Creamy Chicken Broccoli Pasta is an amazing one pot dish that's super easy to make and takes less than 30 minutes to put together. It makes a lot which is great given the the leftovers are just as yummy!
8ouncesdried Penne pasta, cooked to al dente stage according to package directions (See Tip 1)
5pieces bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled
2poundsskinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into ¼-inch slices (See Tip 2)
2 teaspoonsItalian seasoning
1teaspoonpaprika
½teaspoonKosher salt
¼teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
2clovesgarlic, minced
3cupsfrozen broccoli florets (See Tip 3)
10ouncecan Rotel original diced tomatoes & green chilies, drained
1cupheavy cream
½cupsour cream (See Tip 4)
1cupshredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
Cook pasta in salted boiling water to the al dente stage according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Cook bacon in a large skillet. Drain and crumble. Set aside.
Pour bacon grease from skillet; return 1 tablespoon of bacon grease. Add chicken, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until chicken is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add broccoli and Rotel tomatoes. Stir to combine. Add cream and sour cream. Heat over medium heat until bubbly, 2 to 3 minutes. Add cooked pasta and cheese. Stir to combine. Heat until cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add crumbled bacon. Stir to combine.
Yield: 6 servings (See Tip 5)
Tips/Notes
You could also use Rotini, Ziti or the pasta of your choice.
You could use chicken thighs in place of the chicken breasts, or a combination of chicken breasts and chicken thighs.
You could also use fresh broccoli florets. However avoid using frozen broccoli cuts. In my experience, the frozen broccoli cuts while cheaper, tend to be primarily the tough broccoli stalks as opposed to the tender florets. Rather than using broccoli you could use fresh 2 to 3 cups of fresh spinach.
I used light sour cream. You could also use full-fat sour cream, or heavy cream.
Refrigerate leftovers, if any in a covered container. Heat in microwave for several minutes or until hot.