A mixture of pasta, broccoli, pesto, tomatoes, and cheese that is practically a meal in itself, especially with cooked chicken. Great served with crusty bread or a tossed salad. Try using bow tie pasta for an added variation.
So tastey!! We loved this pasta!! I cubed the chicken before cooking it, and then I cooked it in a frying pan with a little olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic powder which gave the chicken a nice flavor. I suggest starting the boiling water right away like the recipe says. I waited a little while and forgot how long it does take for water to boil, and then you can time it so the pasta is done at the same time as the sauce. I followed other reviewers' suggestions and added a third tablespoon of pesto and that seemed like a great amount. We love tomatoes so next time I would add more. GREAT recipe!
Read MoreGood, but I was expecting a little more flavor. I increased the pesto to 3 tbsp. but it could have used 4 or more. Also, I would have liked more tomatoes. Black olives or red onion might have zipped it up a little more...May try again with some of these alterations.
Read MoreSo tastey!! We loved this pasta!! I cubed the chicken before cooking it, and then I cooked it in a frying pan with a little olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic powder which gave the chicken a nice flavor. I suggest starting the boiling water right away like the recipe says. I waited a little while and forgot how long it does take for water to boil, and then you can time it so the pasta is done at the same time as the sauce. I followed other reviewers' suggestions and added a third tablespoon of pesto and that seemed like a great amount. We love tomatoes so next time I would add more. GREAT recipe!
Good, but I was expecting a little more flavor. I increased the pesto to 3 tbsp. but it could have used 4 or more. Also, I would have liked more tomatoes. Black olives or red onion might have zipped it up a little more...May try again with some of these alterations.
My husband and I LOVE this recipe. It reminds me of the Penne with Broccoli entree at Pasta Bravo Restaurant but with the pesto kick. I also add sundried tomatoes and a little extra pesto. This recipe serves 3-4 adults, not 6!
I used more vegetables than the recipe called for. I used a head of broccoli, a bunch of asparagus, an onion, sundried tomatoes, and roasted red peppers (cheated and used jarred ones). It was EXCELLENT. Trick is I think to add pesto and olive oil to your taste. Fresh herbs also improve this dish tremendously. A hand ful of fresh basil. Thanks I will make this again
What a wonderful use of kitchen staples. My 4 and 5 yr olds loved the dish, even went for seconds. It was a good mix of vegetables, noodles and spice for family dinners. I nearly doubled the pesto, and increased the garlic as well. I cooked the pesto mix first, then used the pan to grill chicken breast; while I blanched the broccoli in the micro. This will be a wonderful repeat!
I Enjoyed this Recipe. I Did Add White Wine, Onion, Garlic, Left Out The Tomatoes, And Used Red Bell Pepper. Was Nice Change, Thank You
I was in the mood for a dish with pasta, chicken, and broccoli without a heavy cream sauce and this did the trick. I am not s huge pesto fan, but it went well with this recipe. I agree to add more pesto- I also thought you could double the amount of broccoli and triple the amount of tomatoes. I added more veggies than required, but I still thought it could use more. I also used the "corkscew" pasta which I thought would go better.
Pasta, Broccoli & Chicken Haiku: "This was colorful. A vibrant and tasty dish. But More Pesto Please!" I should've taken the advice of other reviewers and up'ed the pesto b/c it was just a dainty kiss of flavor. I used more broccoli and less pasta (penne's all that I had, but hey, they're tubes too), and I also sauteed onion and bell pepper w/ the garlic. I also used an Italian-seasoned can of tomatoes as opposed to chopped fresh. I don't think that I changed the recipe too terribly much, so I'm only giving it 4 stars b/c I think 1.) Needs the onion inclusion, or at least more veggies & less noodle. 2.) Definitely needs more pesto and 3.) No wait, just the 2. It's a good meal and all the better that it's not a heavy-creamy-pesto dish, so the brightness of color and flavor is a nice harmony with the "healthy" fats of the oil and pesto.
