Description
A comforting, one-pot meal featuring tender chicken, fresh broccoli, and elbow macaroni smothered in a rich, velvety homemade sharp cheddar cheese sauce. [cite: 71]
Ingredients
- Elbow Macaroni: 16 ounces [cite: 42, 94]
- Chicken Breast: 1 pound, cut into bite-sized pieces [cite: 42, 94]
- Broccoli Florets: 3 cups, fresh or frozen [cite: 42, 94]
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese: 3 cups, freshly grated [cite: 42, 94]
- Whole Milk: 2 cups [cite: 42, 94]
- Unsalted Butter: 4 tablespoons [cite: 42, 94]
- All-Purpose Flour: 1/4 cup [cite: 42, 94]
- Garlic Powder: 1 teaspoon [cite: 42, 94]
- Salt: 1/2 teaspoon [cite: 42, 94]
- Black Pepper: 1/2 teaspoon [cite: 42, 94]
Instructions
- Preheat Your Equipment: Place a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and bring a separate pot of water to a boil for the pasta. [cite: 46, 71]
- Combine Ingredients: In a small bowl, toss the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and garlic powder until evenly coated. [cite: 46, 71]
- Prepare Your Cooking Vessel: Add oil to the Dutch oven and sear the chicken until golden brown and cooked through, then remove and set aside. [cite: 46, 71]
- Assemble the Dish: Boil the macaroni, adding the broccoli during the last three minutes of cooking; drain and keep warm. [cite: 46, 71]
- Cook to Perfection: Melt butter in the pot, whisk in flour, then slowly add milk while whisking until the sauce thickens. [cite: 46, 71]
- Finishing Touches: Remove from heat and stir in the grated cheese until silky, then fold in the pasta, broccoli, and chicken. [cite: 46, 71]
- Serve and Enjoy: Portion into deep bowls while hot and the cheese is melted and elastic. [cite: 46, 71]
Notes
- Grate your own cheese: Pre-shredded cheese has starch that prevents a smooth melt. [cite: 39, 71]
- Pasta Water: Save a cup of starchy pasta water to thin the sauce if it gets too thick. [cite: 39, 71]
- Don’t overcook: Remove pasta 2 minutes early as it continues to cook in the sauce. [cite: 39, 71]
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
Keywords: Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Mac, One Pot Mac and Cheese, Chicken Pasta, Broccoli Macaroni