Always brown chicken first to develop fond and extra flavor before adding liquids or pasta., Add Parmesan off the heat to keep the sauce silky and prevent it from becoming grainy., Reserve some pasta water to thin or loosen the sauce as needed; starch helps sauce cling to pasta., Use chicken thighs instead of breasts for juicier meat, cooking similarly with uniform sizes for even cooking., Lower heat if milk or cream starts bubbling too hard to prevent curdling; maintain a gentle simmer., Add vegetables like mushrooms, peas, broccoli, or sun-dried tomatoes toward the end of cooking to retain texture and color., Add 1/4–1/2 tsp red pepper flakes when sautéing garlic for a spicy kick, or omit for milder flavor., If using rotisserie or pre-cooked chicken, stir it in at the end just long enough to warm through to avoid drying out.