This Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Skillet is a one-pan meal that you can put together in less than 30 minutes. It feels like a satisfying comfort food with just a few basic ingredients.
30 minutes
Easy cleanup
You’ll Learn: The pan-searing technique for juicy chicken
Worth It: It builds a freezer stash for stress-free meals later
Bonus: Sauce can be used on almost anything
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Comfort food favorite – I am always looking for some comfort food that also makes my body feel good. This Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Skillet fits right into that category. It is made with simple ingredients, but packs the flavor and comfort of creamy chicken alfredo.
- 30 minute dinner – I love a weeknight dinner that tastes like it took way longer to make. Just start soaking your cashews earlier in the day. Once you have done that, this sauce takes less than 30 minutes to put together!
- One pan meal – I always want as little clean up as possible after dinner. One pot meals are my favorite. This skillet dinner is perfect for quick and easy clean up in the kitchen when you are done!
Serving Suggestions
This chicken and broccoli skillet is so good on its own, but I also love serving it with some air fryer potatoes. I also love adding a salad, like this kale caesar salad or an antipasto salad.
If you are a quinoa fan, a strawberry quinoa salad or quinoa chickpea salad are great sides for this dinner too.
You can make a small bowl of pasta to add right to the sauce with the chicken and broccoli. This dish would also be so good with some white or brown rice for a creamy broccoli stir-fry.
Ingredients
- Boneless skinless chicken breast – I like to use boneless skinless chicken breast to keep this recipe quick and easy
- Broccoli – I love broccoli in a creamy sauce, but you can use any vegetable you would like
- Salt and pepper – The sauce is so simple and so delicious. You just need salt and pepper to season the chicken and the sauce
- Avocado oil – I used avocado oil but you can use olive oil or any oil you would like
- Garlic cloves – the garlic adds so much flavor to this creamy sauce. Onions would also be great to add, but they are not necessary.
- Raw cashews – the nuts are the key to this creamy sauce. It creates a cheesy broccoli and chicken dish without the cheese. Make sure to soak them for a long time to get the best results.
- Chicken broth – the addition of chicken broth helps to thin out the cashews while adding more flavor
Ingredient Substitutions
I used boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you could use tenderloins or boneless skinless chicken thighs too. Boneless is the easiest because it takes less time to cook, but you could use bone in and adjust your cook time.
Broccoli is my favorite for this recipe, but asparagus, kale, cherry tomatoes, cauliflower, mushrooms or carrots would all be delicious. This sauce is so versatile, so you can use it on just about anything!
You can make this easy chicken and broccoli dish even creamier by adding cheeses. I love adding some cheddar cheese or topping it with parmesan cheese.
If you want to make this sauce and use it for vegan recipes, substitute the chicken broth for vegetable broth and use any veggie combo you’d like.
How to Make
Step 1: Soak the cashews and prep the chicken
First, soak raw cashews in water for at least 4 hours or up to overnight. Then, take 2 chicken breasts and slice in half long ways so you have 4 thin pieces. Next, season each of the 4 chicken breast pieces on both sides with salt and pepper.
Step 2: Steam the broccoli
If your florets are big, you can cut your broccoli into bite size pieces. Then, place broccoli florets in a large frying pan with 1/2 cup of water. Next, bring the water to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer. Steam the broccoli until tender in the covered pan for 3 minutes then remove.
Step 3: Cook the chicken and make a sauce
Then, heat oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Add 3 smashed garlic cloves to the oil and cook for 5 minutes taking care not to burn them. Then, remove the garlic from the pan and leave the oil behind.
Next, increase the heat in the pan to medium to medium-high heat and add the chicken to the pan. Cook the chicken for 3 minutes on each side until you have tender chicken. While the chicken cooks, blend the cashews, chicken broth, salt, and pepper into a smooth sauce.
Step 4: Combine it all in the pan
Finally, add the broccoli and sauce into the pan with the chicken. Simmer for a few more minutes and stir to coat the chicken and broccoli in the sauce.
Step 5: Enjoy!
Storage, reheating, and Freezing
Once prepared, store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave until warmed through.
Cashew sauces tend to freeze and defrost really well. If you want to freeze this, please allow it to cool fully before placing in an airtight container in the freezer.
Check Out These Other Delicious Skillet Meals
You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!
You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!
Email Recipe for Later
Recipe
Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 3 cloves garlic
Creamy Sauce Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 1 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Soak raw cashews in water for at least 4 hours or as long as overnight
- Steam broccoli florets by add broccoli and 1/2 cup of water to a large frying pan
- Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Allow the broccoli to steam for 3 minutes
- While the broccoli cooks, slice each chicken breast in half long ways so two thin pieces remain from each breast. Season each piece on both sides with salt and pepper
- Remove steamed broccoli and excess water from the pan
- Heat avocado oil in the frying pan over medium-low heat and add 3 smashed garlic cloves to the pan
- Allow the cloves to cook in the garlic for 3 minutes taking care to not burn them, then remove the garlic from the pan, leaving the oil behind
- Increase the heat to medium and add the chicken to the pan
- Cook the chiken on medium for 3 mintues each side
- As the chicken cooks, prepare the creamy sauce by blending the soaked cashews, chicken broth, pepper, and salt in a blender until a smooth mixture remains.
- Add the steamed broccoli back into the pan with the cooked chicken and pour the sauce into the pan
- Allow the mixture to simmer for 3 minutes, stirring frequently so the sauce coats the chicken and broccoli
- Remove the pan from the heat and enjoy!
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
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