Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. It should taste a little like the sea. Add the fettuccine and cook according to package directions until it’s al dente (which means “to the tooth” in Italian—still with a slight bite). In the final 3 minutes of cooking, add the broccoli florets directly to the pot with the pasta. This simple trick blanches the broccoli perfectly while saving you an extra pot to wash. Before you drain, scoop out and reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta and broccoli and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, let’s get the chicken ready. Pat the cubed chicken dry with a paper towel and season it generously with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the chicken in a single layer, being careful not to overcrowd the pan (work in batches if you need to). Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until it's golden brown and cooked through. The little browned bits left in the pan are pure flavor, so don’t touch them! Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside on a plate.

Turn the heat down to medium. In the same skillet, melt the butter. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 to 60 seconds, stirring constantly, until it becomes wonderfully fragrant. Be careful not to let it brown, as it can turn bitter. This is one of my favorite smells in the whole world—it’s the scent of pure comfort.

Slowly pour in the heavy cream, scraping up any of those flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Bring the cream to a gentle simmer, allowing it to thicken slightly, which should take about 3 to 4 minutes.

Turn the heat to low. It's very important that the sauce is not boiling when you add the cheese. Gradually whisk in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth and velvety. Stir in the freshly grated nutmeg, along with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Taste the sauce here and adjust the seasoning as needed. It should be rich, savory, and utterly irresistible. This is the heart of our creamy chicken broccoli Alfredo.

Add the cooked chicken, pasta, and broccoli back into the skillet with the sauce. Gently toss everything together until every noodle and floret is lovingly coated in the creamy Alfredo. If the sauce seems a bit too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen it until it reaches your desired consistency. The starchy water helps the sauce cling to the pasta beautifully. Serve immediately, topped with an extra sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and freshly cracked black pepper.