Garlic Parmesan Broccoli Chicken Pasta (Printable)

Creamy skillet pasta with tender chicken, fresh broccoli, and rich 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 (optional)

# How To Make:

01 - Heat butter in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add chicken, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for 4–5 minutes until lightly golden. Remove 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 in chicken broth, milk, and heavy cream. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.
04 - Add pasta and broccoli, stirring well. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente and most liquid is absorbed. Add more 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 and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper as desired.
07 - Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one skillet, which means your sink stays blissfully empty and cleanup feels almost like a reward rather than punishment.
  • The chicken stays genuinely tender because it cooks in that creamy sauce instead of drying out, and the broccoli gets just crispy enough at the edges to matter.
  • You can make this on a weeknight without stress, or serve it to people you actually want to impress without them knowing it took 40 minutes total.
02 -
  • Don't walk away when the pasta is cooking in that cream mixture—it can go from perfectly al dente to mushy surprisingly fast, and stirring occasionally prevents sticking and ensures even cooking.
  • Add the Parmesan off heat or just after removing from heat, because high heat can make it separate into oily streaks instead of creating that silky sauce you're after.
03 -
  • Don't skip the browning step with the chicken, because those golden bits on the pan become the flavor foundation that makes everything taste more interesting than it has any right to be.
  • Cook everything in the same skillet from start to finish—it feels lazy but it's actually the secret to how the flavors build and marry together into something greater than individual ingredients.
Go Back