Our daughter came home from university for Thanksgiving, and at some point over the long weekend I asked her what her favorite thing is that I cook. She actually thought about it for a while, then mentioned this dish.

I’ll be honest. I had totally forgotten about it. I originally pulled it from a cast-iron cooking magazine back in the summer of 2019, and though I’m sure it hasn’t been that many years since I last made it, it’s been long enough that I couldn’t remember the last time it was on the table.

So, as any good girl dad would do, I made it for her. It was a hit, even with the picky 15-year-old boy in the house, and I sent her back to campus with a couple servings of leftovers.

Here is the version we made this week, exactly as she remembered it.

Creamy Chicken and Shells with Baby Broccoli

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon canola oil

• 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

• 2½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided

• ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper, divided

• 2 bunches baby broccoli, trimmed and chopped

• 2 tablespoons water

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

• 1 clove garlic, smashed

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

• 1 cup chicken broth

• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 1 (12-ounce) box orecchiette pasta, cooked according to package directions

Instructions

1. Brown + Bake the Chicken

Preheat oven to 425°F.
In a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, heat oil over medium-high.
Season both sides of the chicken with 2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
Place chicken skin-side down in the skillet and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
Turn the chicken and transfer the skillet to the oven.
Bake until a meat thermometer reads 160°F, about 20 minutes.
Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.

2. Steam the Broccoli

Place broccoli and 2 tablespoons water in a large microwave-safe bowl.
Cover tightly with plastic wrap.
Microwave on high for 2 minutes, then drain.

3. Make the Sauce

Place the same skillet over medium heat.
Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
Whisk in mustard and the smashed garlic.
Gradually stir in the cream and chicken broth.
Cook, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 5 minutes.
Season with the remaining salt and pepper.
Stir in Parmesan cheese until melted.
Remove from heat.
Stir in the cooked orecchiette.

4. Finish the Dish

Add the cooked chicken and steamed broccoli back to the skillet, stirring to coat everything in the creamy sauce.
Serve immediately.

Alternative: Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

My wife and kids aren’t super fond of chicken skin, no matter how crispy I try to make it. So this time I used boneless skinless chicken breasts.

To substitute:

• Season them the same way as the thighs.

• Brown both sides in the skillet.

• Bake to 160°F just as above.

• Slice into strips and mix into the creamy shells before serving.

Still delicious. Still family-approved. And perfect for leftovers.

This is What I Heard