Garlic Parmesan Broccoli & Chicken (Printable)

Creamy skillet pasta with chicken, broccoli, and garlic Parmesan sauce ready in 35 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 cups broccoli florets
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

→ Pasta

05 - 10 oz short pasta (penne, fusilli, or rotini)

→ Dairy

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

→ Pantry

10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
12 - 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

14 - Fresh parsley, chopped
15 - Extra grated Parmesan

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil and butter in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add diced chicken, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until golden and cooked through, 5-6 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
02 - In the same skillet, add chopped onion and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, approximately 30 seconds.
03 - Stir in uncooked pasta, chicken broth, whole milk, and dried Italian herbs. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Add broccoli florets to the skillet, cover, and cook for 5-6 minutes until pasta reaches al dente texture and broccoli is bright green and tender.
05 - Lower heat to low. Stir in heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese, stirring until melted and sauce becomes creamy. Return cooked chicken to the skillet and stir to combine. Cook for 2 additional minutes to heat through.
06 - Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Transfer to serving bowls and garnish with fresh chopped parsley and extra grated Parmesan.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It cooks entirely in one skillet, so cleanup is practically nonexistent and your kitchen stays calm.
  • The chicken stays impossibly tender because it cooks gently in the creamy sauce rather than getting overcooked on its own.
  • You'll feel like you're eating at a nice Italian place, except it costs a fraction of the price and tastes even better.
02 -
  • Don't skip the searing step with the chicken; it's what separates this from tasting like boiled poultry in cream, and it takes only a few extra minutes.
  • If your sauce seems too thick as the pasta finishes cooking, the pasta is still absorbing liquid and will reach perfect consistency in the last minute or two; resist the urge to add more broth immediately.
  • Stir your pasta occasionally as it cooks in the broth so it doesn't clump together at the bottom of the skillet.
03 -
  • If you're using pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, shred it instead of dicing and add it back in the final minute so it stays tender rather than drying out from overcooking.
  • Grate your Parmesan fresh and just before you need it; the difference in how smoothly it melts into the cream is night and day compared to aged pre-shredded cheese sitting in your fridge.
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