This easy recipe for creamy chicken parmesan pasta blends the pasta right in with the cheesy chicken and tomatoes for a perfect comfort food supper!
Jump to:
- Why we love this recipe ❤️
- What is Chicken Parmesan? 🧀
- Ingredients you need 🍅
- Ingredient notes and substitutions 📝
- How to make this recipe 👩🏻🍳
- Recipe FAQs 🧐
- Equipment we used for this recipe 🥣
- What to serve with this recipe 🍽️
- Other chicken dinner recipes we love! ❤️
- We want to know what you think! 🤔
- Chicken Parmesan Pasta
Why we love this recipe ❤️
This is one of my sure-fire ways to make absolutely certain that everyone around my Carolina dining room table is going to be Very Happy about the dinner menu.
Just the two words “chicken” and Parmesan” are enough to get that table set and candles lit (yes, I always insist upon that part) so fast it could make your head spin in all the good ways.
Of course me being me, I couldn’t leave good old traditional chicken parm alone. I can never resist the temptation to take a classic and switch it up a little, just to see what happens.
This recipe for a pasta version of chicken parm takes the original version of chicken parmesan and messes around with it until you have a pan full of tender breaded chicken mixed in with pasta and cheese and tomatoes and creamy, dreamy sauce.
What is Chicken Parmesan? 🧀
Chicken parmesan (which is also know as Chicken Parmigiana) is a beloved Italian-American dish. It traditionally includes a breaded and fried boneless chicken breast that is topped with a marinara sauce covered with mozzarella and parmesan cheese and then baked until it is golden brown. It is usually served with a generous amount of pasta on the side.
This recipe swaps the large chicken breast for smaller chicken tenders, and uses cherry tomatoes in a creamy sauce instead of the marinara. And we add the pasta right in with the chicken parm for an all in one delicious chicken dinner.
Ingredients you need 🍅
Ingredient notes and substitutions 📝
- Chicken: We like easy-to-use chicken tenders, which can be found next to the regular boneless chicken, but you can also get chicken breasts (or chicken thighs) and cut them into chicken tender shape, around 1 inch by 3 inch pieces.
- Pasta: A short pasta (elbows, penne, campanelle) works best for this recipe, eating-wise!
- Breadcrumbs: We like fresh breadcrumbs for this recipe (whirl a slice or two of bread in your food processor) but dried breadcrumbs will work too.
- Mozzarella: Either full fat or low fat will work.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities and nutritional information.
How to make this recipe 👩🏻🍳
STEP 1: Cook pasta according to package directions and drain.
STEP 2: Put the beaten egg in one shallow dish (a pie plate works great for this) and the breadcrumbs and Parmesan in another. Mix the breadcrumbs and cheese together. Dip each piece of chicken in the egg and then in the breadcrumbs.
STEP 3: Heat some olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat and cook for 3 minutes or until golden, turning gently with tongs halfway through. Remove to a plate and add the rest of the oil to the skillet.
STEP 4: Add the cherry tomatoes and stir until softened, about a minute or two. Stir in cream, oregano and salt and pepper and bring to a simmer.
STEP 5: Add chicken and pasta and stir gently until everything is combined. Add one cup of mozzarella and stir again.
STEP 6: Top with the rest of the cheese, cover the pan, turn off the heat and let it sit for about 5 minutes until cheese on top is nice and melty. Garnish with parsley and more parmesan, scoop and serve!
Recipe FAQs 🧐
A chicken tender is a piece of (yep!) tender white chicken meat underneath the chicken breast. Chicken tenders are usually covered in bread crumbs and breaded and then fried so they are crispy and crunchy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside.
You can! We recommend a short pasta (like penne or bowties or elbows) for easier eating.
It can! All the way up to adding that last addition of cheese.Store it in the fridge, and when it is time for supper, bring it to room temperature, slowly reheat it on the stove, and then do the last step where you add the last of the cheese and cover it up to melt.
Pop your question in the Comments section under the recipe card and I will answer pronto!
Equipment we used for this recipe 🥣
These are some of my favorite kitchen tools! These are Amazon affiliate links, which means I get a little something if you buy through my links at no extra cost to you. (Which helps pay for all that bacon I keep buying! 😄) And I only share things I use and love. I’m so grateful for your support!
- Measuring Cup: We love these angled cups that show the measurements on both the inside and outside of the cup.
- Cutting Board: These sturdy, dishwasher-safe cutting boards come in all different sizes.
- Large Skillet: We have a few of these in our cupboard but this is one of our faves.
- Fine Mesh Strainer: This is the one we reach for when we need teeny tiny holes! Or if we just need to drain something.
- Large Pot: We have a lot of these but this is our fave!
- Measuring Spoons: These handy magnetic spoons are not on a ring, so you can just pick the one you need.
- Pie Plate: You can use any pie plate you have – regular or deep dish. Here is one of ours that works great for this recipe.
- Tongs: We have this essential kitchen tool in all sizes from short to extra long.
What to serve with this recipe 🍽️
We like to add some extra veggies alongside this skillet supper! Carrots with thyme or creamy whipped carrots are perfect. A hunk of sheet pan focaccia for getting every drop of sauce, and some saucepan brownies for dessert!
Other chicken dinner recipes we love! ❤️
We want to know what you think! 🤔
If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section below the recipe card.
Chicken Parmesan Pasta
This easy recipe for creamy chicken parmesan pasta blends the pasta right in with the cheesy chicken and tomatoes for a perfect comfort food supper!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound short pasta like penne or campanelle, cooked and drained
- 1/2 pound chicken tenders, or boneless chicken breasts cut into small strips
- 1 egg, beaten
- 3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in halves
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 2 cups mozzarella, shredded
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions and drain.
- While the pasta is cooking, put the beaten egg in one shallow dish (a pie plate works great for this) and the breadcrumbs and Parmesan in another. Mix the breadcrumbs and cheese together. Dip each piece of chicken in the egg and then in the breadcrumbs.
- Add half the olive oil to the skillet, heat over medium high heat and cook for 3 minutes or until golden, turning gently with tongs halfway through. Remove to a plate and add the rest of the oil to the skillet.
- Add the cherry tomatoes and stir until softened, about a minute or two. Stir in cream, oregano and salt and pepper and bring to a simmer.
- Add chicken and pasta and stir gently until everything is combined. Add one cup of mozzarella and stir again.
- Top with the rest of the cheese, cover the pan, turn off the heat and let it sit for about 5 minutes until cheese on top is nice and melty. Garnish with parsley and more parmesan, scoop and serve!
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