Skillet Chicken Broccoli & Pasta

Serves 6

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite sized chunks
a tablespoon or two of olive oil
½ yellow onion, diced
3 or 4 cloves of garlic, minced
½ lb pasta (I used elbows)
2 ¾ cup chicken stock
small head of broccoli
juice of 1 lemon
red pepper flakes (optional, for the adults)
nutritional yeast (optional)

Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season your chicken with salt and pepper and add to the pan. Brown your chicken on all sides, adding more oil if needed, but don't cook it all the way through. Once it's browned, set the chicken aside on a plate, and add your onions to the pan. Cook the onions for four or five minutes, until they become soft. Add your garlic, and cook for about a minute, just until it starts to become fragrant. Add in your pasta, chicken and two cups of the stock. Give it a good stir, cover, and lower the heat to a simmer for about 8 minutes or until your pasta is just about cooked through. Stir occasionally to be sure the pasta doesn't stick to the pan, and add more stock if you need to. When the pasta is cooked, add in your broccoli, lemon juice and about ¾ cup more stock. Cover and cook for three or four minutes, until your broccoli is cooked but still crunchy. At this point you can stir in your nutritional yeast and pepper if you're using them. I like to also garnish with fresh parsley and the zest from the lemon.

You can also make a citrus version, like this one here.