Skillet Chicken, Broccoli, and Penne

 I just love a good one pot meal. In this case it is a yummy skillet meal with thin slices of chicken, penne pasta, tender-crisp broccoli with an easy and delicious sauce. This meal is easy to put together and perfect for a weeknight dinner. The only problem with this recipe is that the broccoli tends to fall apart a little as you stir the Parmesan into the dish at the finish. So if that bothers you too, you can cook the broccoli separate from this dish. Either way, this is a real tasty meal that I've made several times. Hubby also gives a thumbs up! Here's the recipe.

Skillet Chicken, Broccoli, and Penne
Adapted from The Best chicken Recipes, by Cook's Illustrated
I replaced the wine in this recipe with more chicken broth, and used Penne instead of the Ziti that was called for.

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced thin
1 medium onion, minced
1/4 salt
6 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
pinch of red pepper flakes
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
8 ounces penne pasta
8 ounces, about 3 cups, broccoli florets
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (2 ounces)

Directions:
1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12 inch skillet(non-stick, if you have one. Mine is stainless steel and it worked ok). Add the sliced chicken and break it up. Don't stir-let the chicken brown for about 1 minute, then stir and break it up. Cook and stir for another 2 minutes until chicken is done. Transfer chicken to a bowl; cover to keep warm.
2. Add 1 more tablespoon oil to the skillet and the onion and about 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook over medium heat until onion is softened, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and pepper flakes and cook about 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the broth, water and pasta. Increase the heat to high and cook, uncovered, for 12 minutes, stirring often so pasta doesn't stick to pan. Add the broccoli and simmer for 4-5 minutes, until tender crisp and the liquid has thickened some.
3. Return the chicken to the skillet and heat until it is warmed through. Off heat, stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and the 1 cup of Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Great with crusty bread and a salad. Enjoy!