Tasty Cheesy Chicken Pasta

Featured in: Main Dishes

This super-quick 25-minute pan meal blends classic Italian chicken flavors with pasta for a nutritious, protein-packed dinner using just 7 basic ingredients.
Twistytaste.com
Updated on Fri, 25 Apr 2025 19:12:25 GMT
A skillet filled with rotini pasta, chicken pieces, and melted cheese in a tomato sauce, garnished with parsley. Pin it
A skillet filled with rotini pasta, chicken pieces, and melted cheese in a tomato sauce, garnished with parsley. | twistytaste.com

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.

A skillet filled with spiral pasta topped with tomato sauce, melted cheese, chicken pieces, and fresh basil leaves. Pin it
A skillet filled with spiral pasta topped with tomato sauce, melted cheese, chicken pieces, and fresh basil leaves. | twistytaste.com

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.

Cheesy Italian Chicken Pasta

A speedy and nutritious twist on traditional chicken parmesan mixed into a pasta dish, with juicy chicken, gooey cheese, and classic Italian taste.

Prep Time
5 Minutes
Cook Time
20 Minutes
Total Time
25 Minutes

Category: Main Dishes

Difficulty: Easy

Cuisine: Italian

Yield: 4 Servings (4 servings)

Dietary: ~

Ingredients

01 8 ounces pasta of your choice.
02 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil.
03 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped.
04 1 pound diced chicken breasts.
05 1/2 tablespoon mixed Italian herbs.
06 2 cups tomato pasta sauce.
07 1/4 cup grated parmesan.
08 4 ounces sliced mozzarella.
09 Salt and pepper for seasoning.
10 If desired: fresh basil leaves, crushed red pepper, extra parmesan.

Instructions

Step 01

Boil pasta until al dente following package directions. Save 2 tablespoons of the cooking water.

Step 02

Sauté chicken with garlic for 5-6 minutes until golden. Sprinkle seasonings on top. Drain any extra liquid.

Step 03

Stir pasta sauce and parmesan into the cooked chicken until well mixed.

Step 04

Toss in the drained pasta and saved cooking water. Lay mozzarella on top, cover pan until cheese melts.

Step 05

Sprinkle with your favorite toppings and enjoy.

Notes

  1. Feel free to use either grated or sliced mozzarella.

Tools You'll Need

  • Deep skillet.
  • Big cooking pot.

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Contains dairy products.
  • Contains gluten.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 533
  • Total Fat: 19.3 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 46.3 g
  • Protein: 42.1 g