Homemade Broccoli Chicken Mac & Cheese
- Yield 6
- Prep 30 minutes
- Cook 20 minutes
- Total 50 minutes
Homemade Broccoli Chicken Mac & Cheese is a pasta recipe on Avoteb. The yield on the card is 6. Plan on 50 minutes from start to plate. The amounts and the method are both on this page.
Ingredients
Yield: 6 servings
- 1 pound dry pasta (I used small shells, but you could use macaroni or any shape of pasta)
- 1 bunch broccoli, cut into bite-sized florets
- 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 cup milk, warmed
- 2 1/2 cups freshly-grated cheddar cheese (I recommend sharp cheddar)
- 1/2 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon finely-ground black pepper, or more to taste
- 2 cooked* boneless, skinless chicken breasts (*see instructions below for how to cook chicken breasts)
- (optional topping for the baked version) 1/2 cup extra shredded cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
Method
Warm oven to 350°F.
Leave pasta al dente** in a large stockpot of generously-salted water, according to package instructions. About 2-3 minutes before the pasta reaches al dente, add in the broccoli florets and let them cook alongside the pasta for the remainder of the cooking time. Tip off and keep nearby.
While that cooks, as the pasta water is heating, melt butter in a (separate) medium saute pan over medium-a hot burner. Tip in garlic and saute for 1 minute or until fragrant, stirring occasionally. Beat in the flour until combined and cook for an additional 1 minute, whisking occasionally. Slowly whisk in vegetable or chicken stock until the mixture is smooth. Then slowly whisk in the milk until it is combined. Continue cooking for 1-2 minutes, or until the mixture comes to a let it bubble gently. Then remove from heat,
Once the pasta and broccoli are cooked, pour the cheese sauce on top of the pasta, add in the chicken, and toss until everything is evenly combined.
At this point, you can either serve the pasta stovetop-style as-is. Or pour the pasta into a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish, and sprinkle with extra cheddar cheese and Panko breadcrumbs. Roast for 15-20 minutes, or until the top becomes slightly crispy and the breadcrumbs are slightly golden. Lift and serve while it is hot.
*To cook the chicken breasts on the stove top, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saute pan. Pound chicken to even thickness, and sprinkle both sides with a few generous pinches of salt and pepper. Tip in to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside. (Cooking times will vary depending on the thickness of your chicken.) Or, to bake the chicken breasts in the oven, follow these instructions.
**If making the baked version of this dish, It is worth ever-so-slightly undercooking your pasta, as it will cook a bit more while it bakes in the oven.
