High Protein Rotisserie Chicken Broccoli Pasta

A weeknight revelation hit me while standing in the grocery store pasta aisle, exhausted from back-to-back meetings. I grabbed a rotisserie chicken without a plan, then spotted Greek yogurt and suddenly thought: what if creamy didn't have to mean heavy? Twenty minutes later, my kitchen smelled like garlic and lemon, and I'd made something so satisfying I ate it three nights straight.

I made this for my sister who'd been frustrated trying to eat well on a tight schedule. When she took that first bite, she actually paused mid-chew and said, 'This tastes expensive.' The lemon brightness and the tender chicken pieces against those soft broccoli florets just clicked for her, and now she texts me screenshots of the recipe asking how I made it taste like that.

Ingredients

• Whole-wheat penne or fusilli pasta, 12 ounces: The fiber helps everything feel more substantial, and the nutty flavor pairs beautifully with lemon and garlic instead of competing with it.
• Broccoli florets, 3 cups: Fresh or frozen works equally well; I learned frozen actually saves time and wastes nothing if you're solo cooking.
• Shredded rotisserie chicken, 2 cups: Buy a warm one if possible and shred it yourself while warm, it stays more tender and juicy than pre-shredded versions.
• Low-fat Greek yogurt, ½ cup: This is the secret to the sauce, thick enough to cling but light enough to feel fresh.
• Low-fat cottage cheese, ¼ cup: Blends invisibly into the sauce and adds extra protein without any graininess if you stir it in gently.
• Grated Parmesan cheese, ¼ cup plus extra: Use freshly grated if you have it; pre-grated versions can make the sauce separate.
• Olive oil, 2 tablespoons: This blooms the garlic and carries all those flavors through the dish.
• Garlic, 2 cloves minced: Mince it just before cooking or it turns bitter and harsh.
• Fresh lemon juice and zest, 1 tablespoon juice and 1 teaspoon zest: The lemon is what makes this feel bright instead of heavy, don't skip the zest.
• Red pepper flakes, ¼ teaspoon optional: A whisper of heat wakes everything up if you like that kind of thing.
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper: Taste as you go because Greek yogurt can hide seasoning.
• Fresh parsley, 2 tablespoons chopped: A last-minute flourish that makes it look restaurant-worthy and adds a peppery finish.

Instructions

Get the pasta and broccoli going:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, drop in the pasta, and let it cook for 5 minutes before adding the broccoli florets. This way both finish tender at the exact same moment, and you drain everything together into a colander, reserving about half a cup of that starchy pasta water because it's your secret weapon for the sauce.

Toast the garlic in the same pot:

Wipe the pot dry, add olive oil over medium heat, then add minced garlic and red pepper flakes if you're using them. You'll smell it get fragrant in about 30 seconds, and that's when you know it's ready, don't let it brown or it turns acrid.

Build the creamy sauce gently:

Lower the heat to medium-low and stir in the Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Add your reserved pasta water slowly, a few tablespoons at a time, stirring constantly until the sauce turns silky and smooth, which takes patience but prevents lumps.

Bring everything together:

Add the cooked pasta, broccoli, and shredded chicken back into the pot and toss everything together gently so the sauce coats evenly. If it looks too thick, splash in more pasta water a tablespoon at a time.

Finish and season:

Stir in the Parmesan and fresh parsley, then taste and adjust salt and pepper. Serve immediately in bowls with extra Parmesan scattered on top because that final texture matters.

Save

My neighbor knocked on my door one evening following that garlic and lemon smell wafting through the wall, and I ended up giving her a bowl still warm from the pot. She sat at my kitchen counter and we talked for an hour while eating, and she told me this was the first time a healthy dinner didn't feel like punishment, and that stuck with me.

Why This Works As a Weeknight Dinner

The entire kitchen operation takes 22 minutes from cold stove to plated bowls, which means you're not spending your evening chopping and stirring. Everything cooks in one pot, so cleanup is maybe five minutes if you're being careful. The real magic is that none of the flavors feel sacrificed for speed, the lemon brightness tastes intentional and fresh, not like a shortcut.

Customizing Your Bowl

This dish is honestly flexible in ways that make it feel less like a recipe and more like a blueprint. I've swapped the broccoli for cauliflower when that's what I had, and the sauce works equally well because it's the lemon and garlic doing the heavy lifting. Green peas work beautifully too if you want something sweeter, and I've even thrown in spinach at the end, which wilts into the warmth and adds color.

Storage and Second Chances

Leftovers stay good in a sealed container for three days, and reheating is simple if you remember one thing: the sauce thickens as it sits, so splash in a bit of water or even broth when you warm it up and let it heat low and slow. I've had the pasta taste somehow better the next day because all those flavors settled and got cozy with each other.

• Store in an airtight container and the pasta won't dry out as long as there's sauce clinging to it.
• Reheat gently on the stovetop rather than the microwave if you want the sauce to stay silky.
• If you're adding extra protein like collagen peptides or hemp seeds, stir those in fresh right before eating.

Save

This recipe proved to me that eating well doesn't require complicated techniques or expensive ingredients. It's just about knowing that Greek yogurt and pasta water can create something creamy and real, and that lemon makes everything taste like you tried harder than you actually did.

Recipe Q&A

→ Can I use regular pasta instead of whole-wheat?

Yes, regular penne or fusilli works perfectly fine. Whole-wheat adds fiber and nutrients, but the cooking method remains the same. Just cook according to package directions.

→ What can I substitute for Greek yogurt?

Sour cream or plain regular yogurt can replace Greek yogurt, though the sauce may be slightly thinner. For a dairy-free option, try unsweetened coconut yogurt or cashew cream.

→ Is frozen broccoli acceptable?

Absolutely. Frozen florets work well here—add them to the boiling water during the last 3-4 minutes of pasta cooking time. No need to thaw first.

→ How do I prevent the sauce from separating?

Keep the heat at medium-low when adding the yogurt mixture, and stir continuously. Adding pasta water gradually while stirring helps create a stable, emulsified sauce.

→ Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes, this dish reheats beautifully. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of water to revive the creamy consistency.

→ What vegetables work as broccoli alternatives?

Cauliflower florets, green peas, asparagus pieces, or spinach all work nicely. Adjust cooking times accordingly—tender greens like spinach need just a minute to wilt.