Chicken broccoli pasta gets kicked up a notch with a simple, yet flavorful, white wine butter sauce bursting with fresh lemon flavor.
Whenever I travel out of town, I like to stock the fridge with plenty of food and ready-to-eat meals that my husband can easily reheat for the boys.
Since I don’t want to worry about my boys surviving on Cheez-Its and Oreos, I love whipping up a batch of my fast and easy Chicken Broccoli Pasta with Lemon Butter Sauce.
Made with just a few simple ingredients, I love to use a little white wine to deglaze the pan after browning the chicken but you’re welcome to use chicken broth to avoid the alcohol.
Personally, I love the flavor it adds in the background of the dish and I don’t worry about serving it to my boys since most of the alcohol content cooks off.
This pasta is ideal for entertaining a crowd, gifting to a new mother or making ahead for an easy, re-heatable weekday lunch.
Not a fan of broccoli? This pasta would be just as delicious with asparagus, green beans or peas.
Your fork is waiting.
Frequently asked questions:
Reheating it in a sauté pan with a little olive oil would be best but heating in the microwave totally works too.
Chicken can easily be swapped out for shrimp, pork tenderloin or even white beans.
📖 Recipe
Chicken Broccoli Pasta with Lemon Butter Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry penne regular or whole wheat
- 8 cups broccoli cut into florets
- 20 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 cups chicken broth low sodium
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Parmigiano Reggiano and fresh basil optional garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salty water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions.
- Two minutes before the pasta is done cooking, add the broccoli to the same pot cooking the pasta.
- Drain the pasta and broccoli and return to pan; set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add cooking spray. Sprinkle cubed chicken breasts with salt and chili flakes. Add to pan and brown, 7-9 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and reserve.
- Leaving the pan on medium-high, add white wine and use a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan by scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer.
- Add butter to the pan and heat until melted. Stir in lemon juice and chicken broth then simmer for an additional minute or two.
- Add reserved chicken and any juices formed back to the pot with the pasta and broccoli. Stir in lemon butter sauce and toss well. Check for seasoning and adjust accordingly.
- Stir in olive oil before dividing between 6 plates. Serve with plenty of Parmigiano Reggiano and fresh basil.
Video
Nutrition
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Naeli
Hi I was thinking of making this recipe but wanted to see if you had any recommendations for making it creamier? Thank you :)
Liz DellaCroce
I would add in heavy cream!! Start with 1/2 cup!
Debbie
Just made this today. We loved it! My son ( who is seven) wanted my to make a review to let you know.
I used angel hair pasta and cooked the broccoli separate. Otherwise followed recipe as written. Oh, my chicken was a butter garlic chicken from a local meat shop so I used that! Lots of really good flavor. I did skip the Parmesan as I didn’t have any but we had garlic toast with melted fresh mozzarella so that made a good complement to the meal.
Liz DellaCroce
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!!
Sheryl
I am not sure about all the rave reviews, this recipe had no flavor, not a winner with my family.
Liz DellaCroce
Hi Sheryl,
I’m so sorry this pasta wasn’t a winner with your family! Did you add all of the garlic, lemon, salt and butter? My kids devour it every time!
Alyssa m
The recipe doesn’t say anything about garlic. How much garlic did you use?
Liz DellaCroce
There isn’t garlic in the recipe but you can add it – just add it at the end before eating!:)
Nancy Vitulli
Wonderful. My husband loved it. I only had limes on hand, so I used them. I also added a bit of half and half at the end for more liquid. This will be a regular meal in our house! Thank you.
Liz DellaCroce
I’m so glad he enjoyed it Nancy!
Liz
This was such a nice departure from the creamy, gloppy chicken broccoli pasta dishes I’ve made in the past. I was searching for a use for my leftover roast chicken, and this worked wonderfully. I skipped the browning step and added a bit of the flavorful leftover gravy to make up the difference in flavor.
Liz DellaCroce
Oh I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it Liz!! Let me know if you try any of my other recipes!!
Lisa
Made this tonight, it’s great! I think the leftovers wil be even better tomorrow after the sauce really soaks in the pasta!
Liz DellaCroce
You got that right!! Leftovers were even better! Glad you enjoyed!
Ashley M. | Our Full Table
This looks amazing and I totally agree my boys would do that same thing. When I leave them for a night or two its so much less stressful!
Liz DellaCroce
Totally true!! :)
Liz
Thank you Liz for another nice recipe. Have a good weekend!
Liz DellaCroce
Same to you Liz!