Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake
This easy cheesy chicken and broccoli pasta bake is the definition of simple and delicious, it’s the classic comforting casserole we all crave. It’s a total leftover rockstar and perfectly balanced—there’s no pasta overload here! Instead, you’ve got a harmonious combo of pasta, protein, and veggies. This recipe earns bonus points because there’s hardly any chopping involved, and if you’ve already got my meal prep chicken ready to roll, it’s basically effortless. Say hello to your new weeknight hero!
- 1 Erica’s Thoughts
- 2 What You’ll Need to Make Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake
- 3 How to Make Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake
- 4 Expert Tips
- 5 Variation Ideas
- 6 FAQs
- 7 If you love this chicken broccoli pasta bake recipe, you’ll love these other flavorful recipes:
- 8 Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake
Erica’s Thoughts
We continue on our cook once eat twice journey! I sincerely hope y’all tried this incredible meal prep chicken, and if you did and you’re wondering how to use up those few extra breasts, here we are. Super easy chicken broccoli casserole. This is a dump and bake situation that requires minimal chopping and only dirties one dish. Score.
Traditionally, casseroles are pretty carb-heavy, with the primary ingredient being pasta or some type of grain. I love that this broccoli chicken pasta bake features lots of broccoli and lean protein with a modest amount of pasta. It feels like an equal balance between all three. And while many casseroles rely on heavy cream and butter, we’re getting the same effect with whole milk and melty white cheddar cheese. This is a complete meal in one pan and makes amazing leftovers. It took me a bit to nail this one so to say we’ve been eating this for weeks is not an exaggeration. But I can’t complain! The simple ingredients truly shine and it’s an easy dinner recipe that will be in my consistent rotation.
What You’ll Need to Make Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake
Elbow macaroni: elbow macaroni pasta is the best but you could use any short cut pasta.
Milk: I recommend whole milk but you could use lowfat milk.
Broth: chicken or vegetable broth would be fine here, whichever you prefer. Homemade chicken broth is going to offer incredible flavor.
Garlic: the recipe says 3 cloves minced, but let’s be real, we all measure with our heart on this one right? Fresh garlic all the way, my friends.
Seasonings: kosher salt, black pepper and Italian seasoning lift the overall flavor. We don’t overdo the seasonings because the seasoned chicken and cheddar cheese add a ton of flavor. If you don’t make my meal prep chicken, I’d recommend adding a teaspoon each of onion powder, garlic powder and smoked paprika when you add the other seasonings.
Chicken: I highly recommend using this sheet pan chicken breast because it’s juicy and seasoned perfectly, but you can also use rotisserie chicken or any pre-cooked chicken. If use raw chicken breast, cube it and season it with a little salt and pepper and add after you add the pasta and liquids and then stir it all together to bake.
Broccoli florets: I like fresh broccoli but frozen broccoli will also work. Did you know broccoli is one of the top nutrient-dense vegetables? It is rich in TONS of vitamins, and minerals and also has a handful of antioxidants.
White cheddar cheese: mild or sharp white cheddar can be your preference, sharp white cheddar will be more robust, while mild tends to be more creamy. Choose a good quality block of cheese because the cheesy sauce is a main component of the dish!
How to Make Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake
Preheat and prep
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease a 9×13 baking dish. Add the uncooked pasta, the full 2 ½ cups of milk, broth, minced garlic, kosher salt (or sea salt if you prefer), black pepper, Italian seasoning, and pinch of red pepper flakes, if using.
Stir well to prevent sticking
Give everything a good stir! This part is important so your macaroni doesn’t stick to the pan. Next, cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil and place in the preheated oven to bake for 20 minutes.
Add the chicken, broccoli and cheese
Remove the casserole and give the cooked pasta another good stir. The macaroni should be mostly cooked through at this point. Add the pieces of chicken, broccoli florets, and 2 cups of the white cheddar cheese. Stir until everything is well combined, the broccoli is moistened and the cheese is mostly melted.
