• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
The Real Meal Deal
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Eco Living
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • E-mail
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Eco Living
  • About
  • Contact Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Eco Living
    • About
    • Contact Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes

    Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake

    Published: Feb 29, 2016 · Modified: Mar 25, 2021 by REALMEALDEAL ·

    Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake with green pesto is a great recipe for using up leftover chicken. The green pesto adds a lovely flavour and using cream cheese means you don't have to make a sauce. Just stir everything together and top with grated cheese and breadcrumbs for an easy one-pot family meal.

    Chicken pasta bake in tray topped with fresh parsley leaves
    Baked Chicken and Broccoli Pasta
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Jump to:
    • More Pasta Bake Recipes
    • Recipe Tips and Variations
    • How to make it
    • More Useful leftover Chicken Ideas
    • Sustainability
    • Storage
    • 📖 Recipe
    • More Chicken recipes...

    More Pasta Bake Recipes

    • Creamy Sausage and Vegetable Pasta Bake
    • Healthy Tomato Tuna Pasta Bake
    • Vegetable Pesto Pasta Bake
    • Baked Mac and Cheese no flour, butter or roux

    Recipe Tips and Variations

    • A chicken and broccoli bake is a great dish for using up leftover cooked chicken, perhaps from a roast. If you don't have enough, you can cook the dish using raw chicken then add in any leftover cooked chicken at the end. Remember if you are using leftover chicken that you should only re-heat meat once.
    • I've used leeks and broccoli in this pasta bake but you could also use cauliflower, kale, mushrooms or peas or sweetcorn.
    • Because I'm always looking for shortcuts, instead of a traditional bechamel or cheese sauce, I've used a basic cream cheese and flavoured it with green pesto. There's no extra cooking, just stir them in! Pesto works so well in a chicken pasta bake and really adds lots of flavour.
    • When it comes to pasta shapes, you can use any. I've used spirals in this recipe as they stick to the sauce well. Use whatever you have, or even a combination. When cooking the pasta, as with all pasta bakes, you should cook the pasta until it is almost done but still has a little bite to it. This is because the pasta will continue to cook in the oven.
    • For the topping, I like to use a cheddar cheese as it adds extra flavour. It's best if you grate the cheese yourself rather than buying it in bags pre-grated. Pre-grated cheeses contain added preservatives to stop it from all clumping together in the bag. It also means that it doesn't melt as well.
    • I also take the opportunity to sprinkle over some breadcrumbs for added crunch. This is a great way of making sure bread doesn't go to waste. Breadcrumbs store well in the freezer and you can just sprinkle breadcrumbs straight from the freezer over the top of pasta bakes.
    • If you are using fresh chicken, you can prepare this pasta bake in advance and keep it in the fridge for up to 48 hours.

    How to make it

    • chopped broccoli in steamer
      Cook the broccoli
    • leftover cooked chicken
      Fry the chicken
    • chopped leeks in a frying pan
      Fry the leeks
    • chicken and leeks mixed with cream cheese and pesto in a pan
      Stir in cream cheese
    • chicken and broccoli cream cheese leek pesto black pepper in a pan
      Stir everything together
    • chicken and broccoli pasta bake ready for the oven
      Bake
    1. Pre-heat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5. Cook the pasta in a pan of lightly salted boiling water until it's almost done but still has some bite to it. Steam the broccoli over the pasta for the last 5 minutes
    2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and if you are using fresh chicken, fry until browned then set aside. Leftover chicken is already cooked so not needed yet.
    3. Fry the leek over a medium heat for about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and fry for a further 2 minutes.
    4. Add the cream cheese and pesto to the pan and stir until melted.
    5. Add the chicken, pasta and broccoli and stir together so the pasta is well coated in the sauce. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
    6. Tip into an oven proof casserole dish and sprinkle the grated cheese and breadcrumbs over the top. For the breadcrumbs, you can blitz a few slices of bread in a food processor.
    7. Bake in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is browned.
    chicken pasta bake in tray portion removed and plated to one side
    Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese has melted.

    More Useful leftover Chicken Ideas

    These are some more easy recipes for using up leftover chicken.

    • Creamy Chicken Leek and Mushroom Pasta
    • Chicken and Chorizo Risotto
    • Healthy Chicken Korma Curry with Yoghurt

    Sustainability

    When buying meat, if you can, try to choose meat that has been bred as free-range and preferably from a local source. This will reduce the carbon footprint of the meat. Free-range or organic meat has higher animal welfare standards and a lower environmental impact than industrially produced meat. When buying vegetables, try to buy them loose without any packaging and from local sources. Although broccoli is available all year round, it's in season from October through to around April. You may be able to find some locally grown during these months.

    Storage

    Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days. If you are cooking straight from the fridge, add an extra 5 minutes to the cooking time. Make sure it's piping hot when re-heated. When re-heating, cover the top with foil to prevent the top from burning. Re-heat in the oven at 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5 for 20 - 25 minutes. This version doesn't freeze very well due to the cream cheese. It is perfectly safe, but the texture is ot the same and the cream cheese can turn a bit grainy in texture when frozen.

