Boil the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne until just al dente, about 9-10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.

Season the chicken: Pat the chicken pieces dry and season with salt, pepper, and half the smoked paprika. This helps the chicken brown instead of steam in the pan.

Sear until golden: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 6-8 minutes, turning occasionally, until the edges are golden and the center is no longer pink.

Set chicken aside: Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate and cover loosely with foil to keep it warm while you build the sauce.

Melt the butter: Lower the heat to medium and melt the butter in the same skillet, scraping up any browned bits left from the chicken.

Add garlic and spices: Stir in the garlic and remaining paprika and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, stirring constantly so it does not burn.

Whisk in the sauce: Add the Dijon mustard, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice to the skillet, whisking until the mixture is smooth and glossy.

Return chicken to pan: Add the chicken back to the skillet along with the chicken broth. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Toss in the pasta: Add the drained pasta to the skillet along with a splash of reserved pasta water. Toss everything together until the noodles are coated and glossy.

Finish with Parmesan: Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese and parsley. Add more pasta water a tablespoon at a time if the sauce looks thick.

Taste and adjust: Taste the pasta and add more salt, pepper, or hot sauce as needed before dividing into bowls.