For this easy pasta recipe adapted from Epicurious, chicken breast strips combine with broccoli and cheese before being crisped under the broiler.

  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Total: 50 mins
  • Active: 25 mins

Ingredients (8)

  • 4 to 5 cups broccoli florets (about 1 large bunch)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips
  • 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 2/3 cups whipping cream
  • 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
  • 12 ounces penne or mostaccioli pasta, freshly cooked

Instructions

  1. Heat the broiler. Butter 13-inch by 9-inch by 2-inch baking dish.
  2. Warm the olive oil in a large heavy pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sauté the chicken strips until they’re just cooked through, about 4 minutes.
  3. Transfer the cooked chicken strips to a medium bowl. Add the sliced red bell pepper to the pan and sauté until just tender, about 5 minutes. Add the whipping cream, 1 cup of grated Parmesan and all of the Monterey Jack cheese. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.
  4. Add the chicken strips and any juices to the sauce. Add the freshly cooked pasta and steamed broccoli florets and toss until sauce coats mixture, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  5. Transfer the pasta mixture to the baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan. Broil until just golden on top, about 3 minutes. Serve.