Description
A delicious and hearty Parmesan Chicken Pasta dish, featuring crispy chicken cutlets, creamy marinara pasta sauce, and melted cheese, perfect for a satisfying main course meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Pasta
- 8 ounces cavatappi pasta
Chicken
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, (about 1 1/2 pounds) sliced in half horizontally to make 4 thin chicken cutlets
- 1/2 cup (62.5 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 large eggs, room temperature, beaten
- 1 1/2 cups (150 g) parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 1 cup (108 g) plain panko breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Pasta Sauce
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 jar (24 ounces) marinara sauce
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Toppings
- 1 1/2 cups (150 g) parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1 cup (113 g) mozzarella cheese, shredded
- chopped parsley, for garnish
- shredded parmesan, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook al dente, about 10-12 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain the rest. Set pasta and pasta water aside.
- Prepare chicken coating: Set out three medium bowls. In the first bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. To the second bowl, add the beaten eggs. In the third bowl, combine the parmesan cheese and the panko breadcrumbs.
- Coat the chicken: Working with one piece of chicken at a time, dredge it in the flour mixture, coating all sides. Tap off any excess flour and dip the chicken into the beaten eggs. Then, coat it with the Parmesan mixture, ensuring all sides are evenly coated. Place the coated chicken onto a plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken cutlets.
- Cook the chicken: To a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil. Once hot, add the chicken cutlets and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until they turn golden brown and reach an internal temperature of 165°F. (Depending on the size of the chicken, you may have to work in batches.) Remove the cooked chicken from the pan, place it on a clean plate, and tent it with aluminum foil to keep it warm.
- Make the pasta sauce: Carefully wipe out the skillet. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the diced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the onion has softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the marinara, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Add the cooked pasta. Stir to combine. (Add pasta water to thin the sauce if needed.)
- Add toppings and broil: Top with parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Broil for 2-3 minutes, watching carefully, until the cheese has melted.
- Serve the dish: Slice the chicken into strips and place them on top of the pasta dish. Garnish with chopped parsley and shredded parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Air Fryer Chicken: Follow the instructions for preparing the chicken, then place the cutlets into the basket of your air fryer. (Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may have to work in batches.) Cook for 8 minutes at 400°F, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F. Place the air-fried chicken onto a plate, tenting to keep warm as you continue with the rest of the recipe.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 980 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 36 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg
