Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake
🕒 Cook Time: 25 minutes
🕒 Prep Time: 20 minutes
🕒 Total Time: 45 minutes
🥘 Recipe Category: Vegetable
🔍 Keywords: < 60 Mins, Oven, Easy
Description:
This Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake is a delightful and hearty meal that doesn’t require extensive preparation. It’s a filling dish that’s particularly suitable for those with diabetes. By using a ready-made barbecue chicken, you can streamline the cooking process, making it even easier to enjoy this comforting meal.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups spiral-shaped pasta
- 1 broccoli, chopped into florets
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cups reduced-fat sour cream
- 1 cup skim milk
- 1/2 packet dry onion soup mix
- 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper (optional)
- Barbecue chicken, shredded
- Grated cheese, for topping
Instructions:
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Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit). This ensures that your oven is ready for baking when your dish is prepared.
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Prepare Baking Dish: Lightly spray olive oil over a baking dish. This prevents the ingredients from sticking to the dish during baking, making cleanup easier.
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Cook Pasta: In a large pot of boiling water, cook the spiral-shaped pasta according to the instructions on the packet until al dente. Once cooked, drain the pasta well and set it aside.
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Combine Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta, chopped broccoli, finely chopped onion, and shredded barbecue chicken. Mix them together thoroughly, ensuring an even distribution of ingredients.
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Prepare Sauce: In another bowl, mix together the reduced-fat sour cream, skim milk, and dry onion soup mix until well combined. You can add salt and pepper to taste if desired.
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Assemble Pasta Bake: Transfer the combined pasta, broccoli, onion, and chicken mixture into the prepared baking dish. Then, pour the prepared sauce evenly over the top, ensuring that all ingredients are coated.
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Top with Cheese: Sprinkle grated cheese generously over the top of the pasta bake. The cheese will add a deliciously melty and golden crust to your dish as it bakes.
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Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for about 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden brown on top. Keep an eye on it to ensure it doesn’t overcook.
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Serve: Once baked to perfection, remove the pasta bake from the oven and let it cool slightly before serving. Serve it hot, garnished with fresh herbs if desired.
This Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake is a versatile dish that can be enjoyed as a standalone meal or paired with a crisp green salad for a complete dinner. Its combination of tender pasta, flavorful chicken, and nutritious broccoli, all smothered in a creamy sauce and topped with melted cheese, makes it a family favorite that’s sure to please even the pickiest of eaters. Plus, with its relatively short prep and cook time, it’s perfect for busy weeknights when you want something comforting and delicious without spending hours in the kitchen. So give this recipe a try and enjoy a cozy and satisfying meal that’s as easy to make as it is delicious!