Bake until golden
Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of the casserole and return to the oven, uncovered, for 20 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.
Serve hot with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and crack of black pepper. YUM. A great way to get a balanced meal on busy weeknights!
Expert Tips
- Use a block of cheese and grate it yourself! This ensures a flawless creamy cheese sauce.
- Chop the broccoli florets pretty small- that way, all components are relatively same-sized.
- Don’t forget to cover the pan during the initial 20 minutes of cooking time so the pasta doesn’t dry out.
- Use fresh garlic and mince it with a garlic press or grate it on a microplane so it really infuses the dish.
Variation Ideas
- Veggies: try cauliflower florets instead of broccoli! You could also fold in some chopped spinach or kale at the end.
- Cheese: use mozzarella, Monterey jack or even pepperjack cheese for a spicy kick.
- Protein: add cooked Italian sausage instead of or in addition to chicken.
- Garnish: finish with fresh thyme and a drizzle of balsamic glaze and olive oil.
FAQs
Yes! Store individual portions of leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. (I even ate it on the fifth day!) To reheat: add an ice cube or splash of water, cover, and microwave for 1-2 minutes, stirring at the one-minute mark. The ice cube or water provides moisture and helps restore moisture so your sauce remains cheesy and creamy like when it was fresh.
Yes. Smaller pasta shapes like small or medium shells, pennette, cavatappi or fusilli work best. Use whole wheat pasta if you prefer.
I haven’t tried this with gluten-free pasta but I’d recommend using brown rice pasta. Unfortunately chickpea or legume-based pastas do not work in this recipe.
I haven’t tried this method but it would probably be fine. Frozen vegetables have more moisture, so I would decrease the liquid by 1/2 cup. If you try it, report back how it worked out for you!
Any mild, melty cheese will work- try Monterey jack or mozzarella cheese.
I love a big green salad, garlic bread and/or sautèed green beans.
If you love this chicken broccoli pasta bake recipe, you’ll love these other flavorful recipes:
Boursin Orzo Bake with Chicken and Veggies
Pesto Rigatoni with Burst Tomatoes and Burrata Cheese (this has the most delicious cheese sauce!)
Nourishing Chicken Kale and Potato Soup
If you try and like this recipe please don’t forget to leave a comment and star rating down below! If you love more lifestyle, behind the scenes and ‘eating in real life’ type of content come find me over on Instagram, @itsaflavorfullife, I love connecting with you all there!
Print
Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Casserole
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This easy cheesy chicken and broccoli pasta bake is the ultimate comfort food! Barely any chopping, balanced, and loaded with flavor—perfect for weeknights and leftovers!
Ingredients
- 8 oz elbow macaroni
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
- 3 cups (14-16oz) cooked chicken, diced
- 3 cups (10oz) broccoli florets
- 6 oz white cheddar cheese, grated, about 2 1/2 cups total
- parmesan cheese, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a 9×13 casserole dish, add the 8oz macaroni pasta, 2 ½ cups milk, 1 ½ cups chicken broth, 3 cloves minced garlic, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ¾ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and a pinch of red pepper flakes, if using.
- Give everything a good stir- this part is important so your macaroni doesn’t stick to the pan! Cover the pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the macaroni and stir it. It’ll still seem like a lot of liquid, but when combined with the cheese and other ingredients it’ll turn into a thin sauce that coats everything perfectly. Add the 3 cups of chicken, 3 cups of broccoli florets, and all but about ½ cup of the cheese. Stir until everything is well combined, the broccoli is moistened and the cheese is mostly melted. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the entire dish and return to the oven, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
- Serve hot with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and crack of black pepper.
Notes
Update 1/31/25- based on reader feedback I’ve adjusted the broth from 2 cups to 1 ½ cups. For best results, I suggest sticking with a macaroni pasta shape, as that is the type of pasta this recipe was developed with. If you add the broccoli, chicken and cheese and the pasta bake seems a little dry, add the additional ½ cup broth.
