Garlic Parmesan Broccoli Chicken Pasta (Printable)

Tender chicken and crisp broccoli tossed in a rich garlic Parmesan cream sauce with perfectly cooked pasta—all made in one skillet.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz), 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 such as 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

# Directions:

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, approximately 5 to 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 to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
04 - Add broccoli florets, cover again, and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes until pasta reaches al dente consistency and broccoli is bright green and tender-crisp.
05 - Lower heat to low. Stir in heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese until fully melted and sauce achieves a creamy consistency. Return reserved chicken to the skillet, stir to combine, and cook for 2 additional minutes to heat through.
06 - Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and extra Parmesan cheese before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's a one-skillet dinner that somehow feels restaurant-quality, which means less cleanup and more time actually enjoying your food.
  • The sauce builds naturally as the pasta cooks, so you're not juggling multiple pots or timing different components.
02 -
  • Don't skip the step of searing the chicken first—it creates those golden, flavorful edges that make people think you spent way more time on this than you actually did.
  • The pasta cooks in the liquid, so it naturally absorbs flavor from the broth and milk; this is why the sauce tastes so good and why you don't need to cook pasta separately.
03 -
  • Keep the lid on while the pasta cooks to trap steam and ensure everything cooks evenly without the liquid evaporating too fast.
  • If you're making this for people who are sensitive to garlic, mince it finely and let it cook the full 30 seconds—this mellows the sharp edge and makes it blend rather than shout.
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