Shred the Parmesan cheese and set it aside to allow it to get to room temperature.
Toss the cheese with ½ Tablespoon of flour. This is optional but will help the sauce remain smooth when the cheese is melted into it.
Butterfly the chicken breast and cut the seam to create 2 thinner slices, each about an inch thick. Season each side with salt and pepper.
In a large cast-iron skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil on medium-high heat.
Sear the chicken in the hot skillet on each side. Refrain from moving the chicken around as it sizzles; it will hinder the nice golden sear color. If the pan gets too hot, reduce the heat to medium. Each side will take 3-5 minutes. Once each side is a nice, golden brown and the middle is cooked—set the chicken aside.
Reduce the heat to medium and melt the butter.
Add the minced garlic and heat for 1 ½ minutes, stirring as it cooks.
Add the chicken broth. Use a spatula to scrape up the bits of chicken on the bottom of the skillet; this will flavor the sauce.
Reduce the heat to medium-low.
Temper the milk in the microwave for 25 seconds and add it to the skillet.
Add the pasta. The noodles will begin to bend as they heat and you can use kitchen tongs to bend them into the pan without breaking. You can also break the noodles in half with your hands prior to adding them to the pan.
Add the broccoli. Let the noodles cook for about 10 minutes or until preferred consistency is reached. (Refer to the pasta box for cooking times.)
Gradually sprinkle in the Parmesan cheese, stirring as you do so, until smooth and well-combined.
Slice a fresh lemon into fourths. Squeeze the juice from one of the wedges over the pasta. Use the remaining slices as a garnish.
Slice the chicken into strips or bite-sized pieces and top the pasta with it. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve!
Notes
Italian seasoning also makes a great addition to the chicken prior to searing.I like extra-creamy pasta, so I use 8 oz. of patsa in this recipe instead of the entire 12 oz. box, but the entire box may also be used if preferred.