Healthy, simple, delicious chicken and broccoli is perfect for any night of the week and pairs great with rice or noodles! From fridge to plate in just 30 minutes!
For more easy chicken dishes, bookmark my recipes for Citrus Dijon Grilled Chicken, Chicken Satay Skewers, and Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos.
I love a good chicken and broccoli recipe. Those two items just go so well together too, don’t they? Like meat and potatoes, peanut butter and jelly, sea salt on everything chocolate…the pair just fits.
And this particular chicken and broccoli pairing? It’s my favorite. The chicken is first pounded to guarantee even cooking and then rubbed in all the best Italian spices, then browned in butter. The broccoli is also flavored with garlic and parmesan, then steamed in butter and a little bit of water with the lid on nestled right beside that chicken. What you get is juicy, plump, tender chicken and tender-crisp cheesy broccoli that still has the perfect bite to it when you eat it.
Why This Recipe Works
In a nutshell, this recipe works for all these reasons and more!
Tender chicken breasts — Pounding the chicken breasts to uniform thickness means they’ll all cook the same in the pan. If you skip this step, you’ll end up with one overdone and one underdone (at least) piece and that’s just no good.
Simple spices — Garlic powder, Herbs de Provence (or Italian seasonings), salt, and pepper are all you need to reach for to make this dish tasty! Nothing fancy and no extra trips to the store required here.
Versatile — You really can add just about any flavor profile you like here. Spicy, mild, south-of-the-border, choose your favorite spice blend for the chicken and the broccoli (so long as they complement each other) and cook as directed.
Great for meal prep — I know so many people who are into meal prepping these days and this recipe just works. Make a double batch and split up your portions into 3-5 meal-prep containers with some fruit slices or carrot sticks for a healthy, low-carb, on-the-go meal.
Here’s How You Make It
Make this chicken and broccoli recipe once and you’ll realize it’s so easy you can do it again and again!
- Season the pounded chicken on both sides with the spices, plus salt and pepper (to taste).
- Take out a large skillet (I love a good cast iron or enamel skillet) and turn the heat on to medium-high. Melt the butter in the bottom and then add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the chicken breasts and let them brown for 3-4 minutes on each side.
- Next, toss the broccoli florets with 2 teaspoons of oil, the garlic (or powder), and the parmesan.
- Move the chicken to one side of the pan and place the broccoli on the other side of the pan.
- Gently and slowly pour ⅓ cup of water into the side of the skillet, put the lid on and let the broccoli and chicken cook for another 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the broccoli is fork-tender.
- Serve right away and enjoy!
Ideas for Serving This Dish
- Chicken and broccoli over rice is one of my favorite ways to serve this dish. See below for ways to add sauce or cheese, both of which mix well into the rice and when you have it all together — delish!
- If you’d prefer noodles over rice, some that work well to hold in all the flavors of the chicken and broccoli include penne, rigatone, and fusilli. Of course, you can use any pasta you have on hand. It all tastes great! This recipe has Italian flavors so if you decide to serve it over pasta, then adding some marinara sauce over the top would be really tasty as well.
- Slice the chicken breasts up against the grain and put on a hoagie roll with some cheese, sauce (marinara or otherwise), and other favorite toppings for a great sub sandwich with broccoli as your side.
- Of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention one of the best ways to serve chicken and broccoli: with mashed potatoes of course! Cover everything in gravy and go to bed a happy camper.
Expert Tips
- Want crispier broccoli? Then cook this dish in an oven-safe skillet. Follow the directions through adding the broccoli to the skillet. But, instead of adding the water, just pop the skillet into the oven (preheated to 400 degrees). The oven will roast the broccoli and cook the chicken through just perfectly.
- Kick the roasted chicken and broccoli flavors up a notch by sprinkling on 1 tablespoon of dry ranch seasoning all over the chicken in addition to the other spices on the ingredients list. Kids (and big kids) love these flavors together!
- Love sauce? It’s easy to add sauce to this dish too. My favorite is this 5-minute dijon cream sauce. Just make it and drizzle over the cooked chicken and broccoli. Be ready to hear some lips smacking when you serve this sauce!
- Not a fan of broccoli? No problem. Other favorite veggies that go with chicken include carrots, cauliflower, green beans, peppers, zucchini, and Brussels sprouts.
- Is the parmesan just not enough cheese? Been there. For a super-cheesy chicken and broccoli recipe, place a slice of provolone (or other) cheese on top of each breast, then cover the skillet back up for another couple of minutes to melt it on top.
More Amazing Dinner Recipes
Did you make this quick and easy chicken and broccoli skillet meal? YAY! Please rate the recipe below!
Servings: 4 servings
Season chicken on both sides with garlic powder, Herbs de Provence (or Italian blend), and salt and pepper (I’m pretty generous with the salt and pepper here, go with your gut).
In a large skillet, melt butter. Once melted, drizzle 1 tablespoon oil into the pan. Add chicken and brown for 3-4 minutes on each side.
Toss broccoli florets with 2 teaspoon oil, garlic (or garlic powder) and parmesan cheese.
Scoot the chicken over in the pan to make room for the broccoli.
Add broccoli to the pan, add 1/3 cup water (pour it to the side of the chicken and broccoli and not over the top so that it doesn’t wash away the seasonings), cover and cook for 15 minutes or until chicken is white throughout and broccoli is fork-tender. (see note for alternate cooking method) Serve immediately.
Up-level your chicken: Sprinkle 1 tablespoon dry Ranch seasoning all over the chicken along with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian herbs. My kids are especially huge fans of this!
Sauce it up: Whip up a batch of my famous 5-minute dijon cream sauce and drizzle over the chicken and broccoli to take this dish over the top!
Swap out the veggies: Feel free to use carrots, cauliflower, green beans, bell peppers, or zucchini in place of (or along with!) the broccoli.
Make it cheesy: Just before serving, place a slice of provolone cheese on top of each chicken breast, cover the pan for 2-4 minutes and serve once the cheese has melted.
Calories: 259kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 249mg | Potassium: 965mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1126IU | Vitamin C: 154mg | Calcium: 139mg | Iron: 2mg
