This is a Chicken Mac and Cheese that’s made in one pot, where macaroni, chicken and broccoli are all cooked together from raw! The cheese sauce is creamy but made without cream, and the pasta and chicken is perfectly cooked. A complete cosy dinner, on the table in just over 30 minutes!
Broccoli Chicken Mac and Cheese
I will never abandon my beloved Baked Mac and Cheese. But sometimes you need your mac and cheese to be dinner, not just an enormous bowl of cheese and carbs. 😂
So here’s a mac and cheese that not only makes a respectable dinner with seasoned chicken bites and a giant head of broccoli, it’s actually a healthier version too. Less butter. No cream.
But – I didn’t cut back on cheese. We’re making Mac and Cheese here, after all. Not just Mac!! 🙂
And to top it all off, it’s all made in one pot. Start it on the stove by searing the chicken and making the sauce. Then pour the uncooked macaroni and raw broccoli in, pop it in the oven and like magic, out comes a bubbling Mac and Cheese with perfectly cooked macaroni, tender broccoli and juicy bites of chicken smothered in a creamy sauce. It’s like….magic!
Ingredients in Broccoli Chicken Mac and Cheese
To make a mac and cheese in one pot, you need to use an exact amount of liquid to macaroni ratio – enough to cook the pasta and create a creamy sauce. Not enough liquid = dry. Too much liquid = soup! Here’s what you need:
1. the chicken
Chicken – I like to use boneless thighs as they stay juicier for the bake time required. But you could use breast if you prefer.
Garlic powder – To flavour the chicken. You can substitute this with an Italian Herb Mix.
Salt and pepper – For seasoning.
2. the mac and cheese
Macaroni (elbow pasta) – Feel free to use other pasta that is similar size, like small shells, ditalini, fusilli, penne or cavatappi.
Broccoli – Use one large head, or two smaller ones. The dish can take quite a lot of broccoli, so you can even increase it if you want!
Cheese – Use 2 tightly packed cups (200g) of your favourite cheese that melts well, but not mozzarella as it doesn’t have enough seasoning. I will always be an advocate for shredding your own – it melts more smoothly because packet shredded is coated in anti-clumping agents that can make the sauce a little grainy. But if you have a shredded cheese brand you know and trust, feel free to use it! Australians reading this – I use the Devondale 3 Cheese Blend (Colby, mozzarella, parmesan) and it works very well, no graininess.
Butter – This is the fat I use to cook everything, then when the flour is added it forms a roux – the thickening base for the cheese sauce.
Flour – Just plain / all-purpose flour. As mentioned above, this is what thickens the liquid to become the creamy sauce.
Onion and garlic – Sautéed at the beginning to form a flavour base. I recommend not skipping this, it adds extra flavour into the whole dish.
Milk and chicken stock/broth (low sodium) – These are the liquids used to make the sauce. You need quite a lot in order to cook the pasta – 5 cups (1.25 litres) for 300g / 10 oz of pasta. Most of it gets absorbed by the pasta then by the time it is cooked, we need enough liquid to form the creamy sauce.
Full fat milk is best but low-fat works fine too. For the chicken stock, use low sodium, though if full salt is all you’ve got, reduce the salt in the sauce by a bit.
3. Crunchy topping
Panko breadcrumbs – These are chunkier than regular breadcrumbs so they make a crunchier topping!
Butter – I prefer the flavour of butter but you can use olive oil if you prefer.
Parmesan cheese – Just a couple of tablespoons of parmesan to give the topping a flavour boost. I use the sandy-type of grated parmesan (fridge, not aisle – that’s no real parmesan! 🙂 )
How to make One Pot Broccoli Chicken Mac and Cheese
Don’t be alarmed by how soupy it looks when you’re stirring in the cheese. Pasta absorbs liquid astonishingly fast, so in the few minutes it’s under the broiler (oven grill) to brown the crunchy topping, the sauce will from too loose to thick and creamy. Trust! 🙂
Sauté – Melt the butter in a large deep oven-proof pan (30cm/12″ wide), or use a large pot. Then sauté the garlic and onion for 2 minutes.
Sear chicken – Add the chicken and sprinkle the chicken seasoning over (garlic powder, salt and pepper). Cook for 2 – 3 minutes, just until the surface of the chicken is sealed but the inside is still raw. You won’t get much colour on the chicken, if at all.
Make roux – Add the flour and stir until you can no longer see flour. The chicken and onion will look like it’s covered in a paste.
Dissolve roux – Add the stock and stir until the roux is dissolved – it will become cloudy. Then add the milk and stir to combine.
Macaroni – Add the uncooked macaroni, stir.
Broccoli – Cover the surface with the raw broccoli florets. Just scatter it across the surface, don’t push it into the liquid.
Bake 20 minutes – Place the lid on and bake for 20 minutes at 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced).
