Perfect for weeknight dinners.
This Chicken Broccoli Ziti is an easy baked pasta dish made with chicken breasts, broccoli, and ziti tossed in a creamy parmesan sauce. Baked until golden and bubbly, it’s a comforting weeknight dinner that has everything you need in one!
Ingredients
This stars of the show are the ziti, broccoli, seasoned chicken, and homemade parmesan cream sauce. Shallot and garlic add flavor to the sauce, while chicken broth and heavy cream create the creamy base. Freshly grated parmigiano reggiano is mixed into the sauce and sprinkled over the top before baking. Cayenne and nutmeg add a little extra depth to finish the dish.
Chicken Ingredients
- chicken breasts – thinly sliced
- olive oil
- kosher salt – I use Diamond Crystal in all my recipes
- black pepper
- garlic powder
- onion powder
Pasta Ingredients
- ziti – penne would work well also
- broccoli florets – I typically use about a whole head of broccoli
- shallot – milder than an onion
- garlic – fresh and minced!
- parmigiano reggiano – try to find the real stuff, you’ll never go back!
- all purpose flour
- chicken broth
- unsalted butter
- heavy cream
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- cayenne – not a ton, it doesn’t make the dish spicy, leave it out for heat sensitive eaters
- ground nutmeg – just a dash, leave it out if you don’t have it
How to Make Chicken Broccoli Ziti
Cook the Pasta and Broccoli: Cook the ziti until just shy of al dente, adding the broccoli during the last few minutes. Reserve some pasta water before draining.
Cook the Chicken: Season the chicken and sauté it in olive oil until golden and cooked through. Transfer it to a plate.
Make the Sauce: Cook the shallot and garlic in butter, stir in the flour, then gradually add the broth and cream. Simmer until slightly thickened before stirring in the parmigiano reggiano and seasonings.
Toss Everything Together: Add the chicken, pasta, and broccoli to the sauce and toss until well coated. Loosen with reserved pasta water if needed.
Bake: Transfer to an 8×8 baking dish, top with parmigiano reggiano, and bake until hot and bubbling.
What to Serve with Chicken Broccoli Ziti
This is the perfect one dish meal! You have the protein, veg, and carb all in one.
Because this already has chicken, broccoli, and pasta, I’d keep the sides simple if you want to serve something extra or stretch it a bit. I would serve it with:
- garlic bread
- mixed green salad
- crusty bread and butter
- tomato salad
How to Make Chicken Broccoli Ziti Ahead of Time
You can assemble the chicken broccoli ziti a few hours ahead, cover it tightly, and refrigerate until ready to bake. Let the baking dish sit at room temperature for 45 minutes while the oven preheats, then bake as directed, adding a few extra minutes if needed to fully heat through in the center.
I don’t prefer this made a day in advance, the pasta tends to soak up the creamy sauce.
Baked Ziti is a fantastic day before option!
Equipment I Use to Make Chicken Broccoli Ziti
- Baking Dish – Le Creuset, Staub, and Pyrex are my favorite!
- Stainless Steel Frying Pan – Perfect for whipping up the sauce and sautéing the chicken
- Microplane – so helpful for grating cheese
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different pasta shape?
Yes. Rigatoni, penne, or another short pasta will work.
Why do you undercook the pasta?
The pasta continues cooking in the oven, so slightly undercooking it initially helps prevent it from becoming too soft.
Is the cayenne spicy?
Not at just 1/8 teaspoon, it adds subtle warmth rather than noticeable heat, leave it out if you are cooking for those sensitive to spicy foods.
Can I use frozen broccoli?
Fresh broccoli is preferable for the best texture. It is noticeable when you use frozen but you can make it work. I’d thaw it and drain it very well first.
Chicken Broccoli Ziti
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
For the Pasta
- 8 oz ziti
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- 1 lb thin sliced chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
For the Sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium shallot, finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1¼ cups chicken broth
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1½ cups freshly grated parmigiano reggiano, divided
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Dash of ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. Lightly grease an 8×8 baking dish.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and heavily salt it. Cook 8 oz of ziti until about 1 minute shy of al dente according to the package directions. During the last 2-3 minutes of cooking, add 3 cups broccoli florets to the same pot. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and broccoli.
- While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the bite sized chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon onion powder. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 5-7 minutes, until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
- Melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in the same skillet and add 1 finely diced shallot. Cook for 2-3 minutes until softened, then stir in 4 minced garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons of all purpose flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Slowly whisk in 1¼ cups chicken broth until smooth, then whisk in ¾ cup heavy cream. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Stir in 1 cup of the grated parmigiano reggiano, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and a dash of ground nutmeg. Stir until the cheese has melted into a smooth sauce.
- Add the cooked chicken, pasta, and broccoli to the skillet. Toss until everything is evenly coated, adding a splash of the reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
- Transfer the mixture to the baking dish and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup parmigiano reggiano evenly over the top.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then broil for 1-2 minutes until the cheese is golden brown around the edges.
- Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Mains
- Method: Stovetop; Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
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