Ingredients:

  • 450g boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced into bite-sized strips
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp sea salt
  • 0.25 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 1 lb chilled or fresh cheese tortellini
  • 2 cups fresh broccoli florets, cut small
  • 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
  • 0.5 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup half and half
  • 75g freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 15ml olive oil
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes

Instructions:

  1. Season the chicken. Toss your 450g of chicken strips with the garlic powder, smoked paprika, sea salt, and black pepper. Note: This creates a dry rub that browns beautifully.
  2. Sear the protein. Heat the 15ml of olive oil in your 30cm skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook 3-4 minutes per side until golden. Move to a plate.
  3. Boil the pasta and greens. While the chicken sears, drop your tortellini and broccoli into a large pot of boiling salted water. Cook for 2-4 minutes until the pasta floats. Drain them well.
  4. Sauté the aromatics. Lower the skillet heat to medium and melt the 15g of butter. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30-45 seconds until the air smells like a steakhouse.
  5. Deglaze the skillet. Pour in the 120ml of chicken broth. Use your spoon to scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
  6. Build the base. Stir in the 240ml of half and half and the red pepper flakes. Bring it to a very gentle simmer — look for small bubbles at the edges.
  7. Whisk in the cheese. Gradually add the 75g of grated parmesan. Stir constantly until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon.
  8. Recombine everything. Return the chicken, tortellini, and broccoli to the skillet.
  9. The final toss. Gently fold everything together for 1 minute so the pasta absorbs the sauce.
  10. Serve immediately. Plate it up while the sauce is at its peak silkiness.