Experienced cooks will raise their eyebrows when they see how this HEALTHY Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake is made. But don’t judge until you try it – it works!!! Made from scratch, not a drop of cream, this is a complete meal that takes 5 minutes to prep, made in ONE baking dish and it’s absolutely delish. {350 cal per serving!}
The World’s EASIEST Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake!
This is comfort food for busy people, dedicated to all those back home in Australia and everyone else around the world suffering through a blustery cold winter!
The method I use for this Ultra Lazy Healthy Chicken Pasta Bake certainly is unorthodox. Just plonk flour, uncooked pasta, raw chicken, vegetables, milk and chicken broth into the baking dish, give it a quick stir, then pop it into the oven. Pull it out partway through cooking, stir through cheese, then finish baking.
And what comes out is quite extraordinary. When you crack through that golden topping, you will be greeted with perfectly cooked pasta smothered in a creamy sauce that you’ve just made without a single drop of cream, without having to make a roux on the stove the traditional way béchamel and cheese sauces are made.
Not a hint of flouriness (thanks to the gluten in the pasta which also helps thicken the sauce) and the pasta is perfectly cooked – I blame my Japanese mother for raising me as a total snob about overcooked rice and this snobbery extends to pasta. There is actually sauce (hands up if you’ve suffered through dry pasta bakes!), and it’s a complete meal that’s light on the pasta, and heavy on broccoli + lean chicken.
I’m going to be completely honest with you about the difference between this and the traditional way of making creamy pasta bakes. My “go to” way is to start with a roux – like in this Seafood Gratin Pasta Bake, my Baked Mac and Cheese and my mother’s Chicken and Mushroom Macaroni Gratin ( <<— Childhood favourite, right here!). The sauce is silken and there’s more of it compared to this Ultra Lazy way.
If you look very closely, you will see that the sauce is a tiny bit split on the base of the baking dish. But you need to look really close to see it and it doesn’t taste split.
Very, very small compromise for a quick meal, in my humble view. 🙂
(Here’s a close up – you can see what I am describing in the bottom left corner)
I didn’t create this Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake as a hack. It came about because of the homeless man at the local dog park who I regularly take hot meals to. He always insists that I mustn’t go out of my way to bring him meals, and that in itself plus me being me just feels some sort of obligation to ensure I take meals to him regularly.
I had skipped a few days and I was standing in my kitchen, flustered at the mound of dirty dishes and peeved because of a failed video shoot and wanted to make something quickly.
Threw this Ultra Lazy Pasta Bake together using leftover vegetables thinking it “should be ok”, was blown away how well it actually worked, got the thumbs up from the homeless man, had it myself for dinner then decided to share it here. 🙂 – Nagi x
More big, juicy pasta bakes
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Baked Ziti – the mother of all pasta bakes!
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Tuna Pasta Bake – the highest and best use for canned tuna!
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Baked Mac and Cheese – and try the Shrimp version!
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Cheeseburger Casserole (Homemade Hamburger Helper)
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Browse all pasta recipes
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Ultra Lazy HEALTHY Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake recipe video!
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Ultra Lazy Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- 300 - 400 g / 10 - 14oz chicken tenderloin (raw) , breast or thigh, cut into 1.5cm / 3/5" pieces
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tsp dried thyme (or other herbs and/or spices of choice)
- 250 g / 8 oz spiral pasta, uncooked (See Note 1 for other shapes)
- 1 1/2 cups / 375 ml chicken broth/stock , preferably warmed
- 2 cups / 500 ml milk , preferably warmed (any fat %)
- 1 large garlic clove , minced
- 1 - 2 tbsp /15 - 30g butter (optional)
- 1 large broccoli or 2 medium broccoli or cauliflower , broken into small to medium florets (Note 2 for subs)
- 100 - 150 g / 1 - 1.5 cups shredded cheese , any melting type (Note 3)
- 1/4 cup / 35g flour (all purpose / plain)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200C/390F (standard) or 180C/350F (fan forced / convection).
- Sprinkle chicken with salt (be generous), pepper and thyme, toss to coat.
- Spread pasta in a baking dish. Sprinkle over flour.
- Pour over milk and broth, add garlic and butter. Stir.
- Spread chicken over the top, then broccoli.
- Cover with foil, bake for 15 minutes (or 20 minutes if milk & broth were cold).
- Remove foil, STIR WELL. Add most of the cheese, then STIR WELL again. Top with remaining cheese.
- Return to oven. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes until top is golden and sauce is thickened (See note 4 for troubleshooting).
- Stand for a few minutes then serve immediately!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
More chicken and broccoli recipes
For those of you who, like me, find yourself putting both of these in your trolley week after week…
LIFE OF DOZER
I always joke about how when I’m away, Dozer doesn’t miss me at all because he’s too busy enjoying his own holiday with a Golden Retriever boarder.
