1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the penne and cook according to package directions until al dente, usually 10-12 minutes. Drain the pasta and set aside, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.

2. Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels and season generously with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Heat olive oil in your large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.

3. In the same skillet, add butter and let it melt. Toss in the sliced mushrooms and cook for 4-5 minutes without stirring too much – you want them to develop that golden-brown color.

4. Add the asparagus pieces to the pan and sauté for 3-4 minutes until bright green and tender-crisp. Toss in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.

5. Pour in the chicken broth to deglaze the pan, scraping up all those flavorful brown bits from the bottom. Let it simmer for 1 minute, then add the heavy cream. Stir everything together and bring to a gentle simmer.

6. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the grated parmesan cheese. Keep stirring until the cheese melts completely and the sauce becomes smooth and creamy. The sauce will thicken as it simmers for 2-3 minutes.

7. Return the cooked chicken to the pan along with the drained penne. Toss everything together using tongs until the pasta is well coated with the creamy sauce. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen it up.

8. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. The sauce should be creamy, coating the pasta without being soupy or too thick.

9. Remove from heat and garnish with freshly chopped parsley and extra parmesan if desired. Serve immediately while hot and creamy.