To some extent. Have the vegetables and chicken cooked ahead of time. Cook the cheese sauce and pasta just before serving. Havarti and cheddar cheese sauce sets up as it cools. Serve the pasta dish shortly after cooking to ensure it is coated with cheese sauce.

Can I use another pasta shape?

Try penne or rigatoni instead of farfalle. Avoid spaghetti and other long, thin pasta. Spaghetti and other long, thin pasta do not pair as well with chicken and roasted vegetables.

What can replace Havarti?

I recommend Monterey Jack or mild Muenster. These cheeses will balance out the cheddar's flavor without making the cheesiness too strong.

Why is my cheese sauce grainy?

The cheese was probably added to a boiling liquid or bought shredded. When you boil cheese in a sauce, you get a greasy, stringy product instead of a cheese sauce. To prepare a cheese sauce, add cheese to a low-heat liquid and buy or shred cheddar and Havarti cheeses to make a cheese sauce.

How do I store and reheat leftovers?

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat leftover mashed potatoes, add a bit of milk or water to a saucepan and heat over low heat, stirring constantly.

Creamy Chicken Bowtie Pasta with Roasted Broccoli and Havarti

By Mason BrooksNov 4, 2026

Prep

20 min

Cook

25 min

Total

45 min

Servings

Level

Medium

Jump to recipe

I cook creamy chicken farfalle pasta as a complete meal with bowtie pasta in a cheddar and Havarti cheese sauce and chicken and broccoli with dark-tipped broccoli and diced red pepper in every bite, not just plain cheesy pasta (farfalle pasta holds onto plenty of sauce).

Creamy Chicken Bowtie Pasta with Roasted Broccoli and Havarti

I roast broccoli and peppers on a large rimmed baking sheet at 400°F to prevent them from touching. The broccoli and peppers are ready when the ends of the broccoli florets are dark and wrinkled and the strips of pepper are withered. If the vegetables touch, they will steam rather than roast and will be less dark than desired, the ends of the broccoli florets should be nearly blackened.

Dry chicken for better browning. Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels. Heat oil until it just begins to shimmer before adding chicken. Do not turn chicken for at least 3 minutes. Steps to make sauce: Brown flour and butter mixture briefly. Stir cheese into milk mixture away from heat after sauce thickens.

Use shredded cheese, if available, when preparing a thick sauce, such as this one. Grated block cheese will melt well into the sauce and help flavor the bowtie pasta. Grated cheese from a bag product will likely result in a grainy sauce. Add a little lemon juice when the sauce feels heavy. Roasted garlic cowboy butter can be added to the serving to enhance the flavor of the sauce.

Why you'll love this recipe

It serves four as an entree with chicken and vegetables instead of pasta. The chicken dish also includes vegetables.
Bowtie pasta helps hold the cheese sauce; it prevents the pasta from feeling bare.
The broccoli has browned edges, and the red pepper is cooked. These ingredients provide different textures to the dish.
Shredded cheddar and Havarti cheeses are used to make the sauce creamy.
You can roast vegetables and sear chicken ahead of time. Plan to cook the sauce and pasta close to dinner.
Leftovers can make a good lunch if you add milk or water when reheating.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Toss the broccoli florets and red bell pepper strips with 2 tbsp (30ml) olive oil and a pinch of salt.

Spread the vegetables in a single layer on a baking sheet.

Roast for 15-20 minutes, until the broccoli tips are dark and blistered and the peppers are soft and slightly shriveled.

Pat the chicken cubes dry with a paper towel.

Heat 1 tbsp (15ml) oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.

Add the chicken in a single layer and leave it undisturbed for at least 3 minutes.

Flip the chicken and cook until all sides are golden-brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).

Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, until pale and slightly nutty.

Slowly whisk in the milk and cook until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Turn the heat to low and stir in the shredded cheddar and Havarti until smooth and glossy.

Boil the farfalle in salted water until al dente.

Reserve 1/2 cup (120ml) pasta water before draining the farfalle.

