Chicken Parmesan Pasta Bake

Name: Chicken Parmesan Pasta Bake
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 12 oz (340 g) dried penne; 1 tbsp (18 g) kosher salt, for the pasta water; 1½ lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, patted dry and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces; 1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 small (150 g) yellow onion, finely diced; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced; 1 tsp (1 g) dried Italian seasoning; ¼ tsp (½ g) red pepper flakes (optional); 32 oz (900 g) marinara sauce, jarred or homemade (about 3½ cups); ½ cup (120 ml) reserved pasta cooking water, scooped from the pot before draining; 8 oz (225 g) low-moisture mozzarella, coarsely shredded (about 2 cups); ¼ cup (25 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano or Parmesan, finely grated, for stirring into the pasta; 1 cup (60 g) panko breadcrumbs; 3 tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter, melted; ⅓ cup (33 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano or Parmesan, finely grated; ¼ cup (8 g) fresh basil leaves, torn or thinly sliced (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

All the flavor of chicken Parmesan in one easy dish: seared chicken pieces and al dente penne tossed in garlicky marinara, blanketed with melted mozzarella, and finished with a crisp, buttery Parmesan-panko crust.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 40 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 1 hr 15 min
Makes: 1 (9×13-inch) casserole, 6 generous servings

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the pasta bake
12 oz (340 g) dried penne
1 tbsp (18 g) kosher salt, for the pasta water
1½ lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, patted dry and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 small (150 g) yellow onion, finely diced
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp (1 g) dried Italian seasoning
¼ tsp (0.5 g) red pepper flakes (optional)
32 oz (900 g) marinara sauce, jarred or homemade (about 3½ cups)
½ cup (120 ml) reserved pasta cooking water, scooped from the pot before draining
8 oz (225 g) low-moisture mozzarella, coarsely shredded (about 2 cups)
¼ cup (25 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano or Parmesan, finely grated, for stirring into the pasta
For the crispy topping
1 cup (60 g) panko breadcrumbs
3 tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter, melted
⅓ cup (33 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano or Parmesan, finely grated
For serving
¼ cup (8 g) fresh basil leaves, torn or thinly sliced (optional)

Equipment (7)

9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish (3-quart)
Large pot (5–6 quart) for the pasta
Large deep skillet or sauté pan, 12-inch (30 cm)
Colander
Instant-read thermometer
Small bowl for the topping
Cutting board and sharp knife

Steps

Before you start

Position an oven rack in the center and preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) before you start cooking.
Buy a block of low-moisture mozzarella and shred it yourself if you can; it melts more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese, which is coated to prevent clumping.
The pasta is deliberately undercooked (about 3 minutes less than the package says) because it finishes cooking in the oven. Check your package time first.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels so it sears instead of steaming.

