By Elina This one pot chicken parmesan pasta recipe takes everything people love about chicken parmesan — golden chicken, tomato sauce, melted mozzarella — and cooks it as a single skillet of pasta in about 40 minutes, with one pan to wash. The penne cooks right in the sauce, so the starch thickens it into something that clings instead of pooling, and the mozzarella goes on at the very end, when the pasta is already tender, so it melts into a blanket instead of turning rubbery. That order — sear, sauce, simmer, cheese — is the whole trick, and it is the difference between a glossy skillet dinner and a pot of soggy noodles.
If weeknights at your house run on one-pan dinners, this one earns its place fast. It feeds four generously, it reheats well for lunch the next day, and the ingredient list is short enough to shop from memory: chicken, penne, a jar of marinara, broth, and two cheeses.
Why the Pasta Cooks in the Sauce (and Why the Liquid Matters)
Most one-pot pasta recipes fail on the liquid. Too little and the penne sticks and scorches before it softens; too much and you end up with chicken soup that happens to contain pasta. The ratio that works here is one jar (24 ounces) of marinara plus 2 cups of chicken broth for 12 ounces of penne. The broth thins the sauce just enough for the pasta to move and absorb, and as the penne cooks it releases starch that pulls everything back together into a sauce thick enough to coat a spoon.
The second thing that matters is the sear. Chicken pieces that go straight into sauce stay pale and a little steamy-tasting. Six or seven minutes in hot olive oil first, without crowding the pan, gives them browned edges that survive the simmer and actually taste like chicken parmesan rather than boiled chicken in tomato sauce.
A wide, deep skillet with a tight-fitting lid is the right pan. A narrow saucepan stacks the pasta too deep and cooks unevenly; a shallow frying pan without a lid lets the sauce evaporate before the penne is done. If your skillet has no lid, a large baking sheet set over the top works fine.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 jar (24 oz / 680 g) marinara sauce
- 2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- 12 oz (340 g) penne pasta, uncooked
- 1/2 cup (50 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 2 cups (225 g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for serving
On the cheese: low-moisture mozzarella is non-negotiable here. Fresh mozzarella releases a puddle of water as it melts and thins the sauce you just spent 15 minutes thickening. Shredding from a block melts smoother than bagged shreds, but bagged works if that is what you have — just skip the “fresh” kind sold in water.
On the sauce: use a marinara you like eating straight from the jar, because nothing in this recipe hides it. A thin, watery sauce makes a thin final dish; a thick, well-seasoned one is half the work done.
One-Pot Chicken Parmesan Pasta Recipe, Step by Step
Step 1: Season and sear the chicken. Toss the 1 1/2 lb of chicken pieces with the 1 teaspoon of salt, the 1/2 teaspoon of pepper and the 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning. Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the chicken in a single layer and sear without moving it for 3 minutes, then stir and cook 3–4 minutes more, until golden on the outside. The centers do not need to be cooked through yet — the simmer finishes them. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
Step 2: Build the sauce in the same pan. Lower the heat to medium. Add the 4 cloves of sliced garlic and the 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, if using, and cook 30 seconds until fragrant — no longer, or the garlic turns bitter. Pour in the jar of marinara and the 2 cups of chicken broth, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Those bits are flavor; leave them and the sauce tastes flat. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Step 3: Add the penne and the chicken. Stir in the 12 oz of uncooked penne and return the seared chicken to the pan, pushing the pasta down so it is mostly submerged. It is fine if a few tips poke out — they soften as the sauce bubbles. Do not add extra water at this point, even if it looks thick; the pasta has not started absorbing yet.
Step 4: Simmer, covered, until tender. Cover the skillet, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 14–16 minutes, stirring once halfway through so nothing sticks to the bottom. The pasta is done when it is tender and the sauce has thickened to coat it. If the sauce is still loose, simmer uncovered for 2–3 minutes; if it is too thick, stir in a splash of broth.
