Chicken Parmesan Pasta recipe

close up of large black pan full of chicken parmesan pasta.

Chicken Parmesan Pasta recipe

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 30

Servings: servings

Calories: 617cal

Author: Ashley Fehr

Chicken Parmesan Pasta is a one pot pasta recipe that features tender chunks of chicken and penne tossed in a flavor packed tomato sauce with lots of gooey cheese and crunchy breadcrumbs on top! It's an easy family favorite that comes together in just 30 minutes.

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons oil (divided)
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed (about 1 lb)
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
3 cloves garlic (finely minced)
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon salt
⅛-¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
2½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
4½ cups uncooked penne pasta (14oz or 400g)
2½ cups marinara sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
¼ cup panko bread crumbs
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

In a large, oven-safe skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat.
Add the chicken and season all over with the seasoning salt and garlic powder. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once or twice, until starting to brown.
Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and chili flakes (more or less according to your tastes) and cook for 1 minute.
Add the broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to broil.
Bring the broth to a simmer and stir in the uncooked pasta and marinara sauce. Bring back up to a simmer, cover, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
Remove from the heat and sprinkle the pasta with the mozzarella.
In a small bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle over the mozzarella.
Place the skillet in the oven and broil for 2 to 4 minutes, until light golden and slightly crisp. Remove and serve.

Video

Notes

Ingredients and Substitutions:

Chicken: any boneless, skinless chicken will work here, or you can sub in a cooked, crumble Italian sausage for a different twist. If you have leftover Crockpot Shredded Chicken or Instant Pot Shredded Chicken, you can skip the browning and add it in with the simmering broth.
Vegetables: you can absolutely add more vegetables here: mushrooms, spinach, peppers and kale all work well here! Just remember that the firmer vegetables should be sautéed at the beginning, and the quick cooking vegetables should be added at the end.
Red pepper flakes: the red pepper flakes add flavor but don't necessarily make it spicy. If I was making this for my kids, I would use 1/8 teaspoon. For us personally, we like it with 1/4.

To prep ahead:

This is a great recipe for prepping ahead! Just be sure to undercook the pasta by a minute or two, then spread it into a greased baking dish. Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days.

Just before baking, sprinkle with Panko and Parmesan mixture and bake at 400 degrees F until heated through and golden.

Storage:

With the crispy topping, this recipe isn't my favorite for storing for later (although it's still delicious - it's just not crispy!).

It will absolutely last for 4 days in the fridge, but you may want to leave off the panko topping if serving later on.

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