Creamy penne pasta, tender broccoli, and juicy chicken are the stars of this chicken & broccoli alfredo. It’s a simple, delicious meal, and it’s ready in no time. This a great pick on busy weeknights. Hearty and satisfying, treat your family to a great dinner tonight!
Mahalo to Foodland Hawai’i for sponsoring this post. As always, thoughts and opinions are my own.
Pasta meals are some of my favorites. I love making a hearty dish for my family without messing up the kitchen or spending hours cooking. This easy chicken broccoli Alfredo dish is a winner and one my kids ask for over and over again.
I make it with Maika’i Organic Penne Pasta. I love that this pasta is organic and made from the best ingredients. It also cooks up perfectly, and the noodles trap all the yummy Alfredo sauce. The other secret to this recipe is the Maika’i Original Alfredo sauce. It’s rich and creamy and it pairs perfectly with this recipe.
Ingredients to Make This Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo Recipe
(Full recipe instructions and ingredient amounts are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post)
- Pasta – Maika’i Organic Penne Pasta is my first pick for this easy Alfredo recipe.
- Broccoli – Grab fresh broccoli florets or crowns and chop them up. In a pinch you can use frozen as well.
- Avocado oil – You don’t need much. You can swap it out for the cooking oil of your choice if you wish.
- Chicken thighs – Look for boneless and skinless chicken thighs for easy prep. Boneless skinless chicken breasts work as well.
- Italian seasoning – Make your own or pick up your favorite store bought blend.
- Alfredo sauce – Find this at your local Foodland in the pasta aisle.
- Mozzarella cheese – Shredded.
- Salt and pepper
How to Make This Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo Penne?
- Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. 3 minutes before the pasta is done, add the chopped broccoli to the water. Drain when the pasta is al dente. While the pasta is cooking, start cooking the chicken.
- Add the avocado oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Cook the chicken for 8-10 minutes or until it is lightly browned and has an internal temperature of 165F.
- Add the drained and cooked pasta and broccoli, Alfredo pasta sauce, and mozzarella to the chicken. Stir to combine and heat through until the cheese has melted.
Tips to Making the Best Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo
- Don’t overcook the pasta! Pasta should still have a bit of bite to it, and it will cook a wee bit more in the sauce, too.
- Don’t overcook the broccoli! Mushy broccoli is not good; it should be bright green and still have a bit of crunch to it.
- Cut the chicken thigh meat into pieces about the same size for even cooking.
- You want a nice thick cream sauce, but if your sauce is too thick, thin it out with a bit of milk or half and half cream.
- If your sauce is too thin, add a bit more cheese to thicken it up.
- You can make homemade Alfredo sauce, but a good-quality jarred sauce will save you so much time!
Broccoli & Chicken Alfredo Variations
This is an easy recipe to get creative with. Here are some of my favorite variations:
- Use chicken breast meat instead of chicken thighs.
- Use leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken to make this easy chicken broccoli Alfredo pasta.
- Change up the pasta shape. You can make chicken and broccoli fettuccine Alfredo, chicken and broccoli ziti Alfredo, and much more.
- Sprinkle the dish with Parmesan cheese and pop it under the broiler for a minute to brown the cheese.
- Add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for a bit of spice.
- Switch up the veggies! Add sliced red bell pepper, zucchini, matchstick carrots, and more.
- Use frozen broccoli if you can’t get fresh.
How To Store Homemade Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo?
This Alfredo with broccoli and chicken makes a fair bit, and for my family, we usually have leftovers. Once cooled, I store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
I love taking the leftovers for lunches – it heats up so nicely in the microwave. And the kids will nibble on small portions after school.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s not hard! The jarred sauce does all the work for you. In this recipe, you cook the pasta, blanch the broccoli, saute the chicken, then mix it all together with the jar of sauce.
It could be. There are two factors you need to consider when making gluten-free chicken broccoli Alfredo. The pasta is the first – use gluten-free pasta. Second, watch the ingredients on the jar of sauce. If the sauce is gluten-free, then this Alfredo recipe will be gluten-free (with gluten-free pasta.)
Yes, this is a quick and easy chicken and broccoli Alfredo recipe. By the time your noodles are cooked, the rest of the dish can be ready. Then, you just toss it together, heat it through, and serve!
More Pasta and Noodle Recipes
- Macadamia nut crusted chicken Alfredo pasta
- Chicken long rice
- Crispy noodles
- Chow fun
- Instant Pot mac and cheese
Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 package 16 ounces Maika’i Organic Penne Pasta
- 2 cups broccoli florets roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1 inch pieces
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 jar 15 ounces Maika’i Original Alfredo sauce
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. 2-3 minutes before the pasta is done add the broccoli and cook until the pasta is al dente and the broccoli has softened. While the pasta is cooking, start on cooking the chicken.
- Place a large skillet over medium high heat and add avocado oil. Add chicken, Italian seasoning, pepper, and salt. Cook for 8-10 minutes flipping halfway through, or until lightly browned and a minimum of 165F.
- Add pasta, broccoli, Alfredo sauce, and mozzarella to the pan of chicken. Stir gently to combine. Cook until heated through and the cheese has melted. Optionally top with Parmesan cheese and for a little spice red chili flakes.
- Serve immediately and ENJOY!
Notes
Nutrition
© Relle Lum for Keeping It Relle. Please do not copy and paste or screenshot recipes online or on social media. I’d love it if you share a link with a photo instead. Mahalo!
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This is a great weeknight dinner!
This was so easy to make and tasted great! My whole family loved it!
Perfect dinner. My family loves alfredo chicken. I will definitely give this recipe a try.
This is so good! Thanks for another great recipe!