I have made this a few times and this recipe has become a family favorite. It's delicious as written but I've also varied the veggies as follows: asparagus, pine nuts, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, zucchini, etc. (Not all at the same time, of course, just whatever we were in the mood for!) Grocery store rotisserie chicken provides a great head start. I also use more pesto.
Great meal and easy to fix. Husband liked it too! I did add another Tbs of pesto and a little more olive oil b/c it was dry w/out adding some. Also added add'l 1/2-1 cup of fresh tomatoes. Will make again!
Made this last night for a potluck today. Everyone seems to be enjoying it here at work. I ended up making more of the pesto/oil/garlic/tomato mixture because I felt the amount in the recipe just wasn't enough. I also added a bit more salt & pepper. Overall an enjoyable recipe that I will be making again with my own special touches.
This was so easy to make and absolutely fabulous!! My boyfriend loved the taste and we made it with bowtie pasta because that is my favorite. I added more tomatoes than it called for and I put toasted pignoli nuts in it as well! I will definately be making this one again and again!
This recipe had everything in it that I like in a grown-up meal. I used 5 cloves of minced garlic, 5 TB of pesto, and only about 1/8 of a cup of olive oil. I too cooked the broccoli in the pasta water for about 5 minutes, then removed. The thing about this recipe is that half of my dinner guests were my own picky children, and it was easy to remove some plain pasta, brocolli, and chicken before adding the Pesto sauce. They LOVED the rigatoni -- and my daughter even commented on how she loved the taste (never told her I had snuck some "Green sauce" onto a few of her noodles.) Everyone got something they loved.
This went over big with my kids (9, 6, and 2), but my husband and I both found it a little bland. We both thought it needed more seasoning, a minced clove or two of garlic tossed in with the veggies, and more pesto than the recipe calls for. It has potential and is a great base recipe, but I am going to try and ramp it up a bit next time around.
This was good. I would have given 5 stars but I altered the recipe. I added a lot more pesto, garlic, thinkly cut italian kale leaves, and basil. Instead of chicken I used a vegan chicken alternative and instead of rigatoni I used gnocci. Thanks for a great base!
Yes, I vote a 3rd Tablespoon of pesto becuase this family likes very full flavors. This recipe is a winner! It is full of yummy stuff, and it is oh so simple to prepare. I had three grilled chicken breast halves in the freezer, and the grilled flavor added just the right touch. I, my husband, and our children (ages 8 and 9)devoured this. Thanks Joanne!
Excellent flavor. Was a hit in my house!!! I added a tad more pesto sauce (homemade) and if I were to make it again, would add a little more fresh tomato, but other than that, it tasted like something from the North End of Boston!!!
Not sure why you need olive oil when it's already in the pesto. Suggest deleting oil, increasing pesto to 1/4 cup and double tomatoes.
Fantastic!!! Next time Im going to add more broccoli. This would even be good with out the chicken! Thanks Joanne!
Well this recipe has great potential but as is it falls a little flat in flavor. Definitely needs some more pesto than what is called for. At least double it I ended up using about 5 T by the time I was done. I would add extra garlic and maybe some onion next time. It was quick and easy for a quick night meal. Thanks.
Absolutely delicious! I used 16 oz. of orrechiete (hat shaped) pasta, 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, 3 tbsp. of pesto, and did not stir the cheese in, just let everyone top their own pasta with the amount of cheese they wanted. I also used pine nuts to top the pasta. I used half a rotisserie chicken, shredded, from the grocery store. This was a very delicious weeknight dinner. I can't wait to eat the leftovers, cold OR hot!
Great w/ these changes: Double pesto Add onion Added red pepper, no toms, basil.
Went by the directions but I used a little more pesto (about another spoonful) than called for and it was fabulous! The recipes makes a large bowlful and to me taste better when warm. Everyone loved it at work and even the picky eaters!
Like other reviewers, I tweaked it a little bit. I used fresh spinach instead of broccoli, added sun dried tomatoes, garlic and upped the pesto a little bit. Fabulous!