I strongly recommend using seasoned, cooked chicken for best results. You can use rotisserie chicken but the flavor will not be the same. I have not tried this with raw chicken, but if you do use raw chicken reduce the liquid by at least 1 cup (ie 2 cups milk and 1 cup broth) and add the chicken in the first step with the pasta.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
Refer to the above blog post for process photos, expert tips, and answers to frequently asked questions.
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Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 cups
- Calories: 423
- Sugar: 7.8 g
- Sodium: 685.3 mg
- Fat: 14.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 39.1 g
- Fiber: 2.6 g
- Protein: 32.8 g
- Cholesterol: 79.7 mg
I just left a review for the meal prep chicken which was delicious, but later realized I combined it with this recipe! I made your meal prep chicken (fantastic!) to use in this recipe. This broccoli and chicken pasta bake is easy to prepare, nutritious, and delicious! It’s comfort food extraordinaire!
Substitutions I made to suit my dietary needs:
Fairlife milk, manchego cheese, chicken bone broth, brown rice pasta.
Thank you for sharing!
This recipe is a 5 out of 5 for us! Easy, healthy, and delicious! Also, who doesn’t love less dishes 🙂
This tasted scrumptious! The whole fam was eager for seconds. But it turned out really soupy. Any advice? I used the chubby macaroni noodles from Trader Joe’s (weighed 8oz on my scale and it seemed approximately half of the 16oz bag), and the cheddar/Gruyère cheese. Would smaller macaroni noodles soak up more of the liquid?
Still amazing! Just used some toasted sourdough to sop up the yummy “sauce.”
It tasted really good but mine turned out soupy as well. Not sure what I did differently.
Hi Meredith, it seems that people are having issues with amount of liquid if 1) they use a different type of pasta other than regular or 2) if they use a different type/style of protein than the meal prep chicken I used. Were either of these true for you? Sorry it was soupy! I tested this one many times and with the final version feel like I nailed the correct proportion of liquids but unfortunately, there are always variables that may affect the outcome.
Flavor was amazing, but mine turned out soupy as well. I didn’t deviate from the recipe at all, so not sure what went wrong. But “flavorful” for sure, so well done!!
Thank you for this comment! Based on reviewer feedback I’ve changed the broth quantity to 1½ cups instead of 2 cups. I tested it with 1½ cups and mine turned out a little dry which is why I bumped it to 2 cups. BUT it is best to err on the side of too little and add a splash more, instead of it being ‘soupy’ so I’ve updated the instructions to reflect this. Thank you!
Great recipe! I’m making for the second time tonight!
For the cheese – is it supposed to be 16 oz instead of 6 oz as listed in the recipe?
6 oz of graded cheese did not yield me 2 1/2 cups.
Thanks!
Did you use a 6oz block cheese? When I weighed a solid 6oz chunk and then grated it, it was about 2 1/2 cups! I don’t think there is a thing as too much cheese, so go ahead and grate a little more to make the 2 1/2 cups!
Delicious! We all loved it (2 adults, 2 teens). Used some leftover grilled chicken, adjusted to the reduced amount of broth, and it was really, really good. I did stir the casserole a couple times during the second baking, to make sure the pasta and veg had equal exposure. Very good and will be making again, thank you!
I had at least 1.5 cups of liquid leftover… used elbow mac, precooked chicken, raw broccoli. I think 1 cup of pasta is not enough.
Hi Amanda, 1 cup pasta is not the same as 8oz pasta (sorry if that’s confusing). the 8oz measurement is measured by weight- if you were measuring in cups it would be about 2 heaping cups elbow macaroni.
Turned out so good! The kids really loved it! And love that I have dinner for two nights.
Yesssss thank goodness for dinner for two nights haha! So glad you and kids loved it Rebecka!
I make this every week with a left over rotisserie chicken from Costco. Husband lllooovves it
Yaaay happy to hear Jacinda, thank you!
So good! And love how easy it is!
This turned out amazing! So flavorful! And love a one pan meal! We substituted gf corn/rice noodles and the texture was great!