Toss the warm pasta with the cheese sauce, adding reserved pasta water if you prefer a thinner consistency.

Gently fold in the seared chicken, roasted broccoli, and red bell pepper.

Transfer the pasta to a shallow white ceramic bowl and garnish with finely chopped parsley and cracked black pepper.

FAQ

I like to eat this dish with fresh jalapeno slaw on the side for texture. Other side dishes you might consider are air-fried green beans. You can serve this dish in a shallow white ceramic bowl sprinkled with parsley and cracked black pepper.

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Lunch Dinner Pasta Chicken American Stovetop

Creamy Chicken Bowtie Pasta with Roasted Broccoli and Havarti

Name: Creamy Chicken Bowtie Pasta with Roasted Broccoli and Havarti
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 lb farfalle pasta (bowtie shape); 1 1/2 lbs chicken breast (cut into cubes); 3 cups broccoli florets (fresh); 1 large red bell pepper (sliced into strips); 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese (freshly shredded); 1 cup Havarti cheese (shredded); 2 cups whole milk (or heavy cream); 3 tbsp butter (unsalted); 3 tbsp all-purpose flour; 2 tbsp olive oil (for roasting vegetables); 1 tbsp oil (for searing chicken); salt (a pinch for vegetables and for pasta water); 1 tbsp fresh parsley (finely chopped); 1 tsp cracked black pepper (for garnish)

By Mason BrooksNov 4, 2026

Prep

20 min

Cook

25 min

Total

45 min

Servings

Level

Medium

Jump to recipe

Why you'll love this recipe

It serves four as an entree with chicken and vegetables instead of pasta. The chicken dish also includes vegetables.
Bowtie pasta helps hold the cheese sauce; it prevents the pasta from feeling bare.
The broccoli has browned edges, and the red pepper is cooked. These ingredients provide different textures to the dish.
Shredded cheddar and Havarti cheeses are used to make the sauce creamy.
You can roast vegetables and sear chicken ahead of time. Plan to cook the sauce and pasta close to dinner.
Leftovers can make a good lunch if you add milk or water when reheating.

Ingredients

Servings4

•1 lb farfalle pasta (bowtie shape)
•1 ½ lbs chicken breast (cut into cubes)
•3 cups broccoli florets (fresh)
•1 large red bell pepper (sliced into strips)
•2 cups sharp cheddar cheese (freshly shredded)
•1 cup Havarti cheese (shredded)
•2 cups whole milk (or heavy cream)
•3 tbsp butter (unsalted)
•3 tbsp all-purpose flour
•2 tbsp olive oil (for roasting vegetables)
•1 tbsp oil (for searing chicken)
•salt (a pinch for vegetables and for pasta water)
•1 tbsp fresh parsley (finely chopped)
•1 tsp cracked black pepper (for garnish)

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
2
Toss the broccoli florets and red bell pepper strips with 2 tbsp (30ml) olive oil and a pinch of salt.
3
Spread the vegetables in a single layer on a baking sheet.
4
Roast for 15-20 minutes, until the broccoli tips are dark and blistered and the peppers are soft and slightly shriveled.
5
Pat the chicken cubes dry with a paper towel.
6
Heat 1 tbsp (15ml) oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
7
Add the chicken in a single layer and leave it undisturbed for at least 3 minutes.
8
Flip the chicken and cook until all sides are golden-brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
9
Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.
10
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
11
Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, until pale and slightly nutty.
12
Slowly whisk in the milk and cook until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
13
Turn the heat to low and stir in the shredded cheddar and Havarti until smooth and glossy.
14
Boil the farfalle in salted water until al dente.
15
Reserve 1/2 cup (120ml) pasta water before draining the farfalle.
16
Toss the warm pasta with the cheese sauce, adding reserved pasta water if you prefer a thinner consistency.
17
Gently fold in the seared chicken, roasted broccoli, and red bell pepper.
18
Transfer the pasta to a shallow white ceramic bowl and garnish with finely chopped parsley and cracked black pepper.