Great! I used at least triple the amount of pesto, added sun dried tomatoes and red pepper flakes.
Really nice pasta dish perfect for a summer dinner. It's nice and light. I didn't have pesto so instead I added fresh chopped basil and a little more olive oil. I also didn't have any parmesan cheese, but I did have blue. I sprinkled a little on my serving and I thought it was fantastic. I just blanched the broccoli with the pasta for the last 3 minutes of cooking time. Thank you for this one!
This recipe was fantastic. Im a beginner cook and it wasnt difficult at all. I took some suggestions from other posters and added more pesto. I also used red pepper flakes while cooking the chicken. took out a little oil and used sundried tomatoes. Unbelievable. Thank you so much for posting this recipe. I will definately be making it again.
Very good, did need some tweaking. Extra pesto and adding spinach was very good. Will double tomatoes next time.
Great! i didn't plan for this meal, so i made my own pesto with lemon, substituted sundried tomatoes, in oil, dried and chopped for tomatoes, and i used rotisorie chicken. Famiy loved it! 4 year old daughters bowl was empty before ours!
I used a can of diced tomatoes (with garlic, basil, and oregano) instead of the chopped. Also, I grilled chicken that had been marinating in Italian salad dressing (that alone is a yummy entree') and threw it in at the end. I also increased the amount of pesto to 4-5 "heaping" TBSP. As with anything, the longer this dish sits, the more flavor comes out. I enjoyed it- And believe it or not, my 5 year old son even ate it - - broccoli and all!! Good stuff..thanks
This was excellent. I used fusilli and lightly steamed my broccoli. Great spring or summer pasta dish. Very light and flavorful. Thank you!
This was delicious, the whole family loved and wanted more!! I didn't change anything and it was perfect and delicious! Not to mention super quick to make!!!! Yeah a new recipe to add to my favorites collection.
This is so good!! I followed another user's advice and just added the broccoli to the boiling water in the pasta about 5 minutes before it was done. I also added about 4 or 5 tablespoons of pesto. It turned out great!
I added sausage instead of chicken and it gave it an extra kick. Enjoyed it very much.
Good recipe as long as you pay attention to the reviews. I used 3 tbsp of pesto instead of 2, and marinated the chicken in rosemary, garlic and lemon juice. The family all agreed I will be making it again.
Very good think only change I made was I shredded my chicken instead of chopping it. Different kind of pasta too but oh well its what I had.
Wow! This recipe is delicious (even though I made some modifications to it). I doubled the amount of pesto and omitted the parmesan because I didn't have any. But I added some onions, fresh mushrooms, sundried tomatoes (in oil) and some black olives. Turned out great! I'll be doing this recipe again, that's for sure!
This was a great recipe with the following changes: saute' pesto, sundried tomatoes & garlic. Remove,cook chicken with basil, oragano & red pepper flakes. Add all ingredients together and top with feta cheese, delicious!!!
Used 3 broccoli heads0, Goya Adobo w Cumin Seasonings instead of salt and pepper, 1 cram of chicken can with a can of milk, seasoned frozen onions, green pepper, and garlic premix. My 9 yr old loves it.
This was pretty good. I used cut tomatoes with olive oil and garlic from a can and it turned out great. I also used perdue cooked italian style chicken, which had lots of flavor. And it took me only 10 minutes to make dinner. This is THE recipe for those days you just don't have time to spend in the kitchen.
Good start. Took other suggestions and increased the pesto...by 3-4 times. Added some baby spinach, sliced fresh mushrooms, chopped kalamata olives & sundried tomatoes along with some chicken stock to original recipe. Cooked cubed chicken breast in pesto & olive old, set aside. Added above vegies along with tomatoes & blanched broccoli in skillet to simmer. 5 minutes before pasta was ready, put chicken back in to warm. Hmmmm good!
