Chicken & Broccoli Rigatoni Bake Recipe (with Video)

Preparation
1. Preheat your oven to 375 F.
2. Boil the pasta according to the packaging 1-2 minutes under al-dente in salted water, then strain.
3. Steam broccoli just before tender, then set aside. We do not want it to become mushy after it bakes.
4. Clean and pat dry the chicken. Slice chicken breast in half to have 6 total relatively equal sized pieces.
5. Add chicken to a bowl and season with 2 tablespoons of oil, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and Italian seasoning. Fully coat chicken in the oil and spices.
Cooking the Chicken
1. In a large skillet on medium-high heat, add in 2 tablespoons of neutral oil. Once the oil is hot, add in our chicken breast.
2. Place a lid over the chicken breast and cook on both sides for approximately 3-4 minutes or until fully cooked. Internal temperature of cooked chicken is 165 F.
3. Once the chicken is done cooking, let it rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing.
Preparing the Sauce
1. In the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium-low and add in butter.
2. Once the butter is melted add in diced onions.
3. Saute our onions for about 2-3 minutes, then add in minced garlic and saute for an additional 1 minute.
4. After sauteeing onions and garlic, sprinkle in all-purpose flour, then mix in thoroughly to combine for about 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Deglaze the pan by adding in chicken stock.
6. Next, slowly pour in heavy cream and stir in. Increase the heat to medium to bring the cream sauce up to a simmer.
7. Allow the cream sauce to reduce and thicken up for about 5 to 7 minutes while periodically stirring.
8. After reducing the cream sauce, reduce heat to low and slowly stir in half of our cheeses until they are melted.
Combining and Baking
1. Add in pasta, broccoli, and half of our sliced chicken to the cream sauce and mix in well to combine.
2. Transfer all ingredients into a baking dish.
3. Top with the remaining sliced chicken and cheese.
4. Bake in the oven for about 30-35 minutes uncovered. When done, the cheese should appear browned and bubbly.
5. Sprinkle on fresh parsley and let rest for about 10 minutes before serving.