This community member request gets a Cook Smarts twist with chicken and broccoli baked in a light but creamy sauce. Smarts: To give the simple flavors of this dish a boost, we've added a few aromatics and rich, nutty Gruyere cheese.
Heat oven to 350F / 177C. Fill a large pot with salted water and bring it to a boil while cooking chicken and broccoli.
While oven heats / water boils, place broccoli florets in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with a damp paper towel and microwave on high for 1 1/2 minutes. (This should just get them started cooking before they continue cooking in the oven. If you like your broccoli more tender add an extra minute or two.)
Heat an oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven with cooking oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and saute until chicken is lightly browned on the outside, but not cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Set chicken aside and return pan to heat.
Reduce heat under the pan to medium and add butter and shallots, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
When butter is melted, add flour and stir until no dry spots of flour remain. Add vinegar and stock while whisking. Bring to a simmer and simmer until stock thickens slightly, ~2 minutes. Remove pan from heat.
Add chicken back to pan with broccoli, garlic, gruyere cheese, and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir everything to combine with sauce.
Stir together parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, panko breadcrumbs, and olive oil. Season with some salt and pepper. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over the chicken and broccoli mixture.
Bake, uncovered, until chicken is cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes (depending on size of chicken pieces).
While chicken bakes, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.
Serve chicken over pasta with green onions on top. Enjoy!