Description
Mouthwatering chicken parmesan pasta skillet blends Italian culinary traditions with comfort food charm. Rich cheese, crispy chicken, and al dente pasta create a satisfying meal you’ll crave repeatedly.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pieces chicken breasts (boneless, skinless, cut into bite-sized)
- 2 cups (480 ml) penne or rotini pasta (uncooked)
- 2 cups (480 ml) marinara sauce
- 2 cups (480 ml) chicken broth or water
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream (optional, for creamier sauce)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh basil or parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Skillet Preparation: Heat olive oil in a spacious skillet over medium-high heat until it radiates culinary promise.
- Chicken Seasoning: Envelop chicken pieces with a robust medley of salt, cracked pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning, then sear until a golden-brown crust emerges and interior reaches perfect doneness.
- Preliminary Staging: Delicately transfer cooked chicken to a separate plate, preserving its warmth while leveraging the skillet’s flavorful remnants.
- Pasta Integration: Introduce pasta directly into the skillet, thoroughly coating each strand with residual chicken-infused oils and seasonings.
- Sauce Fusion: Cascade marinara sauce over the pasta, gently folding to ensure comprehensive coverage and harmonious blending.
- Protein Reintroduction: Nestle the previously cooked chicken pieces back into the skillet, allowing them to seamlessly intermingle with the saucy pasta.
- Cheese Transformation: Generously layer mozzarella and parmesan cheese across the surface, creating a molten, bubbling dairy landscape.
- Final Melding: Cover the skillet, allowing the cheese to melt into a luxurious, stretchy layer that binds the dish’s complex flavors.
- Aromatic Finish: Adorn with fresh basil leaves, introducing a vibrant, herbaceous crescendo to the culinary composition.
Notes
- Manage Chicken Cooking: Ensure chicken pieces are uniform in size for even cooking, preventing some parts from being undercooked or overdone.
- Control Skillet Temperature: Maintain medium-high heat to achieve perfect golden-brown exterior without burning the chicken or creating tough meat texture.
- Cheese Melting Technique: Allow cheese to melt slowly under cover, creating a smooth, stretchy layer that integrates seamlessly with pasta and chicken.
- Dietary Adaptation Options: Easily swap regular pasta with gluten-free alternatives, use low-fat cheese for lighter version, or replace chicken with plant-based protein for vegetarian adaptation.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 564
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 770 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 34 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg