Chicken Broccoli Pasta Casserole (Weeknight Pasta for Two)
This cozy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Casserole for two is made with ingredients you might already have in your pantry or fridge (like last nights grilled chicken or roasted chicken). In a few simple steps, and hardly any hands-on time in the kitchen, this perfectly portioned pasta casserole is baked in under 35 minutes making it a go-to weeknight pasta dinner for two.
Servings: 3 servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup pasta any small sized shaped pasta (macaroni, etc.)
- 2 cups chicken thighs breasts or tenders, cooked, chopped or shredded, (about 4 thighs or 2 breasts). NOTE: I like to use any leftover roasted chicken or rotisserie chicken that might be in my fridge. Or pick up cooked chicken from the deli.
- 1 cup condensed cream of chicken soup canned or homemade condensed cream of chicken soup
- ½ cup light mayonnaise
- 1 cup frozen broccoli
- 6 oz sharp cheddar cheese grated
- ½ teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice or more to taste.
- ½ cup White Cheddar Cheez-its or toasted panko and lemon zest
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
Cook The Pasta
- Bring 2 quarts water to boil in medium stockpot. Stir 1 tablespoon salt, add pasta into boiling water and cook until one minute shy of al dente. Drain and set aside.
Assemble And Bake
- Preheat oven to 375 °F degrees.
- While the pasta is cooking, toss the chicken, mayo, soup, lemon and curry together.
- Gently fold cooked pasta and frozen broccoli into the chicken mixture. Add three quarters of the grated sharp cheddar cheese. Transfer the mixture to a greased, oven-safe baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 15 minutes in a 375 degree F oven.
For Topping:
- Remove from oven and top with remaining shredded cheddar cheese and sprinkle with topping of choice. We like sprinkling the top with crushed White Cheddar Cheez-itstm.
- Another topping option is toasted panko breadcrumbs. To toast the panko, heat a 10-inch skillet over medium heat and add ⅛ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper to skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until panko is golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer panko to medium bowl. Stir in lemon zest and Sprinkle panko mixture over the top of the casserole.
- Continue to bake, uncovered until cheese is melted and crumb topping is lightly brown, about 10 - 15 minutes. Before serving, let the chicken broccoli pasta casserole rest for 5 minutes.
Video
Notes
Does the Casserole Look Dry? After combining your ingredients together and before baking, you can add a ⅛ cup of mayo and ¼ cup of cream of chicken soup. This will make the casserole saucier. Consider adding more curry (½ teaspoon at a time) if you add more mayo and soup.
What type of chicken meat is best in casseroles? You can use chicken breast, chicken thighs, or really any cooked, leftover chicken. It’s also safe to use raw chicken in this recipe as all of the bacteria will be killed once the dish reaches 160°F. However, you should bear in mind that raw chicken will take 30 – 40 minutes longer to cook. Use a quick read food thermometer to test for safe temperature.