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Parmesan Chicken Florentine and Broccoli Pasta. This is that homemade pasta dish that tastes like it’s from your favorite restaurant but is hopefully even better. Lightly breaded parmesan chicken pan-fried until golden and crispy. The chicken is served over a big bowl of broccoli florets and pasta in a creamy parmesan Florentine sauce. Each bowl is finished with crispy prosciutto and basil. Better than any restaurant and totally delicious.
I didn’t intend to kick this week off with pasta, I was going to share this recipe a little later. But I’m slightly behind right now so pasta it is! I’m actually not upset about it either. It’s already late August and we’re hitting that end of summertime when I slowly start to shift to my cozier recipes.
Yes, it’s of course still summer. We will continue using up all the yummy summer produce! In fact, today we’re using fresh broccoli florets in a creamy Florentine-style pasta.
The idea came from one of my favorite spots in New York where I recently dined. They serve a lot of delicious, creamy Italian-style pasta. One of the items on the menu is a crispy chicken in a parmesan sauce.
I added lots of prosciutto to my variation, and well, it turned out even better than I could have imagined. This is delicious and not too hard to make!
Let’s get into details
Step 1: coat the chicken
I wanted a light coating on the chicken, so I skipped using an egg and just coated the chicken in a mix of panko-style bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. I seasoned the crumbs with onion and garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
It’s best to use very thinly cut chicken breasts for this recipe. They’ll cook much more quickly and evenly. You could also use chicken tenders.
Dredge the chicken through the crumbs, using your fist to gently press the crumbs into the chicken.
Step 2: cook the prosciutto, then the chicken
Now grab a skillet. I love to get the prosciutto crispy first. Once the prosciutto is crisp, you can pull it out of the skillet, then add the chicken to the very same skillet.
This will allow the chicken to cook in the oils from the prosciutto creating even more delicious chicken.
Step 3: make the pasta
While the chicken is cooking I get started on the pasta. I did my go-to one-pot pasta for this, so it’s simple! Add the water, let it boil. Then add the dry pasta, let it cook, then add everything else to the same pot – no draining the water.
The key is to use a touch of cream cheese for added creaminess. This creates the perfect amount of creamy sauce, but still keeps things on the lighter side, plus quick and easy!
Step 4: serve
Serve the pasta topped with the chicken and prosciutto.
What I love about this recipe is that it really does look and taste like a dish you’d order out from your favorite Italian spot. Enjoy!
Looking for other quick-cooking pasta dinners? Here are some of my favorites:
20 Minute Orzo Carbonara with Crispy Prosciutto and Burrata
20 Minute Lemon Butter Pasta with Ricotta and Spicy Breadcrumbs
One Pot Baked Spinach and Artichoke Mac and Cheese
One Pot Creamy Penne Alfredo with Spicy Arugula
Lastly, if you make this Parmesan Chicken Florentine and Broccoli Pasta, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Parmesan Chicken Florentine and Broccoli Pasta
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 437 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 6 chicken cutlets or 8 chicken tenders
- 1 cup panko style bread crumbs
- 2 cups grated parmesan
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- chili flakes
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 pound short cut pasta
- 2 cups roughly chopped broccoli
- 1 1/2 cups fresh basil, chopped
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
Instructions
- 1. Combine the bread crumbs, 3/4 cup parmesan, and the onion and garlic powder in a shallow bowl. Dredge both sides of the chicken through the bread crumbs, pressing to adhere. 2. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the prosciutto and cook until crispy all over, about 5 minutes. Remove from the skillet and place on a plate. 3. In the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the chicken. Sear on both sides until golden and cooked though, 5-8 minutes per side. 4. Meanwhile, make the pasta. In a large pot set over medium heat, melt together the butter, garlic, and a pinch of chili flakes. Cook 2-3 minutes until the garlic is fragrant. Pour in 4 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add 1 teaspoon salt, the pasta, and the broccoli. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes. Do not drain the water. Stir in the cream, and cream cheese and cook until the cream cheese has melted and the pasta is al dente, about 4-5 minutes more.5. Stir in the parmesan until melted and creamy. Remove from the heat. Stir in the basil and season with salt and pepper. 6. Divide the pasta between plates and top with chicken, prosciutto, and basil. Enjoy!
This post was originally published on August 21, 2023
This was really good! I again didn’t have fresh basil, so I worked with dried basil… and I used frozen broccoli. I will say this, I will only use fresh in any future attempts. It was really tasty though.
Hi! Thanks so much! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe! xT
Delicious! My fiance LOVED this, so I guess I’ll be adding it to our regular rotation 🙂
Hi Liv! Thank you so much for trying out this recipe! Have a lovely day! xT
So delicious. My kids ate it up. Excited for leftovers!
Thank you Megan! xT
I made this, it was delicious! Felt like we were out to eat! But I don’t know how you can cook a pound of pasta in 4 cups of water, it stuck early on, so I added lots of water but then didn’t know how much of that to drain off before adding cheese. Is that a typo?
Maybe use a bigger cooking pot? I love adding evoo + kosher salt to the pasta water and it works so well in keeping them from sticking together. I notice if I use fettuccini or any kind of long noodle and not a large enough pot, they stick. I hope this helps and I can’t wait to make this recipe, too!
Hi! You can definitely add more water to the pot if you need to! I’ve found that 4 cups works fine as long as I’m stirring often, that way the pasta doesn’t stick! xT
Another winner! Used the suggestion of pesto-added two tablespoons. The broccoli added last few minutes, especially if fresh picked as cooking time is much less. Used red pepper flakes and bumped measurement up to 1/2 teaspoon. Yumsies!!!
Thanks so much for trying out the recipe! xT
Boyfriend said he would definitely like this again, killer recipe!
So glad you and your boyfriend loved this recipe!! Thank you! xT
This recipe was awesome. I made it with garden vegetable cream cheese because that is what I had in the fridge. It was delicious!! Will definitely make again.
Thank you so so much for giving the recipe a try! Love to hear that it was enjoyed! xT
Could I use coconut milk instead or would that not work?
Coconut milk should work great as a substitution! xT
This was absolutely amazing and a huge hit!! Your recipes always make for very happy stomachs in my house 🙂
Hi there! Thank you so much for trying out the recipe! So glad you enjoyed it! xT
Does the broccoli get mushy after boiling for 8 minutes?
Nope! xT
Use fresh and not frozen broccoli and it won’t
I made this as described. Delicious! My husband & I loved it!
Thanks so so much Stephany! xT
This came out so good! Will be a repeat in our house for sure. Only problem I had was getting the breadcrumbs to adhere to the chicken. I think next time I will dredge in egg first. But delicious!
Thanks so much Janet! xT
Can I use frozen broccoli?
Yes, you can! xT
My teenage boys ranked this “perfect” and for me it was so easy for a weeknight! I have to admit I was skeptical about the pasta technique but it worked!!! I did have to add a little extra boiling water because it started to stick as it cooked. Also… I added a TBSP of pesto for a little extra basil kick
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Have a great week! xT
My husband absolutely hates broccoli. Is there anything I could substitute for this?
I’m in the same boat. I usually use asparagus.
I was thinking baby spinach, peas or asparagus would work perfectly
Brussels sprouts, kale, or zucchini could be yummy! xT
Why is it called Chicken Florentine? I was expecting it to have spinach in it.
This is my first one. I anxious to get started
Hope you loved the recipe! xT