Food & Recipes

Search by Main Ingredient:

• Beef
• Chicken/Poultry
• Egg
• Fruit
• Pasta
• Pork
• Rice & Grains
• Seafood
• Vegetables

or Search by Type:

• Appetizers & Dips
• Beverages
• Breads
• Breakfast and Brunch
• Casseroles
• Cookies, Bars & Candies
• Crowd Pleasers
• Desserts
• Marinades
• Muffins & Sweet Breads
• Salads
• Salad Dressings
• Sauces
• Slow Cooker/Crockpot
• Soups, Stew & Chili

Chicken & Broccoli Skillet Pasta

Chicken, broccoli and bowtie pasta in a light cream sauce. This is a complete meal prepared in a skillet. I like to serve this meal in bowls to contain the flavorful sauce. Serve with some fresh fruit to round out the meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb chicken breasts, boneless and skinless (sliced into short thin strips)
• 8 oz Farfalle (bowtie) pasta or penne pasta
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 6 oz Philadelphia cream cheese, Onion and Chive flavored**
• 3 cups broccoli florets
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced into short thin strips
• 1 tbs fresh minced garlic
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• freshly grated asiago or Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Place broccoli florets in a large heat proof bowl.
2. Cook bowtie pasta according to package directions, without draining the water. Pour the hot pasta water in the bowl over the broccoli florets until the broccoli is completely covered. Drain remaining water from pasta. Allow broccoli to sit in the hot water for about 7 to 10 minutes. Drain well.
3. While the broccoli is in the hot water bath, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and heat.
4. Add sliced chicken. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often until light brown. Add salt and pepper, stir in garlic. Cook for another minute, being careful not to brown the garlic.
5. Remove chicken and place on a plate. Set aside.
6. Add red pepper to the skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or just until tender.
7. Add chicken stock and chicken back to skillet along with the drained broccoli. Turn heat down to a simmer and cook until broccoli reaches your desired tenderness. (I like to cook it crisp tender, just a little bit of a bite to it.)
8. Remove skillet from heat, add cream cheese and incorporate into the broth. Add pasta and toss the ingredients gently until the cheese is completely melted and smooth.
9. Serve immediately with freshly grated asiago or Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

Comments:

- The sauce is not a thick sauce, so if you want it more of a thick creamy sauce then add more herbed cream cheese and reduce the amount of chicken broth.

** If you can't find Philadelphia Onion and Chive cream cheese, substitute another herbed cream cheese.  Alternately, mix 6 oz of cream cheese with 2 finely chopped green onions using the whole onion (white and green parts).

Tips:

- I usually salt the water when boiling pasta and also put about a tablespoon of oil in the water. The oil helps to keep the pasta from drying out and also from sticking once it has been drained.

Variations:

- Replace Philadelphia brand herb cream cheese with herbed Boursin, Alouette, or Rondele cheese blends.

>>><<<