Description
Hearty chicken parmesan pasta skillet combines classic Italian flavors in one comforting pan. Melted cheese, crispy chicken, and rich marinara sauce create a satisfying meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 cups (473 ml) uncooked penne or rotini pasta
- 2 cups (473 ml) marinara sauce
- 2 cups (473 ml) chicken broth (or water)
- ½ cup (118 ml) heavy cream (optional, for a creamier sauce)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup (50 g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup (100 g) shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 tbsps (30 ml) olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup (15 g) fresh basil or parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Skillet Preparation: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high temperature, creating a shimmering cooking surface.
- Chicken Seasoning and Searing: Season chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian herbs, then cook until golden-brown and fully developed, approximately 5-7 minutes.
- Protein Removal: Extract chicken from skillet, setting aside while maintaining its warmth and flavor integrity.
- Sauce and Pasta Integration: Utilize existing skillet drippings to introduce marinara sauce and uncooked pasta, allowing them to simmer and meld together under covered conditions.
- Cooking Progression: Stir pasta periodically to prevent adherence, cooking until reaching perfect al dente texture.
- Protein Reintroduction: Carefully return chicken pieces into the sauce, ensuring complete coating and temperature consistency.
- Cheese Finale: Lavishly distribute mozzarella and parmesan cheese across the skillet, allowing residual heat to create a luxurious, molten cheese layer.
- Serving Preparation: Remove from heat, letting the dish rest momentarily to allow flavors to harmonize and cheese to fully melt, creating a decadent one-pan culinary experience.
Notes
- Optimize Chicken Seasoning: Use fresh herbs and high-quality spices for deeper flavor complexity, ensuring each chicken piece is evenly and generously coated before cooking.
- Master Pasta Cooking Technique: Stir pasta frequently during simmering to prevent sticking and achieve perfect al dente texture, watching liquid absorption carefully to avoid overcooking.
- Cheese Melting Strategy: Allow residual heat to gently melt cheese for smoother, more even coverage without burning, creating a luxurious golden-brown surface.
- Quick Dietary Adaptation: Substitute gluten-free pasta for traditional pasta and use dairy-free cheese alternatives to make the dish suitable for specific dietary requirements without compromising taste.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 36 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg