Ingredients

For the Chicken
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

For the Pasta and Sauce
1 pound penne pasta

1⁄2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1⁄2 cup butter

5 large cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

2 tablespoons hot sauce, optional

1⁄2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1⁄2 cup heavy cream

1⁄4 cup chopped fresh parsley

red pepper flakes, for garnish

Instructions

In a bowl, toss the chicken pieces with garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Set aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken and cook until no longer pink, about 6-8 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.

While the chicken is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.

Deglaze the skillet with a splash of chicken broth, scraping up the brown bits with a wooden spoon.
Melt the butter in the same skillet over medium heat.

Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the Italian seasoning, Parmesan cheese, hot sauce, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring constantly, until the cheese is melted and the mixture is smooth.

Pour in the rest of the chicken broth and heavy cream, stirring until well combined. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 3-5 minutes until slightly thickened.

Add the cooked chicken back to the skillet, stirring to coat with the sauce. Then, add the cooked pasta and toss to combine everything evenly.

Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and additional red pepper flakes, if desired.