Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the ziti pasta until al dente according to package instructions. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the broccoli florets to the pasta water. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain pasta and broccoli.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.

Add the chicken to the hot pan and cook for 4–5 minutes per side until golden brown and fully cooked. Remove from the pan and set aside.

In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium and add butter. Once melted, add minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant.

Pour in chicken broth and scrape up the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Add heavy cream and allow the mixture to simmer for 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened.

Reduce heat to low and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until the sauce becomes smooth and creamy.

Add the cooked ziti pasta, broccoli, and chicken back into the skillet. Toss everything together until evenly coated with the sauce.

If the sauce becomes too thick, add a small amount of reserved pasta water until desired consistency is reached.

Sprinkle chopped parsley and optional red pepper flakes before serving. Serve hot with extra Parmesan cheese.