High Protein Chicken Broccoli Pasta (Printable Version)

Juicy chicken and broccoli in creamy Greek yogurt sauce with whole-wheat pasta. Quick, protein-packed dinner.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta & Vegetables

01 - 12 ounces whole-wheat penne or fusilli pasta
02 - 3 cups fresh or frozen broccoli florets

→ Protein

03 - 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken, white and dark meat mixed

→ Sauce

04 - 1/2 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
05 - 1/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese
06 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnishing
07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
10 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
11 - 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
14 - Extra grated Parmesan, optional

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add whole-wheat pasta and cook for 7 minutes. At the 5-minute mark, add broccoli florets so both finish cooking simultaneously. Drain well, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
02 - In the same pot over medium heat, warm olive oil. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes if using; sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly.
03 - Lower heat to medium-low. Stir in Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Gradually add reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time, stirring until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
04 - Add shredded rotisserie chicken, cooked pasta, and broccoli to the pot. Gently toss to coat everything evenly. If the sauce is too thick, add another splash of pasta water.
05 - Stir in grated Parmesan and chopped parsley. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
06 - Divide pasta among bowls, sprinkle with extra Parmesan and parsley, and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It delivers 42 grams of protein per bowl without feeling heavy or complicated.
  • The creamy yogurt sauce tastes indulgent but sneaks in extra protein and cuts the calories you'd get from cream.
  • You can have dinner on the table in twenty-two minutes flat, even on your most exhausted weeknight.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and somehow taste even better the next day when the garlic mellows out.
02 -
  • Reserve that pasta water before you drain anything because it's the secret to a sauce that clings instead of clumps.
  • Don't let the garlic cook longer than thirty seconds or it will taste burnt and bitter no matter how much yogurt you add.
  • Stir the yogurt in off high heat or it will curdle and turn grainy instead of silky.
  • If you're reheating leftovers, add a splash of water or broth and warm gently on the stove because the microwave can make the sauce split.
03 -
  • Always taste your pasta water before you drain it because if it's undersalted, your whole dish will taste flat no matter how much Parmesan you add later.
  • Use a mix of white and dark rotisserie chicken meat because the dark meat keeps the pasta moist and flavorful even as leftovers.
  • Zest your lemon before you juice it because trying to zest a juiced lemon is miserable and you'll end up with bitter white pith in your sauce.
  • If the sauce looks broken or grainy, whisk in another tablespoon of pasta water off the heat and it will come back together like magic.
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