Step 5: Add the cheeses off the heat. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the 1/2 cup of Parmesan until melted. Scatter the 2 cups of mozzarella over the top, cover again and let it stand for 2–3 minutes, until the mozzarella melts into a blanket. Do not stir the mozzarella in — it stays stretchy and distinct on top this way.
Step 6: Rest, garnish and serve. Rest the skillet for 5 minutes so the sauce sets and the cheese settles. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley, plus extra Parmesan if you like, and serve straight from the pan while the cheese still pulls.
How to Store & Reheat
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The pasta will keep absorbing sauce in the fridge, so it will be a little thicker the next day — that is normal, and a splash of broth when reheating brings it right back.
To reheat, warm it gently in a covered skillet over low heat with a splash of chicken broth, stirring occasionally, until it is hot all the way through. Microwaving works too: heat in 1-minute bursts, stirring between bursts, and add a splash of broth if it looks dry. Add a fresh handful of mozzarella on top only if you want it melty again, because reheating the cheese that is already in the pan is usually enough.
What to Serve With It
This skillet is rich, so pair it with something fresh or simple. A crisp green salad or a plate of roasted broccoli keeps the meal from feeling heavy. For a cozy, full spread, serve it alongside a meatball casserole or a cheesy hamburger rice casserole — both are one-pan comfort foods that fit the same weeknight mood. If you are cooking for a crowd, a garlic parmesan chicken meatloaf on the side stretches the meal without much extra work.
If you want a lighter plate, keep it to the pasta, a salad and some crusty bread for the sauce. The sauce is too good to leave behind, and bread is the simplest way to get every last bit.
And if you want one more comfort dish for the week, make the skillet first and let it rest while you put a simple salad together — dinner lands on the table in about 40 minutes, with almost nothing to clean up after.
One-Pot Chicken Parmesan Pasta Recipe FAQs
Can I use a different pasta shape? Yes, but stick to a short shape with a similar cook time, such as rigatoni, rotini or shells. Long pasta like spaghetti tangles and cooks unevenly in a shallow skillet, and very small shapes like orzo absorb too much liquid too fast. If you swap shapes, check for tenderness a few minutes early and add a splash of broth if the sauce gets too thick.
Can I make this with chicken thighs instead of breasts? Yes. Boneless, skinless thighs work well and stay juicy through the simmer. Cut them into 1-inch pieces, sear them the same way and cook them the same length of time — they are forgiving if they go a little longer.
Can I freeze one-pot chicken parmesan pasta? You can, but the texture changes. Freeze it in an airtight container for up to 2 months, then thaw it in the fridge overnight and reheat it gently with a splash of broth. The mozzarella will not be as stretchy after freezing, but the flavor holds up.
How do I keep the pasta from sticking to the pan? Use a wide, deep skillet, keep the heat low once the lid goes on, and stir once halfway through the simmer. That one stir breaks up any clumps and keeps the bottom layer from catching. If your skillet runs hot, check it a couple of minutes early.
Final Thoughts
This is the kind of dinner that earns a permanent spot in the rotation: one skillet, about 40 minutes, and a sauce that actually tastes like chicken parmesan instead of just pasta with cheese on top. Sear the chicken properly, give the pasta enough liquid and let the cheese melt at the very end, and the whole thing comes together without a second pan. If you make it, tell me how it turned out — I would love to hear what you served with it. You can find more one-pan dinners and weeknight recipes on @cravewavekitchen on Instagram.
One-Pot Chicken Parmesan Pasta Recipe
One pot chicken parmesan pasta recipe: seared chicken, penne and marinara simmer in one skillet under melted mozzarella. Dinner in 40 minutes, one pan to wash.
10 minutes
30 minutes
40 minutes
4 servings
Ingredients
Instructions
Chef Tips
- Do not use fresh mozzarella — it releases water and thins the sauce.
- Keep the heat low once the pasta goes in so the sauce simmers gently instead of scorching.
- Stir once halfway through the covered simmer so the pasta cooks evenly and does not stick.
- Let the skillet rest for 5 minutes before serving so the sauce thickens and the cheese settles.