Cheese it! Remove from the oven and flick it over to the broiler/oven grill on high. Working quickly (but gently!) sprinkle the cheese over and stir it in.
Sprinkle with the crunchy topping.
Golden crunchy topping – Then pop it under the oven grill/broiler for 3 minutes, just to make the crunchy topping golden. Remove and serve straight away!
There you go!! Mmmmm, not sure what else to say about this. 🙂 I mean, it’s:
√ One pot
√ Easy
√ Creamy and cheesy
√ Complete meal
√ No cream
Errrm….ticked all my boxes for an easy, scrumptious midweek meal! 😉 – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
Here’s the video so you can see for yourself the magic of how you can make Mac and Cheese in one pot! With no cream!!
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One Pot Broccoli Chicken Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
Chicken and seasoning
- 500g / 1 lb chicken thigh fillets, skinless and boneless, cut into small bite size pieces
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (halve for table salt, +50% for flakes)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Broccoli mac and cheese
- 3 tbsp (50g) unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves , finely minced
- 1 small onion , finely chopped
- 1/4 cup plain flour (all-purpose flour)
- 3 cups milk , full fat best but low fat is fine
- 2 cups chicken stock / broth , low sodium
- 3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (halve for table salt, +50% for flakes)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 300 g (3 cups) macaroni (elbow pasta) (Note 1)
- 1 large head of broccoli , broken into florets (or 1 1/2 smaller ones)
- 1 1/2 – 2 cups (150 – 200g) cups shredded cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby, tasty – not mozzarella, too plain), preferably freshly shredded but I usually use pre-shredded ("3 cheese blend" mozzarella, Colby and parmesan)
Topping
- 25 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter , melted
- 1/2 cup panko (or ordinary breadcrumbs)
- 2 tbsp parmesan cheese , I use the store bought sandy-type (from fridge not aisle), else finely shred you own (tightly pack the tablespoons)
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced).
- Sauté onion – Melt butter over high heat in a large deep oven-proof skillet (30cm/12" wide), or use a large pot. Add onion and cook for 2 minutes.
- Cook chicken – Add the chicken and garlic, and sprinkle the garlic powder, salt and pepper over. Cook, stirring, until the surface of the chicken is sealed.
- Creamy sauce – Reduce heat to medium high and add flour. Stir until you no longer see white flour. Pour in the stock and stir until it turns milky from the flour dissolving into the liquid. Add milk, salt and pepper. Turn the heat up to high and stir.
- Macaroni and broccoli – Add macaroni, stir, then once you start seeing bubbles, spread the broccoli across the surface.
- Bake 20 minutes – Cover with a lid and transfer to the oven. Bake 20 minutes.
- Crunchy topping – Meanwhile, mix the Crunchy Topping ingredients together.
- Cheese and crunch it! Remove the pan from the oven. Flick to oven grill/broiler on high. Remove lid. Scatter with cheese then gently (but quickly!) stir through. It might look a bit watery still, that's good! It will thicken quickly into a creamy sauce. Smooth surface, then sprinkle with Topping.
- Golden topping – Place under the broiler/grill for 3 to 5 minutes, or until top is golden. By this time excess liquid will be absorbed by the pasta and the sauce will be thickened and creamy.
- Serve immediately while hot and oozy and creamy!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Recipe originally published in 2016, way back when I just started making recipe videos! Updated with a much needed better video, new photos, and the recipe steps have been slightly streamlined too. I used to cook the chicken first, remove, then add it back later. I’ve since changed to an all-in method. Easier and just as good!
The Mac and Cheese Collection
Life of Jaffle
Jaffle thinks every dog was put on this earth to be his play mate, but he’s definitely got one friend he’s particularly attached to. Meet Charlie! He’s the one on the left, also a golden retriever, just one month younger than Jaffle.
I hope you weren’t expecting a nice photo of the two of them sitting next to each other, facing the camera so you can clearly see Charlie’s face. No chance of that! The moment we arrive at the park, these two get right into it, leaping and whirling and pouncing and tumbling!
And when all else fails, this is Jaffle’s strategy to gain the upper hand – just pin Charlie down with his weight. He’s got a few kilos on him so it doesn’t take any effort – he just splat flops onto top of Charlie and he’s pinned down, squirming, legs flailing like an insect on its back. 😆
They’re very cute together. 🥰
Delicious! My family loved this and the recipe worked well. We added sundried tomato and couple of handfuls of spinach leaves and it was perfection.
Oooh, I LOVE those additions! Glad everyone enjoyed it Amy 🙂 – N x
Hi Nagi! Can’t wait to make this recipe but I only have fusilli that’s 3cm long. Would that work or would it not cook through? Thanks!
