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 a man who lives in his van 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
Baked Ziti – the mother of all pasta bakes!
Tuna Pasta Bake – the highest and best use for canned tuna!
Baked Mac and Cheese – and try the Shrimp version!
Cheeseburger Casserole (Homemade Hamburger Helper)
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
- 400g / 14 oz 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)
- 250g / 8 oz spiral pasta, uncooked (See Note 1 for other shapes)
- 1/4 cup flour (all purpose / plain)
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth/stock , warmed
- 2 cups milk , warmed (any fat %)
- 1 large garlic clove , minced
- 2 tbsp / 30g unsalted butter , recommended but optional
- 1 large broccoli or 2 medium broccoli or cauliflower, broken into small to medium florets (Note 2 for subs)
- 1 1/2 cups (tightly packed) shredded cheddar or colby cheese (or tasty cheese, pizza mix etc, Note 3)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C/390°F (180°C fan-forced).
- Sprinkle chicken with salt (be generous), pepper and thyme, toss to coat.
- Spread pasta in a 23 x 33cm / 9 x 13" baking dish. Sprinkle flour all across the surface (don't dump in clump else it won't dissolve). 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!!!
Susan says
I made this tonight. Its been baking for a long time and is still runny and the vegitables arent done all the way.
Nagi says
Hi Susan, how long had it been baking – did this work in the end?
Kim says
Donu keep the foil off after u add cheese and put it back in oven?
Nagi says
Hi Kim, yes leave the foil off.
Andrea says
It came out perfect.
Sara says
This was a super easy recipe to make after dinner! Would love to know what other spices you have used in it.
Ron K. says
I double recipe. It’s still in oven because it’s too watery. What did I do wrong?
Flann says
Did you also space it out in 2 pans? If not that would mess uo the outcome.
Barb says
WHOA! made this ripper last night and it was AMAZING. Can’t believe it was so creamy without adding cream, who would have thought? Can’t wait for leftovers today for lunch.
What a great recipe to use up veges.
Thanks Nagi x
Nagi Maehashi says
Woohoo Barb! I’m so glad you loved it!
Bette Belle says
I used frozen green beans after thawing on paper towels. Quite delicious!
Nagi says
Glad you enjoyed this Bette! N x
Christy says
Hi Nagi
If I want to increase the amount of pasta to 500g (I’m cooking for a family of 8), what liquid do I need to increase?
Thanks
Nagi says
Hi Christy! Click on Servings and slide – it will scale everything for you 🙂
Paula says
This was fantastic! So easy and the whole family loved it. I doubled the recipe as I was feeding 6 of us and also got an extra 3 meals. I added mushroom and frozen mixed veg as well. Thanks for a quick, easy and delicious dinner!
Nagi says
That’s great to hear Paula!! Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback 🙂 N x
Martina says
Hi Nagi,
This receipe sounds delicious!! Totally making it tonight. I have one question for you? What kind of bowl is that in the last picture before the recipe? Love the look of it. <3
Pat says
Can rice or almond milk be used instead of cow’s milk? Thank you.
Martha Skala says
Would also like to know this as I don’t use reg milk anymore…did you ever get a response?
Mila says
Just made this with a few changes. It was sooo good! I used frozen peas and carrots instead of broccoli, defrosted it on a paper towel. I doubled the recipe and adjusted the cooking time because I was using a big casserole dish, it did look like there was extra liquid when i was adding cheese, but after it finished baking all the liquid was incorporated.. Both of my toddlers loved it!
Nagi says
Glad you enjoyed this Mila!! Thanks for letting me know – N x
Nancy says
That was delicious! Only thing I added was parmigiana cheese! Easy n quick thank you!
Nagi says
Great to hear you enjoyed this one Nancy! Thanks for letting me know – N x
Scott Macdonald says
Hi Nagi,
For this recipe, what size baking or casserole dish are you using? 2 quart? 4 quart?
It would be really useful to know so that I can gauge how much of the ingredients to use. In other words, if you used a 4 quart dish, and I only have access to a 2 quart dish, I would then use only half of the original amount you specified for each ingredient. For example, if you used a 4 quart dish, and I only had access to a 2 quart dish, instead of using one cup of milk, I would use a 1/2 cup of milk. Instead of using 1 large broccoli, I would use 1/2 of a large broccoli.
Thanks! : )
SmS says
Excuse my ignorance. The pasta used, is dried pasta right and not fresh pasta, the type you get from the supermarket.
Thanks
John says
This is so good. We’ve had it twice in the past few weeks, and both times it was delicious. Easy, fuss-free preparation, and bonus points for not having to hang over the stove for ages making it.
Top recipe – thanks!
Kathleen says
did you use a 9×13 pan??
John Triplow says
His Kathleen. Yeah, I’m pretty sure the dimensions are around that. Even if your dish is smaller or larger, It shouldn’t matter. Just adjust the mixture slightly and you’ll be good to go! I’ve got a a vegetarian version in the oven as we speak – broccoli and cauliflower. 🙂
Kelly says
WOW. This dish is delightful, I add a little hot paprika to the salt and pepper at the start. I’ve made this twice now and everyone wants a 2nd helping. Thank you Nagi for sharing.
Sherie Rodrigues says
Hello Nagi and fellow eaters. Made this late for dinner last night. Looking forward to the fight tonight for the leftovers. Yummy. Sherie
Mish says
Hey Nagi!
This looks amazing!!
can this be made with wholewheat or spelt spiral pasta?
Ella says
If freezing. Would it be best to cook the dish… cool and freeze, or could I prep and freeze uncooked? Many thanks
Nagi says
Cook, cool ,freeze!