Description
A cheesy baked pasta with crispy Parmesan-crusted chicken and a rich marinara sauce, finished under the broiler for a golden, bubbly top.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8 oz cavatappi pasta (or any pasta you like)
Chicken
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (sliced horizontally into 4 cutlets)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1½ cups Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 1 cup plain panko breadcrumbs
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 tbsp garlic, minced
- 1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
Toppings
- 1½ cups Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- Chopped parsley and extra shredded Parmesan for garnish
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Boil pasta in salted water until al dente (10–12 mins). Reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Drain and set aside.
- Bread the Chicken: Set up 3 bowls: Bowl 1 with flour + salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder; Bowl 2 with beaten eggs; Bowl 3 with Parmesan cheese + panko. Coat chicken in flour → eggs → Parmesan-panko.
- Cook Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Fry chicken cutlets 4–5 mins per side until golden brown and internal temp reaches 165°F. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil.
- Make the Sauce: Wipe out skillet and heat olive oil. Add diced onion and sauté 2–3 mins, then garlic for 1 min. Add marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Stir in cooked pasta and pasta water (as needed) to thin sauce.
- Combine & Broil: Top pasta with mozzarella and shredded Parmesan. Broil 2–3 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Slice cooked chicken and place on top. Garnish with parsley and extra Parmesan.
Notes
For extra flavor, add fresh basil leaves before serving. You can also substitute the chicken with eggplant slices for a vegetarian option.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 640
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 980mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 42g
- Cholesterol: 135mg
Keywords: chicken parmesan pasta, cheesy baked pasta, crispy chicken recipe, Italian pasta