One Pan Chicken Parmesan Pasta
This chicken Parmesan pasta is big on flavor and light on clean up! It has all the comfort of classic chicken Parmesan, minus the fussy process. It’s loaded with tender chicken, melty cheese, marinara, penne, and a crispy bread crumb topping. The best part? All of it cooks in one pan.
Ingredients
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are my go-to, but chicken tenderloins or thighs work just as well.
- Seasonings: A simple trio of salt, pepper, and dried oregano gives the chicken that classic Italian flavor.
- Marinara Sauce: Use your favorite jarred brand for ease, or go homemade if that’s your jam.
- Pasta: Penne is the star here, but any short pasta with a similar cook time should work fine.
- Bread Crumbs: Instead of breading the chicken, they’re sprinkled on top to create a crispy, golden crust over the pasta.
- Parmesan Cheese
- Mozzarella Cheese
- Olive Oil
How to Make It
☑️ Season and Brown the Chicken
Cut the chicken into 2-inch pieces and season with salt, pepper, and oregano. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat, then add the chicken. Cook until the pieces are browned on the outside – no need to fully cook them yet, they’ll finish in the sauce.
☑️ Simmer
Pour in the marinara, water, and dry pasta. Give it a good stir so the pasta is submerged in the sauce. Bring everything to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and the chicken is cooked through.
☑️ Melt the Cheese
Once the pasta is tender, sprinkle the mozzarella over the top, cover the pan, and let it melt.
☑️ Make the Bread Crumb Topping
While the cheese melts, make the bread crumb mixture. Stir the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and two tablespoons of olive oil together in a small bowl.
Heat the oven broiler to high heat. Sprinkle the topping over the melted cheese and then place the pan under the broil. Broil just until the bread crumbs is golden and crispy – it only takes a few minutes, so keep a close eye so it doesn’t burn.
Garnish with parsley, if you like!
☑️ Recipe Tips
- Cut the chicken evenly: Keep the pieces roughly the same size (about 2 inches) so they cook at the same rate.
- Use the right pan: A large, oven-safe pan works best since it goes straight from stovetop to broiler.
- Submerge the pasta: Make sure the pasta is mostly covered by the sauce so it cooks evenly. If you need to add a little more sauce or water, do that.
- Watch the broiler closely: The breadcrumb topping goes from golden to burnt in seconds. Stay nearby and check often.
- Let it rest a minute: After broiling, let the pasta sit for a couple of minutes before serving it.
If you make this one pan chicken Parmesan pasta, I’d love to hear how it turned out — leave a comment below and share your thoughts! And don’t forget to save it to your favorite Pinterest board so it’s ready the next time you’re craving cozy comfort food.
One Pan Chicken Parmesan Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 16 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 2” pieces
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 24 ounces marinara sauce
- 1 cup water
- 8 ounces penne
- 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2/3 cups Italian-style bread crumbs
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Mix the oregano, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat the pieces evenly in the seasonings.
- Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe pan over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken and brown it on both sides. You don't need to cook it all the way through at this point – it will finish cooking in the sauce.
- Pour the marinara sauce, water, and dry pasta into the pan and stir. Make sure the pasta is covered by the sauce. Add a little more sauce or water, if needed.
- Cover the pan and bring the sauce to a simmer. Cook the pasta and chicken for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the pasta is tender. Adjust the heat, if needed, to maintain a simmer. Stir every few minutes so the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
- While the pasta and chicken simmers, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and 2 tablespoons of oil in a small bowl. Set the mixture aside.
- Once the pasta is tender, sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the top and cover the pan with a lid until the cheese melts. Once the cheese has melted, take the lid off and sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture in an even layer over the top of the melted cheese.
- Before turning on the oven, move an oven rack to the middle position. Turn the oven broiler to high (500°F).
- Transfer the pan to the oven and broil until the bread crumbs are golden brown and crispy. This will only take a few minutes so keep an eye on it so the crumbs don’t burn. Rotate the pan, if needed, so the crumbs brown evenly.
- Garnish with parsley and let the pasta sit for a minute or so before serving it.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
More Chicken Pasta Recipes
Happy cooking,
I first shared this chicken Parmesan pasta back in March 2019. It’s been updated with new photos and a few recipe tweaks to make it even better.
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
I haven’t tried doubling it – did you use the same size pan or a bigger one? Without testing it, it’s hard to know what went wrong. Maybe give it a try as it’s written?