Italian
Chicken Parmesan Pasta Skillet
Bite-size chicken, short pasta, and marinara share one skillet, then mozzarella melts on top. You get the chicken Parmesan idea without breading and baking each cutlet.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 22 min
- Total
- 32 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- No separate pot for the pasta.
- Chicken is cooked to 165°F before it goes back in the sauce.
- The cheese melts at the end, so it does not scorch.
- It is a full dinner in the pan you already dirtied.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Season the chicken with the salt and pepper. Sear it in the oil in a deep 12-inch skillet over medium-high until browned and the largest piece is 165°F, about 5 minutes. Move it to a plate.
- 2
Add the garlic and stir 30 seconds.
- 3
Pour in the marinara and broth. Bring to a simmer.
- 4
Stir in the penne. Cover and cook 11 to 13 minutes, stirring once, until the pasta is tender. Add a splash of water if the sauce looks dry before the pasta is done.
- 5
Return the chicken. Scatter the mozzarella and parmesan over the top. Cover 2 minutes, off the heat, until the cheese melts.
- 6
Finish with basil.
Pro tips
- Stir once so the pasta does not stick to the center of the pan.
- Use a skillet with a lid. A foil cover works if you do not have one.
- Bite-size chicken cooks faster and more evenly than whole breasts in a sauce.
Easy substitutions
- Penne
- Any short pasta of a similar size.
- Mozzarella
- Provolone.
- Chicken breast
- Thighs, cut small, cooked to 165°F.
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate up to 3 days. The pasta will keep absorbing sauce.
Reheating
Warm with a splash of water in a covered skillet until hot.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 560
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
Moderate · Stovetop, One Pan · High Protein
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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