That will be fine Caroline, it will cook through 🙂 – N x
Absolutely delicious 😋 whole family loved this dish
Terrific to hear Corinne, thanks for letting me know! – N x
Excellent!
Oh my lord! I’m sure that’s a great recipe – but I’m here for the jaffle and Charlie updates!!!! ADORABLE!!!
LOVE THAT!!!
What a delicious dinner. Three of us almost ate the whole dish. It’s a winner & will go on regular rotation in our house 😊
Love hearing that! So pleased it was enjoyed Susie 🙂 – N x
What a delicious dinner. Three of us almost ate the whole dish. It’s a winner & will go on regular rotation in our house 😊
OMG!!! love this. Had only small broccoli so added some chopped spinach. Added small amount of chopped bacon (added when cooking chicken) – YUM!! Keeping this with your chilli mac 💚💚💚💚💚
Sadly this was not a hit for us. I think it might be the first (of dozens!!) of recipes I’ve made from you that was not good. Not enough cheese, very little flavor, the sauce was not that creamy and didn’t really ever come together like a normal cheese sauce and the broccoli was overdone. I made this without any changes or substitutions.
Lisa, mine was the same though we did enjoy the flavour. It wasn’t saucy at all, quite dry and like you I made to exactly to the recipe. Not sure what to do with the dry leftovers.
That’s so puzzling Claire, there is SO much liquid! What type of pot did you cook it in?? – N xx
Hi Lisa – I’m so disappointed to hear you didn’t enjoy this! This has quite a bit of liquid in the dish so it seems strange that it wasn’t creamy, do you mean it was not oozy saucy like mine is in the video?? The broccoli does get a bit soft, but if you use large florets it shouldn’t be unpleasant. 🙂 I think that’s a good tip I shall emphasise! Thank you for giving it a go Lisa – N x
Honestly it’s not that big of a deal. I was just surprised because I own both your cookbooks and find your recipes normally to be incredibly reliable. I just found the sauce not to be dry but to be sort of split. Like the cheese just didn’t really melt nicely into the sauce somehow? It just wouldn’t come together and I didn’t want to keep stirring or the broccoli would go to pieces. I used cheddar and some Gruyère.
Really liked this cook it all in one pan recipe. I only had chilli panko breadcrumbs which gave it a bit of heat! Also put chopped cherry tomatoes on the top! I’m sure it would work well with other veggies too! Will be making again – thank you!
Chilli breadcrumbs! Love it! – N x
I messed up a great deal of the process but still turned out wonderful, cant go wrong.
Love hearing that! Foolproof! 🙂
Nagi, I use GF pasta. Normally its box contains about 1/4 less than traditional pasta (because it absorbs more?). What to do here with quantity of GF pasta?
Hi Kathy! I am not sure I’m sorry, this recipe relies on the starch from the pasta to help thicken the sauce. If I get a chance to try it with GF pasta I will update the recipe with tips! – N x
I made this on a Tuesday night hoping for a decent dinner and some work lunches. WOW wow wow. The result has blown me away with flavour. When I pulled it out of the oven the smell was pure heaven. This recipe was modified for a lactose free (not dairy free) diet and had some chilli added for my flavour preference.
Love hearing that! so glad you enjoyed this! – N x
On Pins –
Not sure where to put this. Often wished you had a Pins feature for comments too. You can just create a ‘section’ under Jaffle/Dozer section with a Pushpin Icon 📌 and excerpt/copy a noteworthy/pinnable tip there or just say, “Commenter Jim mentioned thus & such as a time-saver.” That way, you have a reference-able point-place for yourself, too. Anyway, just a thought…not that you don’t already do the work of 200 people yourself – daily!
Genuinely, my IT guru is on it! 🙂 – N x
H Nagi. Love your recipes but I wish some of them could be adapted to an air fryer. I don’t have an oven at the moment so I am a bit limited. Would/could this recipe be possible in an airfryer?
Made this last night. It was delicious!! All my family members loved it.
Hi Nagi,
Im just wondering if I can make your one pot Macaroni with gluten free pasta and flour please? Lol, i thought I’d check before I use all the ingredients.
Thanks Nagi.
P. S, love Jaffle too.
I have made with gf items no problem at all
Did you reduce the quantity of pasta?
Would chicken breasts be ok instead of thigh??
As per Nagi’s comment with Chicken : she wrote – I like to use boneless thighs as they stay juicier for the bake time required. But you could use breast if you prefer.
So it sounds like if you have chicken breasts it will be fine too.
You’re the best, Nagi!
Love the puppy party and this recipe. I think our volunteers would really enjoy this dish (it’s fall season in SW Ohio). I’m wondering if I can use Costco’s precooked and cut up roasted chicken (plain or chipotle seasoned; forget of they are 2lb or 5lb packages). I wonder if the chicken will “dry out” during the “bake” process.