1-First, start by boiling 3 quarts of water with 1 ½ teaspoons salt in a large pot. Add the rotini pasta and cook as directed on the package until it’s nearly al dente, which takes about 10-12 minutes. Toss in the broccoli florets 2-3 minutes before the pasta is done so they blanch until bright green and crisp-tender.

2-After that, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain everything. Next, season the chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sear the chicken in a single layer for 2-3 minutes per side until it’s golden and fully cooked.

3-Remove the chicken and set it aside. Lower the heat to low in the same skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the minced garlic, and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Then, stir in the heavy cream, chicken stock, the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper.

4-Finishing the Dish: Simmer this mixture over medium heat for 5-6 minutes, scraping the pan to build flavor, until the sauce thickens and coats a spoon nicely. Take it off the heat and mix in the parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and lemon juice. If the sauce is too thick, add some of that reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time to get it just right, then season to taste.

5-Finally, combine the pasta, broccoli, and chicken in the sauce, tossing everything to coat evenly. Serve it hot for the best experience. For tips on similar dishes, you might like our garlicky chicken pasta recipe, which offers more ways to enjoy pasta nights.