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Chicken Broccoli Pasta with Lemon Butter Sauce

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Chicken broccoli pasta gets kicked up a notch with a simple, yet flavorful, white wine butter sauce bursting with fresh lemon flavor.

Chicken Broccoli Pasta on a fork

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 week day lunch. Chicken can easily be swapped out for shrimp, pork tenderloin or even white beans.

Not a fan of broccoli? This pasta would be just as delicious with asparagus, green beans or peas.

Your fork is waiting.

Chicken Broccoli Pasta with Lemon Butter Sauce

Course: Entree, Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: chicken broccoli pasta
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 455kcal
Author: Liz Della Croce
Chicken broccoli pasta gets kicked up a notch with a simple, yet flavorful, white wine butter sauce bursting with fresh lemon flavor.
Questions / Comments?
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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
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
  • 1/2 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 wooden spoon to deglaze 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 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.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 455kcal | Carbohydrates: 51.1g | Protein: 37.3g | Fat: 11.2g | Saturated Fat: 3.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8.1g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 691mg | Fiber: 4.7g | Sugar: 2.1g
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Comments

  1. Liz

    May 15, 2018 at 5:53 pm

    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.

    Reply

  2. Lisa

    August 22, 2014 at 6:48 pm


    Made this tonight, it’s great! I think the leftovers wil be even better tomorrow after the sauce really soaks in the pasta!

    Reply

  16. Julia

    July 29, 2014 at 10:38 am

    Now that is my kind of trip!! If I got to see a chick pea farm I would be in heaven! ;) This meal looks so healthy and uses such healthy ingredients. Saving for a busy night!

    Reply

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