Chicken + Broccoli Rabe Pasta
I didn’t realize how much my kids liked this recipe until one weeknight when I made an extra pot of it (thinking I’d have leftovers for the rest of the week) and within 15 minutes of arriving home after sports practices they managed to eat half of it! There went my plans for leftovers!
This recipe couldn’t be easier. If you don’t have time to roast chicken breasts, no problem. Just use the chicken sausage as your protein. I’ve found that I like a mix of both as the sources of protein.
One of the big benefits of this recipe is that you use the same water to blanch your broccoli rabe as you do to cook your pasta, saving you in cleanup.
Broccoli rabe is a tremendous source of glucosinolates, making it an antioxidant, cancer-fighting powerhouse along with vitamins A, C, K, folate and potassium.
And if you’re tired of dry chicken, let me introduce you to a meat thermometer. I’m completely obsessed with the oven temperature probe that you can monitor your food’s internal temperature. If you don’t have a probe, just use a regular meat thermometer. Cooking chicken to 160 F allows it to reach 165 F as it cools outside the oven, and waiting about 10-15 minutes after roasting to slice/chop seals in all of the moisture. Your experience with chicken will change forever.
I didn’t realize how much my kids loved this recipe until one weeknight when I made an extra pot—thinking I’d have leftovers for the week. Within 15 minutes of getting home from sports practice, they had devoured half of it! So much for leftovers!
Short on time? Use just chicken sausage
This dish couldn’t be easier to throw together. Short on time? Skip roasting the chicken breasts and just use chicken sausage. Personally, I like using a combination of both for a hearty, protein-rich meal.
Efficiency in the kitchen
One of the best parts of this recipe is how efficient it is—using the same pot of boiling water to blanch the broccoli rabe and then cook the pasta. Fewer dishes, less cleanup. Win-win.
Broccoli rabe fights cancer and free radicals
Broccoli rabe also happens to be a nutritional powerhouse. It’s packed with glucosinolates—compounds known for their antioxidant and cancer-fighting properties—plus vitamins A, C, and K, as well as folate and potassium.
No more dry chicken
And if you’re over dry, boring chicken, let me introduce you to your new best friend: a meat thermometer. I’m obsessed with my oven-safe probe thermometer that tracks the internal temp while cooking. No probe? A regular meat thermometer works just fine. Roast your chicken to 160°F, then let it rest for 10–15 minutes. It’ll finish cooking as it cools and stay juicy and tender. Total game-changer.
Prep + Cook Time 25 minutes
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
4 large chicken breasts
Salt, pepper, thyme, and ground bay leaves for seasoning
2 bunches broccoli rabe
2 cups gluten-free pasta (I like Jovial brand the best)
1 bag frozen peas
Bilinski chicken sausage (we like the Wild Mushroom or Spicy Italian varieties best), chopped into bite-sized pieces
⅓ cup grated parmesan
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Prep the Chicken (if using, see notes on time above):
Line a roasting pan with parchment paper.
Place the chicken breasts on the pan and season both sides generously with salt, pepper, thyme, and ground bay leaves. Insert a meat thermometer (see note above), and roast until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.Blanch the Broccoli Rabe:
Chop the broccoli rabe into bite-sized pieces. Blanch in the boiling water for 2 minutes, then use a slotted spoon to transfer it to a separate dish. Set aside.Cook the Pasta and Peas:
In the same pot of boiling water, cook the pasta according to the package instructions. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the peas to the pot.
Drain everything, reserving a few tablespoons of pasta water in the pot to help bind the sauce later.Brown the Sausage:
While the pasta is cooking, brown the sausage in a separate pan over medium heat until it develops some nice color. Then return it to the large pot.Combine and Finish:
Add the blanched broccoli rabe, peas, cooked pasta, and sliced chicken to the pot with the sausage. Stir in the parmesan cheese and mix well.
Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm.
Enjoy!