    📖 Recipe

    chicken pasta bake in tray portion removed and plated to one side

    Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake

    REALMEALDEAL
    Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake with green pesto is a great recipe for using up leftover chicken. Easy to prepare with minimal prep time.
    4.80 from 5 votes
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Recipe Rate this Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Total Time 45 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine British, Italian
    Servings (Adjustable) 4 servings
    Calories 842 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 350 g penne organic, fairtrade
    • 200 g broccoli cut into small florets, stems thinly sliced, organic
    • 2 tablespoon olive oil organic, fairtrade
    • 350 g chicken diced
    • 2 leeks trimmed, thinly sliced, organic
    • 2 cloves garlic peeled, crushed, organic
    • 250 g low fat cream cheese organic
    • 4 tablespoon green pesto organic
    • 1 dash black pepper freshly ground, organic, fairtrade
    • 1 dash salt optional
    • 85 g mature cheddar cheese grated, organic
    • 4 tablespoon breadcrumbs organic, optional.

    Instructions
     

    • Pre-heat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5. Cook the pasta in a pan of lightly salted boiling water until it's almost done but still has some bite to it. Steam the broccoli over the pasta for the last 5 minutes
    • Heat the oil in a large frying pan and if you are using fresh chicken, fry until browned then set aside. Leftover chicken is already cooked so not needed yet.
    • Fry the leek over a medium heat for about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and fry for a further 2 minutes.
    • Add the cream cheese and pesto to the pan and stir until melted.
    • Add the chicken, pasta and broccoli and stir together so the pasta is well coated in the sauce. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
    • Tip into an oven proof casserole dish and sprinkle the grated cheese and breadcrumbs over the top. For the breadcrumbs, you can blitz a few slices of bread in a food processor.
    • Bake in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is browned.

    Notes

    Tips

    • A chicken and broccoli bake is a great dish for using up any leftover cooked chicken. You can use cooked chicken or raw chicken or a combination of both. Stir in any leftover cooked chicken at the end. Remember if you are using leftover chicken that you should only re-heat meat once.
    • I've used leeks and broccoli in this pasta bake but you could also use cauliflower, kale, mushrooms or peas or sweetcorn.
    • When it comes to pasta shapes, you can use any. I've used spirals in this recipe as they stick to the sauce well. Use whatever you have, or even a combination. When cooking the pasta, as with all pasta bakes, you should cook the pasta until it is almost done but still has a little bite to it. This is because the pasta will continue to cook in the oven.
    • For the topping, I like to use a cheddar cheese as it adds extra flavour. It's best if you grate the cheese yourself rather than buying it in bags pre-grated as it will melt better.
    • Sprinkling over breadcrumbs is a great way to make sure bread doesn't go to waste. Breadcrumbs store well in the freezer and you can use straight from frozen.
    • If you are using fresh chicken, you can prepare this pasta bake in advance and keep it in the fridge for up to 48 hours.

    Storage

    Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days. If cooking straight from the fridge, add an extra 5 minutes to the cooking time. Make sure it's piping hot when re-heated. When re-heating, cover the top with foil to prevent the top from burning. Re-heat in the oven at 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5 for 20 - 25 minutes.
    This version doesn't freeze very well due to the cream cheese. It is perfectly safe, but the texture is ot the same and the cream cheese can turn a bit grainy in texture when frozen.

    Nutrition per serving

    Calories: 842kcalCarbohydrates: 93gProtein: 34gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 89mgSodium: 652mgPotassium: 839mgFiber: 7gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 3315IUVitamin C: 61mgCalcium: 393mgIron: 5mg

    The Nutritional Values are computer generated estimates based on industry standards and are provided as a helpful guide only.

    Average Carbon Emissions

    Author REALMEALDEAL
    Tried this recipe?Mention @realmealdealuk or tag #realmealdeal!

    More Chicken recipes...

    • Chicken and Chorizo Risotto
    • Easy Chicken Balti Curry Recipe
    • Sun-Dried Tomato Red Pesto Chicken
    • Healthy Chicken Korma Curry with Yoghurt

    More Recipes for Eating Sustainably

    • Carrot and Courgette Soup
    • Cod Mornay
    • Creamy Vegetable Pasta
    • Fish Korma

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating. Thanks for leaving a comment. Your email address will not be shown




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Beth 🌺

      August 09, 2020 at 1:55 pm

      Quick to make and easy recipe to follow, and used up leftovers from a roast dinner.

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Claire I want to inspire you to Eat and Live Sustainably. I love to cook and I've loads of easy recipes to help you on your way.

    More about me →

    Budget Recipes

    • Hungarian Vegetarian Bean Goulash
    • Pork Meatballs in Tomato Sauce with Pasta
    • Quick Tomato and Basil Risotto with Poached Egg
    • Creamy Sausage and Vegetable Pasta Bake
    • Healthy Tomato Tuna Pasta Bake
    • Vegetarian Sweet Potato Chilli
    • Vegan Red Lentil and Mushroom Bolognese
    • Simple Homemade Pizza No Yeast

    New Recipes

    • Carrot and Courgette Soup
    • Cod Mornay
    • Passata Pasta Sauce with Mediterranean Veg
    • Sun-Dried Tomato Red Pesto Chicken
    • Fish Korma
    • Quorn Lasagne Recipe
    • Welsh Rarebit with Egg & No Beer
    • Easy Quorn Vegetarian Chilli

    Green Fair

    • Green Eco Sustainability Fair -A Guide
    • How to organise a Green Eco Sustainability Fair

    Footer

    • E-mail
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    certified carbon literate official logo certification

    Contact

    • Contact

    Copyright © 2023 therealmealdeal.com

    therealmealdeal.com is a subsidiary of martincarterassociates

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.Read More
    Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT