Garlic Parmesan Broccoli Chicken Pasta (Printable)

Satisfying skillet pasta with tender chicken, crisp broccoli, and creamy garlic Parmesan sauce ready in 40 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz), cut into bite-size pieces

→ Pasta

02 - 10 oz penne, rigatoni, or rotini pasta

→ Vegetables

03 - 2 cups small broccoli florets
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 small onion, finely chopped

→ Dairy & Cream

06 - 1 cup heavy cream
07 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
08 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
09 - 1/2 cup milk

→ Broth & Seasonings

10 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
12 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
13 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herb blend, optional

→ Garnish

15 - Fresh parsley, chopped
16 - Additional grated Parmesan cheese, optional

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat butter in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add chicken, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until lightly golden. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
02 - In the same skillet, add onion and garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant and translucent.
03 - Pour chicken broth, milk, and heavy cream into the skillet. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.
04 - Add pasta and broccoli to the skillet. Stir well, cover, and cook over medium-low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta reaches al dente and most liquid is absorbed. Add additional broth or water if needed.
05 - Return cooked chicken to the skillet. Add Parmesan cheese, Italian herbs, and red pepper flakes if using. Stir until cheese melts and sauce becomes creamy.
06 - Taste the dish and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper as desired.
07 - Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one skillet, which means minimal cleanup and maximum flavor layering right there in the same pan.
  • The sauce builds naturally as the pasta cooks, absorbing all that savory chicken broth and cream without needing any complicated emulsification tricks.
  • Tender chicken and crisp broccoli stay perfectly cooked while the pasta gets exactly al dente, no overcooked mush.
02 -
  • Don't skip the step of removing chicken before building the sauce, because overcooked chicken shredding into tiny pieces in the broth looks sad, whereas slightly undercooked chicken continues cooking in the residual heat and ends up tender.
  • If your pasta is still crunchy or the sauce hasn't thickened when you check at the ten-minute mark, resist the urge to add more broth; give it those extra two minutes instead because timing varies based on pasta shape and your specific stove.
  • Freshly grated Parmesan melts smoothly into the sauce, but pre-shredded cheese with its anti-caking agents tends to get grainy and separated, ruining the whole creamy texture you worked for.
03 -
  • Keep your chicken pieces roughly the same size so they all cook in the same amount of time instead of having some dry while others are still raw.
  • If your sauce seems too thin when you're plating, it's because the pasta is still absorbing liquid; cover it and let it sit for three minutes and you'll be surprised how much thicker it becomes without you doing anything.
  • Grate your Parmesan fresh from the block right over the hot pasta because the warmth helps it melt faster and smoother than if you add it cold.
Return