But apparently, when she takes Dozer to the beach, he breaks away from the pack and sprints up to “dark haired people of my shape”, then bolts back when he realises it’s not me.
I didn’t know what to react to first – pleased as punch at the first sign that he does actually seem to miss me, or bursting into laughter at her delicately phrased description that Dozer only runs towards vertically challenged, dark haired women with generously sized bottoms!!!
Hi Nagi – planning on making this tomorrow – can l use buckwheat pasta spirals – they cook quicker than regular spirals? Won’t make a difference ?
Hi Helen, You’d just need to adjust the cook time accordingly, cut the chicken slightly smaller if the buckwheat cooks quicker ❤️
Tried this following the recipe step by step. Chicken was not cooked at the end! Can not recommend this recipe, maybe better option to cook off the chicken first.
Hi David, sorry you had issues here – the chicken should definitely be cooked at the end! Did you follow the recipe step by step? – N x
Could you use almond milk?
Hi Maya, yes I can imagine this would work fine 🙂
OMG…….amazing!!!! Made this for the first time tonight..parents were visiting…mum said “the nicest meal I’ve had in a long time” Winner winner chicken dinner 👏👏👏👏👏
Wahoo, that’s terrific Rana!
I was suspicious. I didn’t think it would work. But my kids (living on their own) love a good chicken and broccoli pasta bake. So I tried this following the directions. (well sort of, I added nutritional yeast and grainy mustard and we’re vegetarian so I added Tofurky chick’n) but it worked. And it has become a keeper recipe for my kids.
Sounds great Mary!!
I have chicken tenderloins that are already cooked that I’d like to use up, would this recipe work? Or would the chicken get dry?
Hi Alex, if they are cooked I would just reheat in the microwave and add at the last cute or they will dry out – N x
Hi, would this work with wholemeal self raising flour? It’s what I have a lot of at the moment. Thanks!
Hi Mel, that should be fine ❤️
Made this last night for dinner and invited some family over. It was perfect! I was so worried it wasn’t going to work out and was going to be runny. It was an absolute winner
Wahoo! Awesome news!
I love this recipe it has become a staple in our household! I make a roux first to get the sauce a bit more creamy/ combined. I also add cauliflower which works well but make sure it’s cut up small enough so that it cooks in time
Yum, sounds great Ashley!
Can I use homemade Chinese chicken stock?
I don’t see why not!
Well, I will never make pasta bake in the regular way again! Your recipe for Chicken & Broccoli Pasta bake was a complete success and surprisingly delicious. I have never left a comment on a recipe in my life but felt I had to in this case. Thanks, I will be sure to check out your other recipes.
What size pan did you use? Thank you!
Hi Sara, a 9″ x 13″ – N x
Such rave reviews, I must have done something wrong 🙁 mine needed much longer to cook, and there was far too much liquid left over. The flavour was really lovely though!
Hi Emily, what type of pasta did you use and it was definitely uncooked? – N x
I made two of these last night – one to take to a potluck and one to leave home for my teenagers who were staying home – it was a hit in both situations. Not a spoonful left at the potluck and the 3 teenagers at home at 1/2 the casserole. So yummy and so easy. It is going into our weekly dinner rotation.
That’s awesome to hear Belinda!
This recipe has hijacked my dinner intentions! 😂 I have chicken thighs defrosting for making your friend Jo’s Lentil and Chicken soup, but then there’s this recipe waving at me out of the corner of my eye… actually it’s jumping up and down and shouting YOOHOO! So I’m gonna scale down for a single portion of this with 1 thigh; Jo’s soup with the rest tomorrow!
Making this right now for the second time. First time I followed the recipe thinking ‘This is never going to work ‘ This time I just can’t wait for it to cook because it is glorious.
You Nagi are a wizard. This is cooking sorcery. It has to be the best pasta bake I’ve ever made. The boyfriend thinks so too.
I’ve thrown a leek in and a nice dollop of wholegrain mustard, as I did the first time because it really worked nicely
Woot! That sounds delicious Camilla, I’ll have to give it a go!
Has anyone made this using Almond milk please?
I haven’t tried this Martha, but I’ve heard it works – N x
I’m pleased to hear this! A friend made it yesterday with only chicken broth as she has an aversion to milk..she RAVED about it! She also added fresh cauliflower n sliced mushrooms..said the aroma was amazing..thank you so much for your recipes!
can’t wait to try other recipes.
I hope you love them Ellen!
What if the chicken I have is already cooked? How should I adjust the cooking times/liquid?
Hi Kelly, I’d just add it at step 7 instead ❤️
Is it possible to make it without the broth? I have every ingredient minus the broth..
Do you have bullion cube that you can make up the stock?