This broccoli chicken mac and cheese turns the classic, nostalgic every-child’s-favorite macaroni and cheese into a slightly more grown-up version that is a perfect meal-in-one! And you only need FIVE ingredients. As in, five TOTAL ingredients. Pasta, broccoli, chicken, cheese, and milk. That’s it! Yet you will have a 100% homemade cheesy mac and cheese. Pure comfort food. AND. Don’t be scared off by making homemade mac and cheese…because this recipe literally can be made in about the same time as the boxed mix.
Bringing you another savory recipe today! I had bought a box of Banza pasta shells a few weeks ago, and I couldn’t wait to try it! This pasta is made up of chickpeas, which means it has significantly more protein and fiber than your traditional white pasta. That being said, you can of course substitute regular pasta shells (or whole-wheat!) and use your favorite pasta variety.
I hadn’t decided what recipe to make with it, but the fun little shell shape reminded me of mac and cheese! I honestly made this recipe somewhat on a whim; most ingredients I usually have on hand anyways. My ideas for recipes seem to come in waves, at least lately. Some weeks I have SO. MANY. IDEAS. And then some weeks I have nada.
So what this looks like is some weeks I am making and testing so many recipes and then some weeks I get to try other blogger’s recipes. (I mean….it’s a little embarrassing how many recipes I have saved on Pinterest ?). And those weeks I’m not recipe testing or taking photos I can catch up on editing photos, writing blog posts, and scheduling content.
Even though this broccoli chicken mac and cheese only requires 5 ingredients, you still have a few options and substitution ideas!
Ingredients and Substitution Ideas
Pasta Shells
As mentioned, I used Banza brand…but you can use any variety of pasta. You don’t even have to use shells (Although I feel it wouldn’t look as much like traditional mac and cheese…). Feel free to use whatever you have on hand! Thankfully pasta is a pretty economical and shelf-stable option to have on hand whenever you’re craving something cheesy and comforting. Or simply need dinner on the table ASAP.
Broccoli
I’ve only tested this recipe with broccoli (cheddar and broccoli just seem like a classic combo to me), but I also want to try adding cauliflower or roasted brussels sprouts sometime! Or you can always leave the broccoli out too…but it may be a good dish to try to introduce some veggies to your kids!
Chicken
Like the broccoli, this is technical optional. So feel free to leave out if you are looking for a vegetarian option, or substituting something else in it’s place (sausage? Steak?). I used chicken breast for this recipe, but you could also chicken thighs if you prefer dark meat. Or if you want to make this dish even easier, you could add rotisserie chicken to save yourself the step of cooking the meat yourself!
Cheese
Ok, so I have to say I HIGHLY encourage you to buy a block of cheese and grate it yourself instead of buying the pre-shredded cheese. The pre-shredded cheese has a coating to prevent it from sticking together…but also keeps it from melting as smoothly. I love using an extra sharp cheddar cheese for a stronger cheddar flavor (since this recipe uses less cheese than many traditional recipes). However, feel free to use your favorite cheese variety here! So many options.
Milk
I used 2%, but whole milk, fat-free, unsweetened plant-based milks, etc. will all work!
Turmeric
Since as I mentioned this broccoli chicken mac and cheese doesn’t use as much cheese as many recipes (or have any food coloring/additives), it wasn’t as bright of a yellow color as I was wanting. My solution? Add just ¼ teaspoon of ground turmeric! Turmeric has become pretty popular lately in recipes, and it’s easy to find the spice aisle of your grocery store. Turmeric is often used in Asian/Indian recipes. You won’t taste it, and it turns it a more fun yellow color. But obviously 100% optional.
Hope you love this recipe!! ?
- 8 ounces pasta shells
- 1 lb. broccoli, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional to cook oil)
- 1 lb. chicken breast, diced
- 8 ounce block extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 cup milk (I used 2%)
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric, optional for bright yellow color
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Bring a large pot of water to boil on stove. When water is boiling, add in pasta shells and cook 4 minutes. Then add chopped broccoli to pasta and cook an additional approximate 4-5 minutes or until pasta is cooked to your preference.
- Drain pasta and broccoli in a colander.
- Meanwhile, while pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet and add chicken. Cook until the chicken is completely cooked through and no longer pink (should be 165 degrees F).
- Add cooked pasta and broccoli along with cooked chicken back to large pot. Add in grated cheese, milk, turmeric (optional) and salt and pepper to taste. Stir over low heat until cheese is melted.
- Enjoy!
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