Chicken And Broccoli Penne {Recipe}

Recently LeeAnn and I were discussing our discontent with the same old boring family meals we'd been creating. We both agreed we needed something quick and easy and it HAD to be a meal the kids would actually eat! While LeeAnn was more concerned with her kids' pickiness, I was just looking for something to change it up a bit. I was tired of Taco Tuesday and the redundant recipes I'd been cooking for some time now.

We both exchanged a few recipes, but for the most part we agreed we needed new ideas. Our main goal was finding healthy kid-friendly meals for the entire family to enjoy, preferably ones that didn't come out of a bag. :)

Chicken And Broccoli Penne

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

1 13oz package of your favorite Whole Grain Penne Pasta
2 tbsp of salt
1 pound of broccoli florets, coarsely chopped
1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
1/4 cup of olive oil
5 cloves of chopped garlic, or 5 tsp of minced garlic
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
salt & crushed red pepper flakes to taste

Instructions:

1. In large pot, bring 6 quarts of water to a boil. Add tbsp of salt to water.
2. Add pasta and broccoli and cook for 9-11 minutes. Before draining, retain 2 cups of pasta cooking water.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat and add chicken, garlic, salt and red pepper flakes. Saute until chicken is browned. Remove from heat.
4. In a large bowl, mix together drained pasta and broccoli, pasta cooking water, browned chicken, and Parmesan cheese.
5. If your kids love cheese like mine do, add a few handfuls of shredded cheese over top.

What I like most about this recipe is how easy it is to prepare. I also like that it's easily interchangeable. For instance, if your kids don't care for broccoli you can substitute the veggie for another kind, like peas and carrots. I also like that it's made with whole grains and that the recipe did not include a heavy sauce. That too keeps it healthy.

The Chicken and Broccoli Penne was delicious and something we will certainly incorporate into our list of favorite family recipes. I'm going to attempt to supply a new kid-friendly recipe every week. I'd also love to hear your favorite quick and easy family recipes, so please feel free to share in the comments below!

*This recipe was adapted from Mueller's Pasta.

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