This is a great summertime meal. As suggested, we used grilled chicken and sauteed 8oz. fresh mushroom slices with the garlic. We are not big pesto fans so I substituted about 2 tsp basil and 1 tsp oregano and used only about 1/2 C parmesan. A 14.5 oz can of dice tomatoes worked instead of fresh. Yum!
Sooo easy. Made with penne, canned diced tomatoes, frozen broccoli florets, 2 cloves garlic and a little bit of olive oil, then topped with shredded parmesan cheese. 1. Cook broccoli (about 3 min in boiling water) set aside 2. Bring water for penne to a boil, while sauteeing garlic and tomatoes in olive oil. 3. Drain Penne, place in bowl with broccoli then coat with tomato/garlic/olive oil mixture, toss 4. Sprinkle with parm. cheese and serve.
Very tasty! One of the better recipes I've tried from this site. More pesto definitely, I also used sun-dried and fresh tomatoes.
This was easy and delicious! I used bow tie pasta, can diced tomatoes and frozen broccoli florets. Will definitely make again.
Sooo YUMMY!!! This has a vibrant flavor and it is a meal in itself. I prepped my chicken by baking it with some garlic salt and pepper, about 20 minutes at 400. I used twice as much pesto as called for and followed everything else. I let the chicken sit for 10 minutes and cubed it while the pasta was cooking. I threw my broccoli in with the pasta and made sure to heavily salt the water. I was a little worried about the sauce because it looked so oily but after adding in the parmesan it was just right. I even added the chicken drippings for a little more sauce. Really, this is one of the best pasta dishes and it's a nice change from red or cream sauces. I think salting the pasta water and making sure the chicken was well seasoned ensured it was not bland. Thank you so much for this one!
This was very good! I followed the recipe, but omitted the broccoli and minced garlic. I used fresh garlic. I didn't have any pesto, so I made some. I sauteed the chicken with onions, then added to the pasta and added enough spices and Parmesan cheese to give it some great flavor. Will make this again.
May I just say YUM!! I love the fresh flavours that the veggies provide and the chicken gives that lovely extra bite. As I didn't have any basil, I made the Mexican Pesto from this site using the cilantro I had at home...and instead of pumpkin seeds I used sunflower seed kernels in that. I also made use of a useful tip from a pesto recipe by retaining a little bit of the water drained from the pasta to mix with all the ingredients to give a little moisture. I had some boneless chicken breast strips that I had marinated with lemon, crushed ginger and red chilli flakes earlier...and this was a great recipe to use it in. I added a little garlic salt to the chicken before sauteeing it in a spoonful of olive oil. I also added sliced sausage and olives to the pasta mix. Wonderful wonderful recipe which is a definite keeper!
This was realy good! Suggestions would be to add more pesto. it gets dry too so maybe some extra olive oil.
I LOVED this dish! I added a little extra olive oil and used a can of diced flavored tomoatoes and I will be making this again. My hubby didn't care for it as much, but only because he's not a fan of pesto. Next time I will add the pesto later so we both can enjoy. Thank you!
This is SUCH a great recipe. I have cooked it several times now for different company and ALL have enjoyed. I followed the recipe exactly except I added Peas and Zucchini and did not use the tomatoes since were not big fans of cooked tomatoes. I also used others suggestions and added more pesto. SOOO YUMMY!
This is exactly what I was looking for! I grilled the chicken breast and subbed bow tie pasta cooked al dente. Great flavor. This one goes in my favorite file!
We found this to be a little bland, which surprised me. I found that all it really needed was some seasoning salt. Once you added that, this was a great recipe.
This was a great recipe! Made in 30 minutes. Altered a bid. I sauteed the chicken with olive oil and 1/4 cup of white cooking wine. Add to the pan 1/4 cup of red onion, fresh garlic, and 1/2 cup of fresh red pepper. Used Bow Tie Pasta. Used frozen broccoli, Used about 4 tablespoons of homemade pesto. Followed the rest of the recipe (cheese etc.)Yummy. Next time may add black olives, mushrooms, or toasted pine nut. Very flexible recipe.
