Chicken broccoli ziti is an easy pasta recipe with chunks of juicy chicken and broccoli in a creamy cheese sauce.
If you’re a fan of comfort food that satisfies your cravings, then look no further than homemade chicken broccoli ziti. This pasta dish is a touch of comfort, combining tender chicken, broccoli, and al dente ziti pasta, all smothered in a creamy cheese sauce.
Why settle for takeout? This is a great pasta dish for busy weeknights with the family.
Whether you’re cooking for one or hosting a dinner, this ultimate comfort food will surely impress. It’s a perfect touch of comfort food with easy lifting for the chef. This chicken broccoli ziti is great for leftovers for the next day. Let’s start step by step for how to prepare the recipe.
How To Make Chicken Broccoli Ziti
Ingredients needed
- Chicken breast
- Broccoli (fresh or frozen)
- Ziti pasta
- Milk
- All purpose flour
- Butter
- Evaporated milk
- Cheddar cheese (from the block not pre-shredded)
- Lemon
- Salt & black pepper
Helpful recipe tips before starting
Before starting, this recipe will require basic cooking skills. For example, making a roux for the cheese sauce. I will guide you through the process if you are a beginner but some people have had a little fear with creating one.
- Use cheddar cheese from the block. You are making a cheese sauce so you need the cheese to melt properly. Pre-shredded cheese is made not to stick together. There is a non-caking agent that prevents this.
- Frozen or fresh broccoli are fine for this recipe. The broccoli is simply blanched in order to soften it up.
Making the chicken broccoli ziti
- First, take the chopped broccoli and bring a pot of water to boil. Season the water with salt and then blanch the broccoli in the hot water and turn off the stove. While preparing the other ingredients allow the broccoli to soften.
- Next, slice up the chicken breast into small chunks. Do not make them too big because you want the chunks to cook fast and all the way. Season the chicken chunks with salt and pepper after cutting.
- In a frying pan on medium high heat add a little oil and sauté the chicken chunks. As the chunks finish cooking toss them to the side in a plate.
- Now, you want to prepare the sauce and the ziti at the same time. Cook the ziti according to the directions on the package.
- While the ziti is cooking, melt butter on medium heat in a pot big enough for the entire recipe, a dutch oven is perfect.
- Now, once the butter has melted toss in the flour. Using a spoon, cook the flour with the butter. A paste should start to form, there will also be some bubbling. This is cooking the raw flavor from the flour.
- Next, slowly pour in milk. Slowly pour in because if you pour too fast lumps could happen. You want to make sure the milk is mixing perfect with the flour. After you have added all the milk pour in the evaporated milk.
- Allow the sauce to simmer and start to boil a bit. Now, add in the grated cheese. Using your spoon, swirl everything around until the cheese has melted into the sauce. Once the cheese has melted turn off the heat.
- Then, season the sauce with salt, pepper and squeeze a lemon into the cheese sauce.
- Lastly, once the ziti is finished, drain it immediately and add into the sauce. Then, add in the cooked chicken and drained broccoli. Toss everything together then taste for seasoning before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I freeze the leftovers?
No, this chicken broccoli ziti is great for the refrigerator. However, freezing the sauce it will come out gritty and probably break because dairy does not thaw well.
Can I make this in one pan or in a slow cooker?
No, everything needs to be cooked separately then brought together in the cheese sauce. Everything has varying cooking times which is why it does not work as a one pan meal.
Can I use any kind of cheese?
For the cheese sauce you can use any cheese you want as long as you chop or grate your own. A great finisher would be sprinkling parmesan cheese across the top of the dish.
Ziti & pasta recipes to try
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Chicken Broccoli Ziti
Ingredients
- 1.5-2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 2 cups broccoli, chopped
- 16 ounce ziti pasta, dry
- 12 ounce can of evaporated milk
- 2 cups milk
- 3 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 4 tablespoon butter, melted
- 8 ounce cheddar cheese, grated or chopped
- 1 lemon, juiced
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- First, take the chopped broccoli and bring a pot of water to boil. Season the water with salt and then blanch the broccoli in the hot water and turn off the stove. While preparing the other ingredients allow the broccoli to soften.
- Next, slice up the chicken breast into small chunks. Do not make them too big because you want the chunks to cook fast and all the way. Season the chicken chunks with salt and pepper after cutting.
- In a frying pan on medium high heat add a little oil and sauté the chicken chunks. As the chunks finish cooking toss them to the side in a plate.
- Now, you want to prepare the sauce and the ziti at the same time. Cook the ziti according to the directions on the package.
- While the ziti is cooking, melt butter on medium heat in a pot big enough for the entire recipe, a dutch oven is perfect.
- Now, once the butter has melted toss in the flour. Using a spoon, cook the flour with the butter. A paste should start to form, there will also be some bubbling. This is cooking the raw flavor from the flour.
- Next, slowly pour in milk. Slowly pour in because if you pour too fast lumps could happen. You want to make sure the milk is mixing perfect with the flour. After you have added all the milk pour in the evaporated milk.
- Allow the sauce to simmer and start to boil a bit. Now, add in the grated cheese. Using your spoon, swirl everything around until the cheese has melted into the sauce. Once the cheese has melted turn off the heat.
- Then, season the sauce with salt, pepper and squeeze a lemon into the cheese sauce.
- Lastly, once the ziti is finished, drain it immediately and add into the sauce. Then, add in the cooked chicken and drained broccoli. Toss everything together then taste for seasoning before serving.