Chicken and Broccoli Pasta with Garlic Cream Sauce

Nothing says comfort food to me like pasta. I can eat it almost every way under the sun, but I'm trying to eat a little healthier these days, so tons of cheese just doesn't fit on my plate anymore. Of course, I still want the creamy consistency, though! So, to feed my creamy pasta cravings, I make this easy chicken & broccoli pasta with garlic cream sauce.

 I start by boiling my pasta. While my pasta is boiling, I put a steamer tray right over the pot and steam my broccoli, too. It's like a 2 for 1 - gotta love that! I use 1 pound of orecchiette pasta and a couple of big bunches of broccoli (I only use the florettes.) When it's finished, make sure to save 2 cups (or so) of the pasta water.

 In the 11 mins or so that it takes the pasta to cook, I get the rest of my ingredients ready to go. I start by dicing some leftover grilled chicken (you could totally use a deli roasted chicken, too!) I use 4 breasts for the 1 lb. of pasta.

 In a small sauce pan, I cook 2 cloves of garlic in 1/2 stick of butter.  After the broccoli and pasta are ready, I put the drained pasta & broccoli into the butter.

Next, take 1 cup of pasta water and whisk it with 1 cup of sour cream. The water will help to thicken it.

Pour it over the pasta and stuff, then mix it all together until combined. Add a dash more water if you need more liquid. Salt & pepper to taste. If you wanna be a little extravagant, a little Parmesan cheese is delish in there, too :)

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