Chicken Parmesan Pasta
Looking for a quick and easy dinner idea? This one-pot chicken parmesan pasta recipe is simple, tasty, and minimal clean-up!
Servings: 6 people
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Large Dutch oven with a lid – Or a large heavy bottom pot with a lid
- Large Bowl (to set your chicken aside)
- Spoon for stirring
Ingredients
- 3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 large sweet onion, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 24 ounce jar of marinara sauce
- 16 ounces rigatoni or penne pasta, cooked
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- Season the chicken. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
- Sear the chicken. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven. Add the chicken and sear for 2 minutes on either side. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Make the sauce. Add the remaining olive oil to the pan and then add the onion. Saute until translucent. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant. Stir in the marinara sauce.
- Cook the chicken in the sauce. Return the chicken to the pan and spoon the sauce over it. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Put it all together. Stir the pasta into the saucy chicken mixture followed by the parmesan and ¼ cup mozzarella. Cook on low, stirring occasionally, until the cheese has melted into the sauce.
- Finish it off. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella over the pasta, cover, and let sit for a few minutes off heat until the cheese is melted and gooey.
- Serve. Serve warm garnished with fresh basil.
Notes
Do I have to use store-bought marinara or can I make my own?
You can totally use your own marinara sauce here. In fact, I encourage it. There’s nothing like a from-scratch meal.
Can I make this ahead of time and freeze it?
You can. Combine the seared chicken, sauce, parmesan, and ¼ cup mozzarella in a freezer bag. Store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When you are ready to enjoy, allow the contents of the bag to thaw in the fridge and then transfer it all to a Dutch oven. Cover the Dutch oven and cook over medium-low heat until the chicken is cooked through. Stir in the pasta and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella, cover, and cook until the mozzarella has melted.
What size Dutch oven did you use?
I used an 8-quart Dutch oven but anything between 6-8 quarts will do. If you use a smaller Dutch oven, scale the recipe down. If you use a larger Dutch oven, scale the recipe up for proper cooking.