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Baked Ziti with Chicken and Broccoli

Each forkful offers a delightful combination of taste and textures. Tender pasta, juicy chicken, and crisp broccoli all baked together in a rich and creamy sauce, topped with mozzarella and parmesan cheese complement each other perfectly.
Course: Entrée
Cuisine: American, Italian
Servings: 8

Ingredients

CHICKEN:

  • 1 1/2 lbs. chicken breast about 2 breasts
  • Kosher salt
  • Black pepper
  • 1 T. olive oil
  • 1 T. butter

PASTA & BROCCOLI:

  • 1 lb. ziti pasta
  • 4 T. butter
  • 1 med. leek cut in half, sliced thin
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 c. broccoli finely chopped
  • 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
  • 4 c. 2% milk
  • 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 dash cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese

TOPPINGS:

  • 1 1/2 c. grated low-moisture mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
  • CHICKEN: Pound the chicken breast until they are 1/2-inch thick, season with salt and pepper on both sides.
  • Preheat a large skillet over medium heat and melt 1 T. butter with 1 T. olive oil; place the chicken in the skillet and cook until golden brown on both sides and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees about 6 minutes per side, then remove from the skillet; let rest for 5 minutes then slice into bite-size cubes.
  • PASTA: Boil the pasta until al dente according to the package directions; drain and set aside.
  • In a large pot over medium heat, sauté the leeks in 4 tablespoons butter for 1 minute, then add the garlic and sauté for another minute; add the broccoli and sauté for 3-4 minutes more until the veggies are heated through and tender.
  • Stir in flour (about 1 minute) then add the milk a cup at a time, stirring to incorporate before adding more; once all the milk is added, turn the heat up to medium-high until the mixture begins to bubble and thickens slightly, then turn the heat back down to medium and add the parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cayenne.
  • Turn the heat off and stir in the pasta and chicken, the transfer to a greased 9x13-inch baking dish or individual ramekins and top with mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is deep golden brown. Enjoy!