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Gosh, I can't wait for you to try this one-pan Chicken Parm Pasta! It's become my dinner hero when I'm craving something yummy but don't want to spend forever cooking. The combo of tender chicken, tomato sauce, and gooey cheese mixed with pasta is just incredible. And the best part? Everything cooks in a single skillet so there's barely any cleanup - that's a huge plus in my world!
What Makes This Dish Special
The thing I adore about this meal is how fast and filling it is. You'll have a complete dinner ready in under half an hour that nobody can resist. I can throw in bonus vegetables, change up the noodle type, or go gluten-free and my family still cleans their plates. We now turn to this whenever our weeknights get crazy.
Your Shopping List
- Pasta: Try spiral shapes or any pasta that grabs plenty of sauce.
- Chicken: Cut boneless, skinless breast meat into chunks for quicker cooking.
- Marinara Sauce: This forms the tasty foundation of our meal.
- Cheese: Grated Parmesan and thin slices of mozzarella for that melty goodness.
- Seasonings: Mix of Italian herbs, fresh garlic, salt, and pepper for extra flavor.
Cooking Steps
- Handle The Pasta
- Cook your pasta in water with salt until slightly firm. Save 2 tablespoons of cooking liquid before you drain.
- Cook The Chicken
- Brown your chicken cubes in olive oil with fresh garlic, Italian herbs, salt, and pepper.
- Mix Everything
- Stir in your tomato sauce, Parmesan cheese, and cooked pasta. Blend well, using the saved pasta water to create a smooth sauce.
- Add The Cheese Topping
- Spread mozzarella over everything, put a lid on, and wait about a minute until it gets all melty.
Customize Your Creation
I often throw in some chopped zucchini or handfuls of spinach to boost the nutrition. You can switch chicken for ground turkey or beef too. My little ones get excited when I use funny pasta shapes to make mealtime more interesting. You can really play around with this dish.
Storage Tips
This meal stays good in your fridge for nearly a week. When you warm it up, add a bit more sauce to keep everything moist. If you want to freeze portions, skip adding the mozzarella until you're ready to eat it - trust me, it'll taste way better.
Tasty Sidekicks
We usually have this with a basic green salad or some oven-roasted broccoli. Sometimes I'll whip up some buttery garlic toast to soak up the extra sauce. To finish the meal, we enjoy some fruity sorbet or crunchy cookies for a light sweet touch.
Insider Tricks
Cut your chicken into tiny equal chunks so they cook fast and evenly. Don't forget to save that starchy pasta water - it makes your sauce incredibly smooth. I like to sprinkle in some chili flakes for a bit of kick, and tearing in some fresh basil leaves at the end really wakes up all the flavors.
Quick Substitutions
You can use butter instead of olive oil or grab chicken thighs for a richer taste. This works great with gluten-free noodles too. Don't have Italian seasoning? Just mix whatever dried herbs you've got. And if you only have garlic powder in your pantry, that'll do the job just fine.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- → Why keep some pasta water?
- The pasta water has starch that makes your sauce smooth and helps it stick better to the pasta.
- → Can I switch up the pasta type?
- Sure, any medium pasta works fine. Just watch your cooking time as it might change a bit depending on what you pick.
- → Why drain off the chicken liquid?
- Too much liquid from cooked chicken can make your sauce too thin. Getting rid of it keeps your sauce nice and thick.
- → Which mozzarella should I use?
- You can go with slices or shredded. Thin slices spread out more evenly, but shredded cheese melts just as good.
- → Why grate fresh parmesan?
- Fresh grated parmesan melts smoother and tastes way better than the stuff that comes in a bag.