Recipe: Vegan Chicken Con Broccoli

In my non-vegan days, I was a fan of the Olive Garden. Or at least their salad and bread. (but ewww...who puts eggs in salad dressing?) I think there's a market for a vegan equivalent of the OG, don't you? I could eat my weight in pasta. And bread. And hell, I eat salad just about every day. But I digress...

Have you tried this tofurkey? I can't get enough of it

Recently, I decided to throw some stuff in a pan to see if the flavors worked. And it did. I made my own version (I think?) of chicken con broccoli, featuring pasta in a vegan cream sauce tossed with steamed broccoli and Tofurkey shredded chicken. It wasn't the healthiest meal I've ever made, but...it was delicious.

Vegan chicken con broccoli

Ingredients: 

• 12 ounces pasta (I used orecchiette)
• 1 head of broccoli cut into florets
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4-6 cloves minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup Minimalist Baker vegan Parmesan - plus more for sprinkling when serving
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup vegan mozzarella - I used Follow Your Heart Mozzarella Shreds
• 1 package Tofurkey slow roasted chicken

Method:

1. Prepare noodles according to directions on package - try to leave them a little al dente. Put broccoli florets in boiling water along with the pasta. When the broccoli starts turning bright green and is "done" use a slotted spoon to fish out the florets and set them aside. Retain a little bit of the pasta water in case you need it to thin your "cheese" sauce or to keep everything from sticking to the pan.
2. In a skillet on medium heat, cook garlic in olive oil until the garlic begins to soften.  
3. Add cooked pasta, broccoli, chicken, vegan Parmesan, and vegan mozzarella cheeses to skillet. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Stir to combine and add a little water if sauce is too thick. If sauce is too thin, add additional vegan mozzarella and./or vegan Parmesan cheese.
4. Serve and top with vegan Parmesan cheese.

This is a great recipe to make on a weeknight when you're running low on time and want to combine protein, carbs, and veggies all in one dish. I typically serve this alongside a big spinach salad for some extra greenery, but other sides would pair well with this dish, too. It's a creamy, filling, and protein packed dish that just might remind you of some of the non-vegan dishes served at popular "Italian-ish" restaurants.