Description
A quick, cozy meal featuring penne pasta, rotisserie chicken, and broccoli in a rich creamy sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb penne pasta
- 1 whole rotisserie chicken (3–4 lbs), shredded (about 4 cups meat)
- 4 cups broccoli florets (fresh or frozen)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup chicken broth (low-sodium)
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook penne according to package directions until al dente.
- During the last 3 minutes of cooking time, add broccoli florets directly to the pasta water.
- Before draining, reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water. Drain pasta and broccoli together and set aside.
- Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Cook diced onion for 4–5 minutes until soft. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth. Bring to a gentle simmer for 2–3 minutes.
- Remove skillet from heat and whisk in Parmesan and mozzarella until smooth. Stir in Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.
- Add drained pasta and broccoli to the sauce. Toss gently to coat. Fold in shredded rotisserie chicken last.
- Add reserved pasta water 2 tablespoons at a time until sauce is creamy. Stir in a cold knob of butter just before serving.
Notes
Use freshly grated Parmesan for the smoothest sauce. Reserve pasta water for binding the sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 80mg