A simple, affordable creamy pasta recipe with roasted broccoli.

Pasta for dinner, quite frankly, never gets old in my household. Whether it’s a spicy tomato prawn pasta or a creamy, paprika sausage pasta, I know I’ll be given a thumbs up when I serve up a bowl of Italian goodness for dinner.

What I love most about pasta, more than it’s incredible versatility, is how affordable it can be. As long as you nail a tasty sauce, you really don’t need hundreds of ingredients to make an incredible mid-week meal. So I’m constantly experimenting with new, fuss free pasta recipes and this one really is one of our favourites.

My Chicken & Broccoli Pasta recipe combines a creamy, soft cheese sauce sprinkled with tarragon with the salty, slightly crunchy goodness of roasted broccoli. (And if you’ve never tried roasted broccoli before, you’re really missing out.) The texture of slightly charred broccoli against the gooey softness of rigatoni pasta is just divine. So what I originally thought would be a super basic dinner idea with evergreen ingredients, became a firm favourite in my house!

It’s a simple dish that’s easily whipped up after work with ingredients I’m confident you’ll already have in your kitchen. Not to mention, this pasta could easily become a vegetarian dish by simply omitting the chicken and using vegetable stock instead; it’ll still taste absolutely fantastic.

Recipe ingredients

Serves 2 as a main. Approximately 35 – 40 minute cooking time.

• 300g chicken breast
• 130g broccoli
• Approximately 160g rigatoni (uncooked)
• 150ml of chicken or vegetable stock
• 150ml of double cream
• 1 heaped tablespoon of low fat soft cheese
• 3 garlic cloves
• Half a white onion
• 1 large stalk of celery
• Half a lemon
• 20g of grated parmesan
• 1 and a half teaspoons of tarragon
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon of thyme
• 1 teaspoon of cumin
• Half a teaspoon of oregano
• Olive oil
• Salt & pepper

Cooking utensils

• 2 saucepans – one for pasta and one for sauce
• Cheese grater
• Baking tray
• Sharp knives
• Wooden spoon
• Ladle
• Chopping board

1. Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
2. First, prep your vegetables. Take your broccoli and cut into medium sized florets, spacing them out onto a baking tray and setting aside.
3. Finely slice your onion and celery, setting aside together. Then slice your garlic and pop aside too.
4. Drizzle olive oil over the broccoli and season with 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, half a teaspoon of thyme, half a teaspoon of tarragon and salt & pepper. Give it a good mix around with your hands to ensure the broccoli is well coated.
5. Pop your broccoli in the middle of your pre-heated oven for about 15 minutes. You want the broccoli to have taken on some nice colour with soft stems, but not too charred.
6. Cut your chicken into chunks and season with half a teaspoon of thyme, half a teaspoon of oregano, a teaspoon of cumin and salt and pepper. Coat well.
7. Add some olive oil into a pan on a medium heat, and then add your chicken. Fry for about 5 or 6 minutes until the chicken takes on a slight golden colour.
8. Tip in your onion and celery, stirring often and cooking for another 5 – 6 minutes.
9. Finally, add in your chopped garlic and cook for a further minute. Lower the heat slightly, so it’s more medium / low.
10. Pour in your stock to deglaze the pan, scraping up any tasty golden bits. Wait about 30 seconds before adding your double cream and soft cheese.
11. Season the sauce further with a teaspoon of tarragon and black pepper, then squeeze in your half a lemon (careful of the pips!)
12. Stir gently and let it simmer for about 15 minutes until thick, keeping an eye on the heat.
13. Whilst your sauce is simmering, cook your pasta according to packet instructions. If you feel your sauce is getting a little too thick, add a dash of pasta water to loosen it up.
14. Your broccoli will be nicely roasted by now, so simply add to the sauce, along with the grated parmesan.
15. Add your drained cooked pasta, stir it well and then serve in your favourite pasta bowl.
16. Garnish with an extra sprinkle of black pepper and enjoy!

Tasty tips!

• Transform this recipe into the perfect vegetarian treat by omitting the chicken, using vegetable stock and adding in spinach to the sauce near the end.
• Got some leftover cauliflower with broccoli from your Sunday roast? Use these for this recipe to help empty your fridge.
• Can’t find rigatoni? Swap it for penne or linguine – both offering a super affordable option!