Skillet Chicken Parmesan Pasta
This skillet chicken parmesan pasta is our go-to dinner recipe when we are looking for all the delicious flavors of chicken parm but without all the work and fuss. (Because I don’t know about you, but I’m not about breading and frying chicken on a Tuesday night!) So we’re breaking it down and cooking it all together in a skillet, instead of making the layers separately. Tender chicken is cooked with saucy marinara and melty cheese – and everything is served over pasta and topped off with golden toasty breadcrumbs to add the *chef’s kiss* finishing touch.
Chicken parm, without the fussy breading and frying.
Tender chicken, flavorful marinara, melty cheese, toasty breadcrumbs, and perfectly-cooked pasta – it’s comfort food at its best!
Inspired by classic chicken Parmesan, but made easier at home. It’s…
😋 Seriously delicious: Tender chicken, rich marinara sauce, and melty cheese served over pasta – it’s the perfect comfort food combination.
🛒 Made with simple ingredients: This skillet meal is made with pantry staples and basic ingredients you probably already have on hand.
⏰ Ready in 30 minutes: From start to finish, this complete dinner comes together incredibly quickly.
🍽️ Skillet meal: Instead of cooking everything separately, we’re cooking the chicken, sauce, and cheese in one skillet!
👨👩👧👦 Family-friendly: Appeals to all ages with familiar Italian flavors kids and adults both love.
🥄 Balanced: We have protein, veggies, carbs! Serve with a green veggie or salad on the side to round it out.
You’ll also want to try my orecchiette with sausage, creamy tomato pasta, or sheet pan pierogi dinner next time.
I’ve come back to this recipe several times! It is very easy and delicious. Making it again tonight. 🙂 –Bekah
Ingredient Notes
You’ll need some fresh ingredients and pantry staples to bring this chicken parmesan pasta skillet to the table: onion, garlic, chicken tenders, sea salt, olive oil, pasta, butter, panko breadcrumbs, marinara sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, drizzling olive oil, flaky sea salt, and red pepper flakes.
Emily’s Tips & Tricks
- Pro tip: Use a meat thermometer to ensure you don’t overcook you chicken!
- Feeding kids without pressure: I would recommend serving the chicken mixture in a pinch bowl (taster bowl) if it’s a new or learning-to-like it food and let everyone top their own pasta. Serve the meal with a few items you know your kids will eat, like fruit, milk, and/or bread and butter if they don’t like pasta.
- Additions: If you want a creamy sauce, drizzle some heavy cream into the sauce before adding the cheese.
Skillet Chicken Parmesan Pasta
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
The whole family will love this EASY chicken parmesan made in a skillet and served over pasta. All the delicious flavor, none of the fuss.
Ingredients
- 1/2 white onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 lb. chicken tenders (skinless, boneless)
- 3/4 tsp. sea salt
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 16 oz. short pasta like cavatappi
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 cups high-quality marinara sauce (16 oz.)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- olive oil, flaky sea salt, red pepper flakes (to taste)
Instructions
- Prepare ingredients:
Dice onion.
Mince garlic.
Cut chicken into 1″ pieces and season with sea salt. (Using kitchen shears makes this quick!)
Start boiling pasta water. - Cook pasta to al dente in a large pot of salted water, according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- While pasta is cooking, cook chicken. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and chicken and cook for about 5-8 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. (Turn down the heat to medium if things are browning.)
- While chicken is cooking, melt butter in a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat and add panko bread crumbs. Stir frequently and cook until golden brown, removing from heat and transferring to a bowl immediately to stop cooking.
- When the chicken is cooked through, stir in marinara sauce. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Stir mozzarella cheese into the cooked chicken mixture.
- Place a serving of pasta onto a plate and top with chicken mixture, toasted bread crumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, flaky sea salt, and red pepper flakes to taste.
Notes
- Storage: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store breadcrumbs separately in an airtight container at room temperature. Reheat chicken and pasta leftovers in the microwave or a hot skillet and top with bread crumbs.
- Ingredient notes: Thin-cut chicken breasts work best, but you could also use chicken thighs if you prefer. Definitely use panko breadcrumbs! Traditional breadcrumbs won’t toast up as well. You can find them in the breadcrumb or Asian section.
- Make it creamy. If you want a super creamy chicken parm, drizzle in a bit of heavy cream right when you take it off the heat, before stirring in the mozzarella cheese.
- Helpful tools: A large oven-safe skillet works best for cooking everything together and finishing under the broiler.
- Serve with: Garlic bread, Caesar salad, or steamed broccoli for a complete Italian-inspired dinner.
Serving Suggestions
All this meal needs is a green veggie or side! Here are a few favorites:
FAQs
You can use any shorter pasta for this chicken parm pasta. I love cavatappi, but bow-ties, penne pasta, or fusilli would also work well. Using a shorter pasta ensures that each bite has a bit of everything.
Yes! Want to add extra veggies to this meal? While the onions are cooking, you can also add chopped mushrooms, chopped baby spinach or kale, or even chopped artichokes (canned).
More Easy Pasta Recipes
If you like this weeknight chicken pasta, you might also like some of these other easy pasta recipes:
- One-Pot Creamy Tomato Pasta
- Chicken and Broccoli Ziti
- Shrimp Linguine
- Sausage and Broccoli Orecchiette
- Lemon Ricotta Pasta
About the Author
Emily Dingmann is a recipe developer, nutrition expert, and founder of My Everyday Table. She specializes in creating easy, healthy recipes that help busy parents feed their families well every single day, without the stress. With a degree in Nutrition and over 20 years of experience, Emily shares family-friendly meals that are practical, nourishing, and full of flavor. Learn more about Emily’s approach to everyday cooking and nutrition here.
Food styling and photography by Loren Runion.
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I’ve come back to this recipe several times! It is very easy and delicious. Making it again tonight 🙂
Yay! It’s such a favorite at our house, too!
My toddlers gobbled this up! Easy to make & so delicious!
Yesss! That’s what I like to hear! 🙂