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Broccoli Chicken Pasta Casserole is such a weeknight delight. Comforting, hearty, cheesy, and delicious! Packed with veggies, golden wheat pasta, and succulent chicken, it’s so easy to make this cozy crowd-pleaser.
This Broccoli Chicken Pasta Casserole is super satisfying and has less than 350 calories per serving! Tender chicken, crispy-tinged broccoli, and whole wheat pasta are smothered in a creamy cheddar cheese sauce. This is made to satisfy even the hungriest of customers! It is a freezer-friendly meal and can be prepared ahead of time to store for later use. A perfect meal to serve as your main dish or as a side dish for your party or holiday gatherings. This easy chicken and broccoli casserole will be a family favorite all year round!
Looking for more pasta recipes? Why not also try my Easy Cheeseburger Pasta and my Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Pasta!
why you’ll love this broccoli chicken pasta salad
- A creamy cheese sauce. Made with melty cheddar and Dijon mustard, this gooey golden sauce is thick and delicious, clinging to all the nooks and crannies of the pasta bake.
- Packed with goodness. Made with whole wheat pasta, loaded with protein-packed chicken, and crammed with veggies, this Chicken Pasta Casserole clocks in at less than 350 calories per serving.
- Easy to make. Easy to prep. with mainly kitchen staple ingredients – this goes from pantry to table in around 40 mins.
ingredients you’ll need
- Whole Wheat Pasta: you may use any other pasta on hand.
- Veggies – broccoli, onion, mushrooms, or you can mix it up with other veggies you like.
- Chicken Breast: or if you have boneless and skinless chicken thighs. But we prefer chicken breast. we used rotisserie chicken, but you can
- Olive Oil: use any other oil you have.
- Garlic: fresh garlic gives this dish a nice pungent taste. If you do not have fresh garlic, you could use garlic powder.
- Dijon Mustard
- Cornstarch
- Cheddar Cheese
- Milk: any milk will do.
- Chicken or Vegetable Stock
- Salt & Pepper
how to make this broccoli chicken pasta casserole
- First, Cook the pasta – Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Add broccoli florets to the pasta a couple of minutes before the pasta is done.
- Next, sauté – In a pan with olive oil, sauté the mushrooms, garlic, and onions.
- Make the cheese sauce – In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch and milk. Add stock and remaining milk into the pan with the sautéed veggies then simmer. Pour the cornstarch mix into the pan, season, and add the cheese.
- Then, bake – In a baking dish, add the pasta, chicken, and broccoli then pour over the mushroom cheese mixture. Bake for 15 mins.
- Finally, serve and enjoy it!
recipe notes and tips
- Use a preheated oven.
- To make life even easier, use rotisserie or leftover chicken.
- Buy fresh broccoli and cut it into florets. It’s fresher this way and you have control over how big you want your florets.
- Stir your pasta as soon as you drop it in the water, this prevents the pasta from sticking.
- Cook your pasta a minute short of al dente, this will make sure your pasta isn’t too mushy after baking.
- You can use any fat content milk you’d like to make this dish rich and creamy, or lighter.
- Ideally, shred your own cheddar, pre-shredded cheddar never melts that well.
- Also, consider adding a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, for a touch of heat, if you like.
- Add a dash of nutmeg for a touch of warming winter flavor.
faq’s
You can get creative with other veggie additions in this dish. Also, I love to punch up dishes with flavorful vegetable additions, here are some suggestions: carrots, peas, corn, and cauliflower.
Any small-shaped pasta works well in this recipe. You want to opt for pasta shapes that have lots of nooks and crannies, so all that lovely creamy cheese sauce can cling to them! Here are some ideas: elbow, Rigatoni, shells, penne, and Fusilli
This pasta bake can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 – 5 days. You can also freeze this dish for up to 3 months in an airtight container. To reheat just remove the dish from its airtight container then place it in a baking dish covered with aluminum foil and bake at 350 F degrees till reheated through, for around 20 – 30 minutes.
other delicious chicken recipes
- Creamy Mushroom Chicken Recipe
- Easy Chicken Stroganoff
- Chicken Shawarma Bowls
- Healthy Chicken Francese Recipe
- Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Mexican Chipotle Chicken Pasta
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Broccoli Chicken Pasta Casserole
Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncooked whole-wheat pasta
- 1 large head of broccoli, about 1 pound of florets
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 small white onion
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp. cornstarch
- 1-1/2 cups milk of choice
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp. freshly-cracked black pepper
- 2 cups diced cooked chicken breast, dice or shredded, I used rotisserie chicken
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400°F and cook pasta according to the package directions. Stir occasionally, until pasta is al dente, about 10-12 minutes.
- Cut the broccoli into bite-size pieces. Quarter the mushrooms and dice the onion. Add broccoli florets to the pasta, about a minute or two before the pasta is done.
- When finished cooking, drain well in a colander and run under cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Next, heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms and garlic, cook, until mushrooms are slightly golden brown.
- Meanwhile, whisk cornstarch and 1/4 cup milk to a bowl and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to a low and pour the stock and remaining 1 1/4 cup of milk into the pan. Add mustard, salt, and pepper, mix well to combine. Cook until the mixture starts to simmer.
- Pour in the prepared cornstarch and milk mixture, mixing thoroughly until sauce is thickened.
- Take off the heat and stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheese. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper according to your taste.
- In a baking dish, add the cooked pasta, broccoli, and diced chicken. Pour over the mushroom sauce, and stir to nicely coat all the ingredients.
- Smooth the top with the back of a spoon and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, until cheese on top, is bubbly and golden.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Use a preheated oven.
- To make life even easier, use rotisserie or leftover chicken.
- Buy broccoli and cut it into florets. It’s fresher this way and you have control over how big you want your florets.
- Stir your pasta as soon as you drop it in the water, this prevents the pasta from sticking.
- Cook your pasta a minute short of al dente, this will make sure your pasta isn’t too mushy after baking.
- You can use any fat content milk you’d like to make this dish rich and creamy, or lighter.
- Ideally, shred your own cheddar, pre-shredded cheddar never melts that well.
- Add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, for a touch of heat, if you like.
- Add a dash of nutmeg for a touch of warming winter flavor.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I used a can of cream of mushroom soup in place of the milk and corn starch, added a tiny bit of 2% milk to the sauce.
Sounds great
What is the best milk to use for this recipe in order to keep the calories the same?
I love using 2% milk. But you can use any milk of your choice. The issue is the taste and consistency will change a bit. Depends on your calorie needs
It definitely took a while to make and, I personally didn’t add the mushrooms, garlic or mustard because I just don’t like those but in the end, it was a delicious meal!
This was delicious but labor intensive.
Would make again but would add 1/2 to 1 tsp. of thyme.
That sounds like a great addition.
What size baking dish is used with the broccoli chicken pasta casserole recipe?
Hi. I used 9 x 13
Can you use almond milk?
Yes. The consistency and flavor will change slightly