When you mix two already great dishes, you’re hoping for a good thing. If you do it correctly, you will get something you want every week. This chicken parmesan pasta recipe is just that.

Chicken Parmigiana is one pasta dish that is rarely discussed. Not just ingredients. Many recipes don’t account for the order in which you cook the dish. Do it wrong, and no matter how good the ingredients are, the food will taste bland.

What makes the chicken parmesan recipe baked with pasta Different From Regular Chicken Pasta

Now you may be thinking, “Is this pasta with chicken and red sauce?” It isn’t. Real chicken and parmesan pasta has that seared, golden crust on the chicken, the pull of the melted mozzarella, and the slight bitterness of the parmesan, which helps to offset the sweetness of the tomato. It’s layered.

Yes, somebody always asks, does Italy have chicken Parmesan? No, in theory, authentic Italian cuisine gave us eggplant parmigiana, and that was later adopted by Italian-American communities, which replaced the eggplant with chicken. This is a very Italian-American dish, then. It belongs here. It’s real food.

This one-pot dinner of marry me chicken pasta has the same rich, saucy flavor, so if you enjoy pasta dishes with similar depth, you might also like it.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For 4 servings:

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup breadcrumbs (plain or Italian-seasoned)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
Salt and black pepper to taste
3 tbsp olive oil
12 oz penne or rigatoni pasta
2 cups marinara sauce (jarred or homemade)
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh basil to finish (optional but recommended)

How to Make Chicken Parmesan Pasta: Step by Step

Step 1: Prep and bread the chicken

A three-bowl breading station on a kitchen counter showing seasoned chicken breasts being pressed into breadcrumbs next to flour and beaten eggs

To make thin cutlets, cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise. Salt and pepper both sides, and add garlic powder and onion powder. Prepare 3 small bowls of flour, beaten egg, and breadcrumbs. Dip each cutlet in flour, shake off, then dip in egg, and then press firmly into breadcrumbs. That press matters. Don’t rush it.

Step 2: Sear the chicken

Breaded chicken cutlets being flipped with tongs in a hot cast iron skillet, developing a crispy golden-brown crust

In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, place the breaded cutlets in. Don’t crowd them. Cook 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown. You don’t cook them through here; you are only building the crust. Take them out of the pan and set aside.

By thickness:

1/2-inch cutlets: 3 minutes on each side

3/4 inch thick: 4 to 5 minutes on each side

1 inch or thicker: bake for 10 more minutes at 375°F in the oven.

Step 3: Cook pasta

Cook the pasta in boiling water with salt until it is slightly undercooked, about 1 minute less than what is recommended on the package. It will finish cooking in the sauce. Before draining the pasta, reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water. The starchy water helps the sauce stick.

Rigatoni pasta boiling in a large stainless steel pot with a metal ladle scooping out starchy pasta water

Step 4: Make the sauce base

Fill the same skillet with marinara that you used to cook the chicken. Stir to pick up all from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 2-3 minutes on medium heat. Stir in the pasta, which has been drained. Stir well.

Rich red marinara sauce simmering and bubbling in a large skillet, being stirred with a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan

Step 5: Combine and melt

Cover the pasta in the skillet with the seared chicken cutlets. Drizzle a bit more sauce on each piece. Add a generous pinch of Parmesan cheese and shredded mozzarella. Put the skillet on low heat and cover with foil or a lid for five to six minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted. Place under the broiler for 2 minutes for more browning on top. Watch it closely. It moves fast.

One-pot chicken parmesan pasta in a skillet covered with a thick layer of melted, bubbly mozzarella and grated parmesan cheese

Step 6: Rest and then serve

Allow to sit for 3-5 minutes before serving. This allows for everything to settle and the sauce to thicken a little. If you have it, sprinkle with fresh basil.

What Sauce Works Best for Chicken Parmigiana Pasta?

Classic marinara is the standard. It’s acidic and bright, which cuts through the richness of the cheese and fried crust. You can also use a vodka sauce if you want something creamier, or arrabbiata if you like heat. What doesn’t work well is Alfredo. Too heavy. It competes with the cheese instead of balancing it.

For more on Italian-style chicken pasta pairings, this chicken marinara pasta recipe is worth a read.

According to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, chicken must reach an internal temperature of 165°F before it’s safe to eat. The guesswork is eliminated with a basic meat thermometer.

Tips for Food Safety

Internal chicken temperature should always be checked; the safe minimum is 165°F.
Don’t let raw chicken sit at room temperature for more than 30 minutes before cooking.
Use separate cutting boards for raw chicken and vegetables.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days in an airtight container.
To avoid drying out the pasta, reheat gently with a splash of water or extra sauce.

A Couple More Recipes You Might Like

If this kind of one-pan comfort meal is your thing, these two are worth bookmarking. The chicken noodle casserole is great for feeding a crowd with minimal effort. And if you’re into baked pasta dishes, the easy chicken pasta casserole with broccoli adds a bit of green to the equation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Italy actually have chicken parmesan?

Not in the way we know it. The dish evolved from Italian-American cooking, inspired by eggplant parmigiana. In Italy, you’re more likely to find veal or eggplant treated that way. Chicken parm as a pasta dish? Firmly American.

What sauce works well for Parmesan chicken?

Marinara is the classic for good reason. It’s bright and acidic, which balances the richness of the cheese and breading. Vodka sauce or a simple tomato basil works well, too.

Is chicken parm American or Italian?

Italian-American. It came from immigrants adapting traditional Italian techniques to what was available in the United States. It’s a dish with roots in both places and belongs to neither exclusively.

How do you make a delicious chicken parm?

Dry the chicken well, bread it in three steps, sear it in hot oil until the crust is deep golden, and finish with good-quality sauce and real mozzarella. Don’t skip the rest time before serving.

The end of starvation

Chicken parmesan pasta is not complicated. But it does reward attention. The crust, the sauce, the melt of the mozzarella, it all depends on a few small decisions made at the right moments. Get those right, and this becomes one of those meals you return to without really thinking about it.

Serve it on a weeknight. Feed it to people who claim they aren’t that hungry. See what happens.

Tarek Rakhiess