Chicken and Broccoli Rabe Pasta
Updated October 9, 2025
- Ready In
- 45 min
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Ingredients
Salt and pepper
1 large bunch broccoli rabe (about 1¼ pounds), tough stems removed, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound cavatelli or other short pasta
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more if desired
8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped jarred hot cherry peppers
Grated Parmesan, for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)
61 grams carbs; 56 milligrams cholesterol; 523 calories; 11 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 17 grams fat; 5 grams fiber; 625 milligrams sodium; 31 grams protein; 3 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the broccoli rabe to the boiling water, cooking until the broccoli rabe is a vibrant green color, 60 to 90 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the broccoli rabe to a bowl, then rinse with cold water and strain. Set aside. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, then drain.
- Step 2
Meanwhile, pat the chicken dry with paper towels, and then cut into 1-inch cubes and salt generously. Place a large pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When the oil is shimmering add half of the chicken. Cook the chicken for 3 minutes, then flip over to cook for 3 minutes more, until chicken is browned on both sides. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. Add another tablespoon of oil and cook the remaining chicken using the same method, then combine all of the chicken in the pan.
- Step 3
Add the remaining ¼ cup olive oil to the pan along with the garlic and cherry peppers and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Add the broccoli rabe and cooked pasta and stir to combine. Add more olive oil, as needed, to coat the pasta. Season to taste. Serve warm, topped with freshly grated Parmesan.
Private Notes
Comments
I made this exactly as written, but felt it needed more acid, so I added the juice of one lemon at the very end. We loved it, and it was a breeze to make! Next time, I will keep the lemon and probably double the amount of chopped hot cherry peppers.
@Christa I used your suggestion and added the broccoli rabe for the final two minutes of the pasta cooking time. It worked fine for me.
Why not add the broccoli rabe to the last minute of cooking, rather than add the extra step?
Really had no flavor. Used twice the amount of sweet peppers. Had to add a lot of salt and olive oil but still very bland
Agree that it's wise to just add the chopped broccoli rabe to the pasta in the last two minutes of cook time and then draining everything at once, instead of fishing the blanched veggie out of boiling water with a slotted spoon, while your chicken burns in the pan. I also just used an extra large skillet and cooked the chicken in one batch. Came out fine. No need to complicate things.
I’ve been making my own version of this for years. Except , instead of chicken breasts, I use high quality chicken sausage. I usually bake it first slotting the sausages so they’ll brown then throw them in the pan and sauté with garlic. Mix the cooked pasta and broccoli rabe with the sausage and pasta. Yum!