5 amazing parmesan chicken with pasta secrets

Name: 5 amazing parmesan chicken with pasta secrets
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 3/4 inch thickness; 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese; 1 cup plain breadcrumbs; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 teaspoon paprika; 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 2 large eggs; 2 tablespoons milk; 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 12 ounces dry pasta (penne or spaghetti); 1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking water; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

By anna Boncoeur On November 19, 2025

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If you are drowning in takeout menus by 5 PM but still crave something truly satisfying, then you need this parmesan chicken with pasta in your life! Seriously, this isn’t your heavy, soggy baked chicken disaster. This recipe delivers crispy, golden-crusted chicken cutlets nestled right on top of tender pasta swimming in the lightest, most fragrant garlic butter sauce you can imagine. I’m Anna, by the way, and I live to share simple, flavorful chicken recipes that make everyday cooking feel joyful instead of like a chore. I promise this oven-baked wonder will become your absolute go-to for busy nights.

Table Of content

Gathering Your Ingredients for parmesan chicken with pasta

The beauty of this parmesan chicken with pasta is that it relies on pantry staples, but a little attention to prep makes all the difference. Since we are baking the chicken instead of frying it, the coating needs to adhere perfectly and crisp up nicely in the oven. Lay everything out before you start; it makes the assembly process fly by! Remember, we are aiming for maximum flavor with minimal fuss here.

You’ll notice we use real Parmesan—don’t skimp here! The quality of that cheese really determines how savory your crust turns out. Trust me, this recipe is worth gathering these few simple things together.

Chicken and Coating Components

We start with about a pound and a half of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. The most crucial step here is pounding them down evenly to about three-quarters of an inch thick. This ensures they cook quickly and evenly in the oven! For the crust, we mix one cup of finely grated Parmesan cheese with one cup of plain breadcrumbs. Then, we layer the flavor with one teaspoon each of kosher salt, paprika, and Italian seasoning, plus a teaspoon of garlic powder and just a tiny bit of black pepper.

The Flavor Base for the pasta

For the wet side of the dredging station, you’ll need two large eggs whisked with two tablespoons of milk. This mixture helps everything stick! Once the chicken is coated, we use three tablespoons of olive oil, divided, to drizzle over the top for that golden bake. The sauce itself is super simple: just two tablespoons of unsalted butter and three cloves of garlic, minced nice and fine, to create that aromatic base.

Essential Pasta and Finishing Touches

For the pasta, 12 ounces of a sturdy shape like penne or spaghetti works best. The secret weapon for making our light sauce cling to everything is half a cup of reserved pasta cooking water—don’t forget to save it! Finally, you’ll need two tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped, for that bright pop of color and fresh taste right at the end.

Equipment Needed for Baked parmesan chicken with pasta

You don’t need a million fancy gadgets for this parmesan chicken with pasta, which is why I love it so much for busy weeknights! The main thing is getting that chicken crispy in the oven, so you absolutely need a good rimmed baking sheet. Make sure it’s lined with parchment paper—that’s non-negotiable for easy cleanup.

For the sauce and finishing, you’ll want two shallow bowls for your dredging setup, and one large, sturdy skillet. That skillet has to be big enough to toss all the cooked pasta and the sauce ingredients together without everything spilling over the sides. Happy cooking!

Step-by-Step Instructions for parmesan chicken with pasta

Okay, let’s get this amazing oven-baked meal on the table! Since the chicken bakes while the pasta cooks, this whole thing comes together in under 45 minutes. Timing is everything, so get your oven preheating first.

Preparing the Chicken Cutlets and Coating

First things first: crank that oven up to 400°F. Grab your rimmed baking sheet and line it with parchment paper—this saves you scrubbing later, trust me! Now, take your pounded chicken breasts and pat them really dry with paper towels. Seriously, dry chicken means crispy coating, so don’t skip this step.

Set up your dredging stations. In one shallow bowl, mix all your dry coating ingredients: the Parmesan, breadcrumbs, salt, paprika, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and pepper. Whisk them together until everything looks uniformly seasoned. In the second bowl, whisk your two eggs with the milk until they are just combined. Dip each dry chicken piece into the egg wash first, letting the excess drip off. Then, press it firmly into the Parmesan mixture, making sure both sides are completely covered. You want a good, thick crust here. Press it in there!

Baking the Parmesan Chicken to Perfection

Place your coated chicken cutlets onto the prepared baking sheet. They need a little fat to crisp up, so drizzle two tablespoons of olive oil evenly over the tops. Pop that sheet into the hot oven. They bake for about 22 to 26 minutes total. I always check mine right around the 24-minute mark, especially if I pounded them a little thinner than planned.

Here is the most important part for safety and texture: You must use a meat thermometer to check the thickest part of the chicken. It needs to hit 165°F (74°C). When I first started making this, I used to just cut into one to check, and sometimes it was just slightly underdone. Now, I trust the thermometer completely, and the coating comes out golden brown and perfectly crunchy every time!

Cooking the Pasta and Creating the Light Sauce

While that chicken is busy baking, get your pasta cooking in heavily salted boiling water according to the package directions until it’s perfectly al dente. As soon as it’s done, scoop out about half a cup of that starchy cooking water before you drain the rest of the pasta. That water is liquid gold for our sauce! If you are looking for more ways to use up chicken breasts, check out these juicy tips for baked chicken breasts.

