Creamy One-Pan Chicken & Broccoli Pasta Recipe
A delicious and creamy one-pan chicken and broccoli pasta that combines tender cooked chicken, fresh broccoli, peas, and a tangy parmesan crème fraîche sauce, all cooked together for a quick and satisfying meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 17 minutes
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: British
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil, for frying
- 200g cooked chicken, torn into pieces
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 chicken stock cube
- 160g dried short pasta
- 100g frozen peas
- 200g long-stem broccoli, cut into 3–4 pieces
- 150g crème fraîche
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 30g parmesan, grated, plus extra to serve
- small bunch fresh mint, leaves picked
Instructions
- Heat the oil and cook chicken: Drizzle the olive oil into a large, high-sided frying pan and set it over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the torn cooked chicken and thinly sliced garlic cloves. Fry for 5 minutes, stirring often to prevent the garlic from burning, allowing flavors to blend.
- Add liquid and pasta: Pour in 900ml of boiling water into the pan. Crumble in the chicken stock cube, then add the dried short pasta. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then cover the pan with a lid and reduce to a simmer.
- Simmer pasta: Let the pasta cook covered for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Add vegetables: After 4 minutes of simmering, stir in the frozen peas and the cut long-stem broccoli. Replace the lid and continue cooking for the remaining 4 minutes. If the pasta appears dry or the liquid has absorbed too much, add a splash of water as needed. You may need to increase the heat slightly to maintain a simmer.
- Finish with crème fraîche: Remove the lid and reduce the heat to low. Stir in the crème fraîche thoroughly to create a creamy sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Add fresh flavors: Remove the pan from heat. Stir in the juice of one lemon, the grated parmesan, and the fresh mint leaves, which add brightness and herbaceous notes to the dish.
- Serve: Serve hot, topped with extra grated parmesan if desired.
Notes
- Using cooked chicken saves time and adds a nice texture to the dish.
- If you don’t have crème fraîche, sour cream or Greek yogurt can be used as substitutes but add them off heat to prevent curdling.
- Adjust water quantities as needed to prevent the pasta from sticking or drying out.
- Fresh mint gives a subtle freshness, but basil or parsley can be used alternatively.
- This dish is suitable for a quick weeknight dinner as it combines multiple components in one pan for easy cleanup.
Keywords: one pan chicken pasta, creamy chicken pasta, broccoli pasta recipe, easy chicken dinner, quick pasta recipe, chicken and broccoli, weeknight dinners
