Best 6 Chicken And Broccolini Mac And Cheese Recipes

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Feast your taste buds on a culinary journey that harmoniously blends the comforting classic of mac and cheese with the vibrant flavors of chicken and broccolini. This delectable dish is a symphony of textures and tastes, effortlessly combining the gooey richness of cheese, the tender chewiness of chicken, and the crisp-tender bite of broccolini.

The mac and cheese forms the foundation of this culinary masterpiece, showcasing a creamy and velvety texture that envelops the other ingredients in a blanket of cheesy goodness. The chicken, seared to perfection, lends a savory and succulent dimension, while the broccolini adds a refreshing crunch and a pop of verdant color.

Let's cook with our recipes!

BROCCOLI CHICKEN MAC AND CHEESE



Broccoli Chicken Mac and Cheese image

This Broccoli Chicken Mac and Cheese recipe is made with a delicious cheddar-Parmesan cheesy sauce, and kicked up a notch with fresh broccoli and cooked chicken.

Provided by Ali

Time 50m

Number Of Ingredients 13

1 pound dry pasta (I used small shells, but you could use macaroni or any shape of pasta)
1 bunch broccoli, cut into bite-sized florets
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup vegetable or chicken stock
1 cup milk, warmed
2 1/2 cups freshly-grated cheddar cheese (I recommend sharp cheddar)
1/2 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1/4 teaspoon finely-ground black pepper, or more to taste
2 cooked* boneless, skinless chicken breasts (*see instructions below for how to cook chicken breasts)
(optional topping for the baked version) 1/2 cup extra shredded cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Cook pasta al dente** in a large stockpot of generously-salted water, according to package instructions. About 2-3 minutes before the pasta reaches al dente, add in the broccoli florets and let them cook alongside the pasta for the remainder of the cooking time. Drain and set aside.
  • Meanwhile, as the pasta water is heating, melt butter in a (separate) medium saute pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute or until fragrant, stirring occasionally. Whisk in the flour until combined and cook for an additional 1 minute, whisking occasionally. Slowly whisk in vegetable or chicken stock until the mixture is smooth. Then slowly whisk in the milk until it is combined. Continue cooking for 1-2 minutes, or until the mixture comes to a simmer. Then remove from heat, and stir in the cheddar, Parmesan, salt and pepper until the cheese sauce is smooth. Remove from heat.
  • Once the pasta and broccoli are cooked, pour the cheese sauce on top of the pasta, add in the chicken, and toss until everything is evenly combined.
  • At this point, you can either serve the pasta stovetop-style as-is. Or pour the pasta into a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish, and sprinkle with extra cheddar cheese and Panko breadcrumbs. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the top becomes slightly crispy and the breadcrumbs are slightly golden. Remove and serve immediately.
  • *To cook the chicken breasts on the stove top, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saute pan. Pound chicken to even thickness, and sprinkle both sides with a few generous pinches of salt and pepper. Add to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside. (Cooking times will vary depending on the thickness of your chicken.) Or, to bake the chicken breasts in the oven, follow these instructions.
  • **If making the baked version of this dish, I recommend ever-so-slightly undercooking your pasta, as it will cook a bit more while it bakes in the oven.

CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI MACARONI AND CHEESE



Chicken and Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese image

Mix Cheddar, Pecorino-Romano and Parmesan for an extra-cheesy chicken mac and cheese.

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Time 35m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 12

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 ounces elbow macaroni
2 1/2 cups broccoli florets, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into1-inch pieces (about 8 ounces)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar
1/4 cup grated Pecorino-Romano
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Steps:

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and broccoli and cook for 5 minutes; the pasta will only be about halfway cooked. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta and broccoli and return them to the pot.
  • Meanwhile, sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes; set aside.
  • Put the pot with the pasta and broccoli over low heat. Stir in the milk, flour, mustard, Worcestershire, 1 teaspoon salt and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens and the pasta is al dente, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the Cheddar, Pecorino-Romano, Parmesan, cooked chicken and 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking water and stir until the cheese melts. Gradually add the remaining cooking water as needed until the pasta is creamy and saucy. Serve hot.

CHICKEN-AND-BROCCOLINI MAC AND CHEESE



Chicken-and-Broccolini Mac and Cheese image

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Ingredients     Meat & Poultry     Chicken     Chicken Breast Recipes

Time 55m

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for baking dish
2 cups whole milk
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken-breast halves, cut in half horizontally
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
8 ounces cream cheese, cut into 1-inch pieces
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
12 ounces wide egg noodles
12 ounces Broccolini or broccoli florets
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 cup coarse fresh breadcrumbs

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a 3-quart broiler-proof baking dish with oil. Bring milk to a simmer in a pot. Add chicken; simmer until cooked, 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Remove pot from heat; whisk in mustard and cream cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Shred chicken. Cook noodles in a pot of boiling salted water 3 minutes. Add Broccolini; cook until noodles and Broccolini are al dente, 2 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water. Drain noodles and Broccolini; toss with chicken, sauce, pasta water, and cheddar. Transfer to baking dish.
  • Toss breadcrumbs with oil; sprinkle over casserole. Cover with parchment-lined foil; bake 20 minutes. Uncover casserole; increase heat to broil. Cook until top is golden brown in places and breadcrumbs are crisp, 4 to 5 minutes.