100% a keeper. I used fresh tomatoes from my garden for this and it came out awesome. I also added some mushrooms for a bigger vegetable appearance. The best part about this was that I made it for this girl I'm kicking it to and she thinks i'm the shizzie now.
This was amazing. The only thing I did differently was that I cooked my chicken on the BBQ (seasoned the chicken), and instead of using a fresh tomato (I didn't have one), I used a can of rotelle tomatoes with green chilies. I also took others advice and used more pesto (2 heaping tbsps. full) and I chose to use about 6 cloves of garlic. This is a keeper and I will be making it for our next lunch club at work! Can't wait to share it!
Awesome dish! My family loved this recipe. I changed a few things to enhance the flavor. I marinated the chicken with rosemary, garlic, lemon juice and rind. Instead of diced tomatoes, I used sun dried tomatoes. What a refreshing taste even when incorporated with the other dominant flavors. Definately a keeper!
Not bad, but like previous reviewers, I would have liked more zip...I substituted sundried tomatoes for tomatoes, doubled the pesto, and seasoned the chicken breasts with Herbe de Provence. Altogether a good dish, but nothing to rave about
VERY simple and good recipe. I ended up adding extra pesto and sliced mushrooms just cause i felt like it needed more than broccoli, tomato and chicken. I added the tomato at the very end,just to heat through, so it can keep its shape.
This was really a pretty good recipe. I did make a few changes: I added about 3/4 c of half and half to the olive oil and reduced it a bit before adding the pesto... this gave the sauce a little creaminess. Also I seasoned the chicken with rosemary (2-3 pinches) and thyme. A keeper for sure.
If your looking for something light and flavorful try it. This is a great addition to the recipe box.
This was great. I chopped and added one zucchini and two yellow squash (crookneck) and sauted them for around 10 minutes in with the minced garlic and pesto sauce. I used the veggie rigatoni pasta (also known as Wacky Mac). Added 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes for just a little bit of warmth.
I added about 1/2 cup heavy cream because I had it and needed to use it up. Yum.
I absolutely love it, it's definitely become a favourite of mine. I did make a few changes though. You definitely need twice as much pesto, if not triple, depending on your tastes. I found that without the extra pesto it just tasted extremely bland. I also added red pepper, onion, and sun-dried tomatoes which gave it a nicer look and taste. I also added some parsley and other seasonings for flavour. Furthermore, I followed the advice of others and cooked the chicken in some lemon juice which was an extra special touch. Great recipe!
Tastes great, but I definitely want double the broccoli in it! It had way too much of a majority of pasta.
Very good dish. That sums it up enough. ;-)
This dish was delicious. I seasoned my chicken with seasoning salt and added some spinach to the dish as well. It was so good.
Definitely tasty and a great way to incorporate veg, meat and starch all in one dish. I took advice from other reviewers and doubled the amount of pesto required. I also stir-fried raw chicken together with the pesto and vegetables. A good start to a great recipe.
I've made this recipe half a dozen times, I enjoy it so much. I give it only 4 stars because it's not perfect as-is. It does need another T or 2 of pesto to liven it up. Usually I don't make the pasta (for health reasons), and it's very good just as a chicken salad or over a bed of romaine lettuce. The absolute best variation I've come up with is to use chicken breasts cooked on the grill. It adds an extra dimension of flavor that is wonderful. Just be sure not to overcook them.
Added some onion which I sauteed with pesto/chiken. Used ALOT more broccoli as my fam likes it. USed one can of italian seasoned diced tomatoes (undrained, 14.5 oz). Doubled the pesto and used about 12 oz of pre-cooked Tyson chicken. Also marinated onion/garlic/pesto mixture in a dash of white wine. VERY GOOD. Entire family liked it. Highly recommend.
Very bland. I read the other comments so I used 1/4 cup of pesto instead of 2T, and I cooked the chicken in olive oil, crushed red pepper flakes, and garlic, and the dish was still bland. We ended up shaking pepper flakes onto our plates. Wouldn't make again.
delicious! i roasted my broccoli instead of blanching it and it was awesome. my husband loved it and he normally only eats pasta smothered in sauce. i did all the chicken and veggie prep the night before and did the skillet work while the noodles were boiling. a new regular recipe!