Next, grab your large skillet. Heat the remaining one tablespoon of olive oil and the two tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Toss in your three cloves of minced garlic and cook it for just about 30 seconds until you can really smell it—don’t let it burn, or it gets bitter! Immediately add the drained pasta and that reserved pasta water to the skillet. Toss everything quickly until the pasta is lightly coated in that fragrant garlic butter and the liquid has thickened just slightly.

Final Assembly of parmesan chicken with pasta

Once the chicken is perfectly cooked, take it out of the oven and let it rest for just a minute or two. Then, slice each cutlet on a slight diagonal into thick strips. Spoon a generous bed of that lovely garlic butter pasta onto your plates. Arrange the sliced parmesan chicken with pasta right on top. Finish the whole dish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley for color and freshness. Serve it right away while the chicken crust is still singing! You can find more great dinner ideas like this on our Pinterest board.

Tips for Success with Your Baked Parmesan Chicken

Even though this is an easy recipe, a few little tricks make the difference between a good baked chicken and an absolutely fantastic one. We want that golden crust to stay crispy, even when it sits on top of the saucy pasta. Also, since we are dealing with poultry, following a couple of simple safety steps is really important so everyone can enjoy this meal worry-free.

Achieving Maximum Chicken Crispiness

The biggest secret to a crispy baked coating is space! When you place the chicken on the baking sheet, make sure none of the pieces are touching. If they overlap or crowd the pan, they steam instead of bake, and you end up with a soggy bottom. That’s a tragedy! Also, make sure you drizzle that olive oil evenly over the top of the crust before it goes into the oven. That fat is what helps toast the breadcrumbs and Parmesan into that gorgeous, crunchy shell.

Handling Raw Chicken Safely

We all know how important it is to be careful with raw chicken. As soon as you finish patting the chicken dry—before you even start dipping it—wash your hands really well with soap and warm water. Once you’ve handled the raw meat, avoid touching anything else, like spice jars or measuring cups, until you’ve washed up again. And please, after you’ve finished the dredging process, clean your cutting board, the bowls, and anything else that touched the raw chicken immediately. A quick wipe down with hot, soapy water is usually all it takes! For other crispy chicken ideas, check out this baked chicken tenders recipe.

Storing and Reheating Leftover parmesan chicken with pasta

It’s rare we have leftovers of this incredible parmesan chicken with pasta because everyone eats it all, but if you do manage to save some, you want to treat it right! The biggest challenge with leftovers is keeping that beautiful Parmesan crust from getting soft from the sauce and pasta underneath. A little planning goes a long way to making day-two leftovers taste almost as good as fresh.

Storage Guidelines

The best way to store your leftovers is to separate the chicken from the sauced pasta if you can. Use airtight containers, definitely. If you have to keep them together, try to put a layer of paper towel underneath the chicken pieces before sealing the lid. You can safely keep leftovers in the fridge for up to three days. Don’t forget to cool everything down quickly before putting it away!

Best Methods for Reheating

Please, for the love of crispy coatings, avoid the microwave if you can! Microwaving turns that perfect crust into sad, wet breading. Instead, reheat the chicken separately on a baking sheet in a toaster oven or a regular oven set to 350°F for about 8 to 10 minutes until it’s warmed through and the crust firms up a bit. If you want to reheat the pasta, toss it briefly in a skillet with a tiny splash of water or butter to loosen it up before serving the chicken on top.

Frequently Asked Questions About parmesan chicken with pasta

I get so many great questions about making this recipe work perfectly at home, especially when you’re trying to squeeze it into a busy schedule. People often ask how to streamline the process or tweak the flavors for their family. This parmesan chicken with pasta is super adaptable, but here are the answers to the most common things I hear!

Can I prepare the chicken coating ahead of time?

You absolutely can set up your dry coating mixture—the Parmesan, breadcrumbs, and spices—in advance! Mix it all up and store it in an airtight container on the counter for up to a day. However, I strongly advise against coating the chicken itself ahead of time. The egg wash makes the breadcrumbs soggy pretty quickly, and you need that dry surface right before baking for the best crisp. Prep the dry stuff, but coat the chicken right before it hits the oven.

What is the best pasta shape for this easy chicken dinner?

Since this is an easy chicken dinner where the sauce is light and relies on the pasta water, you want a shape that can capture that garlic butter! Penne is my top choice because the ridges and the hollow center grab onto the sauce beautifully. Spaghetti works well too, but rigatoni or rotini are also fantastic options for this weeknight pasta because they scoop up all those little bits of garlic. If you enjoy pasta dishes, you might also like this creamy Monterey chicken spaghetti.

How can I make this a lower-sodium parmesan chicken with pasta?

If you are watching your sodium, the coating is where you can make the biggest difference! The recipe calls for a teaspoon of kosher salt, but you can easily cut that in half or even leave it out entirely if your Parmesan cheese is already quite salty. Remember, Parmesan gets saltier as it ages, so taste your cheese first! You can also swap out half the regular breadcrumbs for unseasoned or low-sodium varieties.

Nutritional Estimates for parmesan chicken with pasta

Since everyone wants to know what they are eating, here are the approximate nutritional breakdowns for one serving of this delicious parmesan chicken with pasta. Keep in mind these are estimates and can change based on the exact chicken thickness and the brand of cheese you use!