Chicken Parmesan Baked Pasta
Total Time
50 mins
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Rating
4.29 out of 5 stars
(42)
Ingredients
8
- 16 oz. penne pasta
- 2 cups cooked bite-size chicken pieces or shredded chicken
- 4 cups marinara sauce, can use store bought sauce
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, optional
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Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and cook the pasta according to package directions. Rinse and drain the pasta in a colander.
Step 3
Pour pasta back into the pot and add the cooked chicken, marinara sauce, 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, and ½ cup parmesan cheese. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste.
Step 4
In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and panko bread crumbs and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool.
Step 5
Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the pasta mixture evenly into the pan. Top with the remaining 1 ½ cups of mozzarella cheese. Mix the remaining ½ cup parmesan cheese into the panko bread crumbs. Sprinkle panko mixture over the top of the pasta. Spray a large piece of foil with nonstick cooking spray and cover the pasta dish.
Step 6
Bake for 30 minutes. Carefully remove the foil from the pan and bake until the pasta is bubbly and panko topping is golden brown, about 5-10 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil, if desired.
Step 7
Note-if you don’t have leftover cooked chicken or shredded chicken, cut 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts into bite size pieces and cook in olive oil until cooked through. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 8
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Chef's notes
You need 2 cups of cooked chicken for this recipe. It is a great recipe for using up leftover chicken. If you don’t have leftover chicken, you can cook up some chicken real quick in a skillet. PRO TIP-use shredded rotisserie chicken to save time. Both cubed and shredded chicken work well in this recipe.
Josh uses penne pasta, but ziti, farfalle, or fusilli are also good options. Use whatever pasta you have in your pantry.
Josh uses my homemade Slow Cooker Marinara Sauce, but you can use your favorite jarred pasta sauce.
You can prep this baked pasta in advance. Put everything in the pan, cover with foil, and put in the fridge until you are ready to bake. The pasta dish reheats well, the boys love eating the leftovers. It is also a great dish to take to friends and family who are in need of a meal.