Very fresh tasting and pretty. Very good flavor but would add a little more seasoning. Good with or without the chicken I think! I also added a little red pepper, thank you for sharing, will continue to make this until I've made the recipe my own.
Was super easy to make! I didn't have pesto so I just used some pasta sauce. Perfect for a quick and easy dinner.
I agree that this dish needs more seasoning. The addition of artichoke hearts, and sauteed chopped onion and pepper is an idea that I will try next time. I also agree that there is too much pasta called for in the recipe and not enough broccoli. This recipe has a good enough base but needs tweaking.
I really cannot see how this recipe got as high of a rating as it does. I added more pesto, put in sauted mushrooms (my husband likes them) did a few other reviewers comments - and I ended up having to add a TON of salt & pepper, red pepper flakes and 2-3 more tablespoons of pesto - and it was still bland!! Will not be making again.
The best;).my boyfriend enjoy so much. I just made some changes.stead of pesto i add red pepper and i didn't include the tomatoes,it was so delicious yummy yummi yummy".
Good, but not fabulous. When I make it again, I'll double the pesto and probably add more seasonings.
This was really good and a nice change of pace from stuff on the grill. It's a nice pasta dish without the heavy cream sauce or tomato sauce, which made it lighter for summertime. Adding this to the receipe box!
Nice fresh pasta recipe. I had a bunch of broccoli to use up and chicken ready in the freezer. This came together quickly for our meal. Thought it could use just a little more liquid, maybe from more pesto or another 1/2 cup of tomatoes. All in all, this was a good dish.
Yummy and very easy dish! I live in a duplex with my sister and we share cooking duties. It's very hard to find a dish that everyone (9 people)likes. This is one of those rare moments when they came back for seconds! Thank you for sending it in :)
i made this for a dinner party and it was an absolute hit!! i went for the healthier wheat pasta, and used penne. i didn't have fresh broccoli, but was able to substitute with frozen -much simpler, but doesn't look as pretty. i'm glad for the suggestions to add more pesto. i added more pesto and minced garlic to taste (not sure how much, probably double on pesto and and extra spoonful of the garlic). i also sautéed the chicken in lemon juice, for an extra kick that worked out well. thanks for the recipe!
Delicious, I agree with other reviews I doubled the pesto. You can add anything else for veggies to add to this recipe but it is solid as it stands!
I added all sorts of veggies in there- cauli. summer squash, zucchinni, fresh spinich... YUM
everyone loved it! i increased the pesto as previous reviewers suggested. i used canned diced tomatoes with good results. thanks joanne!
Loved this - couldn't stop eating it - wanted a dish with broccoli ... I used a semi wholewheat and didn't realise chicken needed to be pre-cooked so ended up sauteing it with the garlic then add the broccoli and tomato etc. in. Errr, also realised didn't have any pesto (I was winging it :) ) but figured it would be good with some parmesan and black pepper anyways - looking forward to trying it with pesto :)
I was looking for a chicken dinner NOT over rice and this looked promising. I hadn't used pesto sauce before so I was a little skeptical but now I can't believe that I didn't know about this powerhouse of flavor. This recipe was great and my family loved their dinner!
cooked onions, garlic, and fresh chopped basil with chicken, added a little italian seasoning to cooked chicken, boiled broccoli with pasta (5 minutes was too much time for broccoli) added chopped olives, doubled pesto
This was very good. Instead of using fresh tomatoes I used a can of Italian diced tomatoes and juice. This made a good little sauce. I also went ahead and mixed the broccoli, chicken, and Parmesan cheese in the saute pan with the tomato mixture towards the end. This ensured everything was heated through and allowed the flavors to meld. This was also a very simple recipe; easy to make. May try it with asparagus instead of broccoli next time (just to change up the veggies, the broccoli was good). Thanks!