MAC AND CHEESE WITH CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI



Mac and Cheese with Chicken and Broccoli image

Choose Mac and Cheese with Chicken and Broccoli this week! This Mac and Cheese with Chicken and Broccoli features tender chicken chunks & broccoli florets.

Provided by My Food and Family

Categories     Recipes

Time 40m

Yield 4 servings, 1-1/2 cups each

Number Of Ingredients 4

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup each milk and water
1 pkg. (14 oz.) KRAFT Deluxe Macaroni & Cheese Dinner Made With 2% Milk Cheese
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen broccoli florets, thawed

Steps:

  • Cook and stir chicken in large nonstick skillet on medium heat 8 to 10 min. or until done.
  • Add milk, water and Macaroni; stir. Bring to boil; cover. Simmer on medium-low heat 8 to 10 min. or until macaroni is tender, stirring occasionally.
  • Stir in Cheese Sauce and broccoli; cook and stir 5 min. or until heated through.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 480, Fat 9 g, SaturatedFat 3.5 g, TransFat 0 g, Cholesterol 85 mg, Sodium 1020 mg, Carbohydrate 0 g, Fiber 4 g, Sugar 0 g, Protein 41 g

CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI MAC & CHEESE



Chicken and Broccoli Mac & Cheese image

Dinnertime's dynamic duo, chicken and broccoli, team up with another weeknight favorite to make this easy stovetop mac and cheese.

Provided by My Food and Family

Categories     Recipes

Time 25m

Yield 5 servings

Number Of Ingredients 4

1 pkg. (7-1/4 oz.) KRAFT Macaroni & Cheese Dinner
1 cup chopped cooked chicken
1 cup broccoli florets, cooked
4 KRAFT Singles, chopped

Steps:

  • Prepare Dinner in large saucepan as directed on package.
  • Stir in remaining ingredients.
  • Cook on low heat 5 min. or until Singles are melted and mixture is heated through, stirring occasionally.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 340, Fat 15 g, SaturatedFat 6 g, TransFat 0 g, Cholesterol 45 mg, Sodium 710 mg, Carbohydrate 0 g, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 0 g, Protein 18 g

CHEESY CHICKEN & BROCCOLI MACARONI



Cheesy Chicken & Broccoli Macaroni image

Use a cup of broth and some frozen broccoli to make a Cheesy Chicken & Broccoli Macaroni. This chicken and broccoli macaroni serves six in forty minutes.

Provided by My Food and Family

Categories     Recipes

Time 40m

Yield 6 servings, 1-1/2 cups each

Number Of Ingredients 5

1-1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
1/2 lb. (8 oz.) VELVEETA, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 pkg. (16 oz.) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed

Steps:

  • Cook and stir chicken in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat 8 to 10 min. or until done.
  • Stir in broth. Bring to boil. Add macaroni; stir. Cover; simmer on medium-low heat 8 to 10 min. or until macaroni is tender.
  • Add VELVEETA and broccoli; cook 4 to 5 min. or until VELVEETA is completely melted and broccoli is heated through, stirring frequently.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 310, Fat 8 g, SaturatedFat 4 g, TransFat 0 g, Cholesterol 75 mg, Sodium 720 mg, Carbohydrate 25 g, Fiber 3 g, Sugar 6 g, Protein 27 g

Tips:

  • Prepare the Pasta Al Dente: Boil the pasta for 1-2 minutes less than the package instructions to ensure it retains a slight bite when combined with the sauce.
  • Cook the Chicken and Broccolini Simultaneously: While the pasta is cooking, sauté the chicken and broccolini in separate pans to save time and prevent overcrowding.
  • Create a Creamy Sauce: Make a flavorful sauce by whisking together milk, cream cheese, sour cream, and shredded cheese until smooth and creamy.
  • Incorporate Seasonings: Enhance the flavor of the dish by adding a blend of garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper to the sauce.
  • Combine All Ingredients: Once the pasta, chicken, broccolini, and sauce are ready, combine them in a large bowl and mix thoroughly to distribute the flavors evenly.
  • Top with Extra Cheese: Before baking, sprinkle additional shredded cheese on top of the mac and cheese for a golden-brown and crispy crust.
  • Bake Until Bubbly: Place the mac and cheese in a preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until it's bubbly and the cheese is melted and gooey.
  • Garnish and Serve: Garnish the baked mac and cheese with chopped parsley or chives for a pop of color and freshness. Serve it hot as a comforting and satisfying meal.

Conclusion:

This chicken and broccolini mac and cheese recipe seamlessly blends tender chicken, crisp-tender broccolini, and a creamy cheese sauce with al dente pasta. It's an elevated comfort food that combines the richness of mac and cheese with the freshness of vegetables and protein. By following the tips and steps outlined above, you can create a delicious and visually appealing dish that will satisfy the taste buds of your family and friends. Whether you're hosting a casual gathering or simply seeking a comforting meal, this chicken and broccolini mac and cheese is sure to become a favorite in your culinary repertoire.

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