Weight Watchers Recipe of the Day: Skinny Broccoli & Chicken Pasta
Pasta, and chicken in a simple olive oil, garlic and broccoli sauce. This is one of my favorite quick and easy pasta recipes.
How Many Calories and WW Points in this Pasta Dish?
According to my calculations, each serving has about 360 calories and
9 *SmartPoints (Green plan)
8 *SmartPoints (Blue plan)
3 *SmartPoints (Purple plan) (with whole grain pasta)
9 *PointsPlus (Old plan)
To see your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site, Click here!
Recipe Notes
I've been making this pasta with chicken and broccoli for years, ever since a work friend shared it with me over lunch one day decades ago.
I used to make it with penne or rigatoni, but now I use whatever short-cut pasta I happen to have in the pantry. Last night it was rotini.
I like to cook the broccoli along with the pasta, so it falls apart upon stirring and becomes a course puree. It's delicious with or without the chicken, so leave it out if you like.
I've made it lighter and healthier through the years too - by using less olive oil and more chicken broth, white wine and some of the reserved pasta water.
Be sure to use good cheese in this simple recipe - not the cheap stuff; it's just not the same. Either Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano work well.

Parmesan cheese and grater on cutting board at table
You can also add some crushed red pepper flakes for a little heat if you like. I like to serve it with a simple mixed green salad. Enjoy!
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Skinny Broccoli & Chicken Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 ounces penne or rotini pasta (about 3 cups)
- 4-½ cups broccoli florets (about 12 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons crushed garlic
- 12 ounces chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup dry white wine (optional)
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. When water boils, add a generous handful of salt, add pasta and broccoli and cook according to pasta instructions for al dente. When pasta is almost done cooking, reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta and broccoli.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and chicken and cook, stirring occasionally until the chicken is browned, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the chicken broth and wine, if using, and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
- Add the pasta and broccoli to the skillet, along with the grated cheese, salt and pepper and mix well.
- If the mixture seems dry, add the reserved pasta water, a little at a time, using only as much as needed.
- Serve immediately pasta bowls with additional grated cheese and red pepper flakes on the side
Equipment
Recipe Notes
*Points® calculated by WW. *PointsPlus® and SmartPoints® calculated by Simple Nourished Living; Not endorsed by Weight Watchers International, Inc. All recipe ingredients except optional items included in determining nutritional estimates. SmartPoints® values calculated WITHOUT each plan's ZeroPoint Foods (Green plan, Blue plan, Purple plan) using the WW Recipe Builder.
In this short video, Laura Vitale shows how she makes light & healthy pasta with broccoli:
If you like this Enlightened Pasta with Broccoli and Chicken, you might also like:
- Skinny Artichoke and Pasta Bake
- Mediterranean Chicken and Pasta
- Roasted Shrimp and Broccoli
- Skinny Chicken Broccoli Casserole
- Skinny Bisquick Impossibly Easy Chicken Broccoli Pie
Martha is the founder and main content writer for Simple-Nourished-Living.
A longtime lifetime WW at goal, she is committed to balancing her love of food and desire to stay slim while savoring life and helping others do the same.
She is the author of the Smart Start 28-Day Weight Loss Challenge.
A huge fan of the slow cooker and confessed cookbook addict, when she's not experimenting in the kitchen, you're likely to find Martha on her yoga mat.
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Pam Dorman
This is a quick and very delicious recipe - and the portion size is huge!!
Jennifer
This was amaaaaaaazing. Even my toddler ate it! Will for sure be a staple in our house from now on. Thank you!!!
Martha McKinnon
Thanks Jennifer. I love that your toddler ate it too!!! What a huge compliment. Thanks so much.
Lynette
What are the smart points
Barbara Waddell
I just made the broccoli,chicken and pasta. I did not have Parmesan cheese but used hard cheddar. I added some red pepper flakes to put a little kick to it. Enjoyed it. Will be making again.