Chicken Parmesan Pasta: Italian Comfort in a Bowl!

Love chicken parmesan but hate the mess? Then you’ll love this dish! It’s all done in one pot, in just 30 minutes! You’ll love how the pasta cooks right in the sauce with the chicken, making it super tasty. Chicken parmesan pasta is seriously amazing—no waiting for water to boil or extra pots to wash.

Just one pot of pure comfort food! Plus, this twist on the classic dish is even better because everything is baked in one pan, making it cheesy and delicious. With chicken, mozzarella, parmesan, marinara sauce, and a crispy panko topping, it’s a real winner!

Serve it with garlic bread for a delicious meal, or add a simple salad for some freshness. And the best part? It’s healthy too, packed with protein, carbs, and healthy fats.

Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days and reheated in the oven or on the stove with a bit of extra sauce or chicken broth to keep the pasta moist.

this Recipe

Chicken Parmesan Pasta Recipe

This easy chicken parmesan pasta has all the yummy flavors of chicken parm, but it's super simple to make. You'll have chewy pasta topped with cheesy chicken and marinara sauce, all finished with crunchy breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese. It's the ultimate comfort food ready in just 30 minutes! Serve it with a quick veggie side like kale salad or Italian chopped salad. Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days in a sealed container. Just keep the breadcrumbs in a separate container at room temperature. When you're ready to eat again, just heat up the chicken and pasta in the microwave or a skillet, and sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top for extra crunchiness.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 4

Calories 500 kcal

Equipment

• Large pot
• Strainer or colander
• Mixing spoon

Ingredients

  

• 1 lb. Penne pasta or any similar tube-shaped pasta
• 2 Boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into small cubes
• All-purpose seasoning or just use salt, pepper, garlic, and onion powder
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese split into two parts
• 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 1 small yellow Onion diced
• 4 Garlic cloves minced (or 2 tbsp. minced garlic)
• 2 tbsp. Tomato paste
• 1 can 28 oz. crushed Tomatoes
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1 tbsp. Sugar
• 1 tbsp. fresh Basil chopped
• Fresh parsley chopped
• 3 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
• 4 tbsp. unsalted Butter divided
• 4 tbsp. Grapeseed oil

Instructions

 

• Dry chicken cubes with a paper towel, then sprinkle with all-purpose seasoning (or salt, pepper, garlic, and onion powder).
• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• In a pan over medium heat, melt 1 tbsp. butter. Add panko breadcrumbs and cook until golden brown. Mix in 3/4 cups of Parmesan cheese and set aside.
• Cook pasta until it’s not too soft, drain, and set aside. Save 1/2 cup of pasta water.
• Heat a big pan over medium-high heat. Add grapeseed oil and 1 tbsp. butter. Cook chicken for about 5 minutes until it’s browned. Take it out and set it aside.
• Add 1 tbsp. of butter to the pan. Cook onion for 2 minutes, then add garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes until it smells nice. Stir in tomato paste until it gets darker. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, Italian seasoning, basil, parsley, 1 tbsp. butter, and reserved pasta water. Stir and let it simmer for at least 5 minutes.
• Put cooked pasta and chicken back into the pan. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese, mozzarella, and toasted breadcrumbs. Add some fresh parsley on top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until everything is bubbly, cheese is melted, and the top is a little browned (about 8-10 minutes).
• Serve while it’s hot.

Notes

• You can use any tube-shaped pasta like macaroni or rigatoni. Whole wheat pasta is also good for you.
• Dry the chicken well before cooking. If you don’t have all-purpose seasoning, just use salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
• If you want an easier version, skip the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, sugar, Italian seasoning, and basil. Just use your favorite pasta sauce instead. But if you want the homemade taste, follow the original recipe.

Nutrition Facts:

Can I Use a Different Pasta Shape?

Sure! You can use any short pasta you like for this chicken parmesan pasta. I prefer cavatappi, but bow-ties, penne, or fusilli work great too. Short pasta ensures each bite has a mix of everything.

Can I Add Extra Veggies?

Definitely! If you want more veggies, go for it! While cooking the onions, add some chopped mushrooms, baby spinach or kale, or even canned chopped artichokes for extra flavor and goodness.

How Do You Store Chicken Parmesan?

If it’s fully cooked with sauce and cheese on top, you can keep chicken parmesan in the fridge for 3-5 days. At my place, we usually finish leftovers within a couple of days for the best taste. If you keep the sauce separate from the chicken, it might last even longer.

Noah Baker

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i’m Noah

A California-born food blogger behind Freshman Cook, whose culinary journey began in his tiny apartment kitchen.

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