Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Pasta Casserole Recipe

Name: Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Pasta Casserole Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1.5 lb chicken breast (cut into 1-inch pieces); 8 oz rigatoni pasta; 10.5 oz cream of chicken soup; 2 cups chicken broth; 1 broccoli head (cut into florets); 8 oz shredded triple cheddar cheese; 1 tbsp parsley; 2 tsp minced garlic; 1/4 tsp kosher salt; 1/4 tsp black pepper; 1 small yellow onion; 1 tbsp olive oil

Some may call this chicken broccoli pasta casserole recipe “the perfect dish.” This deep one-pan dish made of creamy chicken, fresh broccoli, and pasta with a handsome cheese topping slowly cooked on the stove has everything you could want – and more! Trust me, this recipe will become one of those that you’ll whip up frequently on nights that you’re not sure what’s going to be for dinner.

Total Servings: 4

Total Cost: $31.65

Cost Per Serving: $7.91

Ingredients & Costs*

1.5 lb chicken breast cut into 1-inch pieces ($6.96)
8 oz rigatoni pasta ($0.98)
10.5 oz cream of chicken soup ($0.68)
2 cups chicken broth ($1.96)
1 broccoli head cut into florets ($1.29)
8 oz shredded triple cheddar cheese ($2.24)
1 tbsp parsley ($2.08)
2 tsp minced garlic ($2.16)
1/4 tsp kosher salt ($2.12)
1/4 tsp black pepper ($3.12)
1 small yellow onion ($1.42)
1 tbsp olive oil ($6.64)

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*Food costs may vary and can change over time. The prices listed were the current prices of these ingredients when this recipe was made at the time of this post. Almost all our ingredients are purchased from Walmart as we live in a small town without any other options. If you notice a significant price difference, please let us know at hello@freshgains.com so we can update this post.

FAQs About Making Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Pasta Casserole

What kind of cheese should I use?

I enjoy this recipe with shredded triple cheddar cheese as I find it enriches the creamy chicken, broccoli and pasta. You can certainly swap the cheddar cheese for any other shredded cheese that you prefer. I can see Monterey jack and mozzarella being a great substitute for this recipe, but I have yet to try them myself.

Can I use rice instead of pasta?

Yes! You can absolutely substitute rice for pasta in this dish. If you opt to go this route, make sure you follow the cooking instructions on the rice and adjust the recipe accordingly. If you decide to swap pasta for rice, I recommend using basmati rice in this dish.

Can I use any type of pasta?

While you could you any type of pasta for this recipe, I would recommend sticking with a pasta that is on the shorter end. Any pasta such as penne, ziti, rigatoni, or fusilli would be a great option for this dish as it’s a similar size to the chicken and broccoli which makes for a nice, easy-to-eat meal.

What type of pot do you use for this recipe?

You may have noticed I use my jumbo cooker A LOT. It has become my go-to for meals that take 20 minutes or so to cook. If you frequently cook at home, I would invest in an oven safe jumbo cooker. It is a must-have in the kitchen and I promise you won’t be disappointed!

Tips to Make This Recipe Amazing

Use and oven safe pot and broil it: You can broil your final dish for 1-2 minutes to get a golden-brown casserole top. It will make the cheese appear in bubble form. This final touch will enhance the presentation of your dish and its delicacy.

Add the cheese at the right time: When almost all the liquid is absorbed, add the shredded cheese and allow it to melt with the lid on the pot. Adding the cheese too early can cause it to burn while adding the cheese too late can cause the rest of the ingredients in the broccoli pasta casserole to burn.

Fresh over frozen: This is a very comforting meal that that is best prepared using fresher ingredients. I would stay away from frozen chicken breasts and veggies when making this recipe. If you do opt to use frozen ingredients, make sure they are properly thawed and consider adding additional seasoning to compensate for the decrease in natural flavors.

Keep the seasoning simple: If you use fresh ingredients, this meal should offer plenty of natural flavors. Keep it simple with the seasonings and just add a minimal seasoning blend of minced garlic, kosher salt and black pepper. But if you want to add a little spiciness, a pinch of red pepper flakes can be a nice addition.

Cheese as desired: When it comes to adding cheese to this dish, I tend to have a (very) heavy hand. If you’re looking for less cheese and creamier broccoli and pasta, then you can simply reduce the amount of cheese added to the pot.