shredded cheddar and Parmesan cheese, stirring until melted and creamy.
Combine everything: Add the cooked pasta shells, broccoli, and chicken to the skillet. Gently whisk until everything is coated in the creamy cheddar sauce.
To serve, cook for an additional one to two minutes, or until well cooked. If desired, top with additional Parmesan or cheddar and serve right away.
Advice:
Compared to pre-shredded cheese, freshly shredded cheddar melts more smoothly.
To keep the broccoli bright and slightly soft, avoid overcooking it.
If the cheese sauce gets too thick, add a little milk.
This meal can be prepared even more quickly by using rotisserie chicken.
Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for flavour.
This simple spaghetti dinner will quickly become a family favourite since it is creamy, cheesy, and loaded with succulent chicken and crisp broccoli.
Chicken Broccoli Shells & Cheddar
Ingredients
Method