1
Preheat and prepOven 400°F / 205°C
- Set a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F (200°C).
- Lightly grease a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish with a little olive oil or cooking spray.
- Cut the chicken into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces, dice the onion, mince the garlic, and shred the mozzarella.
- Fill a large pot with water for the pasta and set it over high heat.
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Ready when: Oven is fully preheated and the chicken is in even, bite-size pieces.
Tip: Cutting the chicken into evenly sized pieces helps it cook at the same rate.
2
Boil the pasta
- When the water is at a full rolling boil, stir in 1 tablespoon kosher salt, then add the penne.
- Cook 3 minutes less than the package directions (usually 7–8 minutes), stirring once or twice.
- Scoop out ½ cup (120 ml) of the cooking water, then drain the pasta in a colander.
- Do not rinse.
- Shake well and leave in the colander.
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Ready when: Pasta is flexible but still quite firm and chalky at the center when bitten.
Tip: Scoop out the pasta water before draining. It's easy to forget and helps loosen the sauce.
3
Season the chicken
- Pat the chicken pieces dry once more and toss them in a bowl with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and the Italian seasoning.
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Ready when: Chicken is evenly coated with the seasonings.
4
Sear the chicken
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a 12-inch (30 cm) deep skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
- Add the chicken in a single layer (work in two batches if it crowds the pan).
- Cook without moving for 2 minutes until golden underneath, then stir and cook another 2–3 minutes.
- Transfer to a clean plate.
- It will finish cooking in the oven.
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Ready when: Chicken is golden brown on the outside and opaque for the most part; a little pink in the center is fine at this stage.
Tip: Crowding the pan makes the chicken steam and turn gray, so use two batches if needed.
5
Cook the aromatics
- Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the same skillet.
- Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, for 3–4 minutes until soft and translucent, scraping up the browned bits.
- Add the garlic and red pepper flakes (if using) and stir for 30 seconds.
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Ready when: Onion is soft and translucent and the garlic smells fragrant but hasn't browned.
Tip: Garlic burns quickly and turns bitter, so keep it moving and move on at the first fragrant whiff.
6
Simmer the sauce
- Pour in the marinara and the reserved pasta water, stirring to combine.
- Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, to meld the flavors.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the ¼ cup (25 g) Parmesan.
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Ready when: Sauce is steaming with small bubbles at the edges and coats the back of a spoon.
7
Combine and assemble
- Add the drained penne and the seared chicken, along with any juices on the plate, to the skillet.
- Stir until everything is evenly coated.
- Scrape into the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer.
- Scatter the shredded mozzarella evenly over the top.
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Ready when: Pasta and chicken are evenly distributed and the sauce looks generous and loose, not dry.
Tip: If the mixture looks thick, stir in a splash of water; the pasta will absorb sauce in the oven.
8
Add crispy topping
- In a small bowl, stir together the panko, melted butter, and ⅓ cup (33 g) Parmesan until the crumbs look evenly moist like wet sand.
- Sprinkle over the mozzarella in an even layer.
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Ready when: Crumbs are evenly moistened with no dry patches.
Tip: Coating the crumbs in butter first is what makes them brown evenly.
9
Bake until goldenOven 400°F / 205°C
- Bake uncovered at 400°F (200°C) on the center rack for 20–25 minutes, until the sauce bubbles around the edges, the cheese is melted, and the top is deep golden brown.
- If the top isn't browned after 22 minutes, broil on high for 1–2 minutes, watching closely.
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Ready when: Sauce bubbles at the edges, the crumbs are golden brown, and the chicken registers 165°F (74°C) in the center of a piece.
Tip: Set the dish on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any sauce that bubbles over.
10
Rest and serve
- Let the casserole rest 10 minutes so the sauce thickens and the cheese sets.
- Scatter with torn basil, if using, and serve.
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Ready when: Bubbling has stopped and the sauce no longer runs when scooped.
Tip: Serving too soon yields a soupy plate and a burned mouth, so give it the full rest.

Good to know

Tips

Undercook the pasta by 3 minutes: it keeps absorbing sauce in the oven, so fully cooked pasta turns mushy.
Keep the sauce slightly loose before baking. A dry-looking mixture bakes into a dry casserole.
Shred the mozzarella yourself from a block for the best melt and stretch.
Use a thermometer to check the chicken in a few of the larger pieces; the casserole is done when it reads 165°F (74°C).

Make ahead

"Assemble through the mozzarella layer up to 1 day ahead, cover, and refrigerate; keep the panko topping separate in an airtight container. Add the topping just before baking and add 5–10 minutes to the bake time, until bubbling hot in the center."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours after baking. Fridge: cool and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freezer: freeze portions in airtight containers for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat covered with foil at 350°F (175°C) for 20–25 minutes (single portions in the microwave for 2–3 minutes) until steaming hot to 165°F (74°C); uncover for the last 5 minutes to re-crisp the top."

Substitutions

dried penne → rigatoni, ziti, or rotini. Use the same weight and still cook 3 minutes short of the package time.
boneless, skinless chicken breasts → boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Thighs are juicier and more forgiving; cook to 175°F (80°C) for best texture.
panko breadcrumbs → crushed Italian-style breadcrumbs or gluten-free panko. Use the same volume; regular fine crumbs are denser, so use ¾ cup (90 g).
low-moisture mozzarella → provolone or a mozzarella-provolone blend. Provolone adds a little sharpness; use the same weight.