Description
Hearty one-pot chicken parmesan delight brings Italian comfort straight to home kitchens. Cheesy chicken nestled with pasta creates a simple, satisfying meal promising pure culinary pleasure for hungry diners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2–3 boneless, skinless chicken fillets, diced into bite-sized pieces
- 16 oz (454 g) dried short-cut pasta (e.g., rigatoni)
- 24 oz (680 g) jar of marinara sauce (e.g., Newman’s Own)
- 1 cup water
- 1 medium yellow onion, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Additional dried Italian seasoning, optional
- Fresh parsley and/or basil, minced for garnish
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat a substantial pot with olive oil over medium-high heat, creating an ideal searing environment for the chicken.
- Chicken Seasoning and Searing: Coat chicken pieces with salt, pepper, Italian herbs, and garlic powder, then expertly sear until golden and almost fully cooked, capturing rich flavors and caramelized exterior.
- Aromatic Base: In the same pot, sauté minced onion and garlic until soft and translucent, developing a fragrant foundation for the sauce.
- Sauce Development: Pour marinara sauce into the pot, rinsing the jar with water to incorporate every remnant of flavor, then strategically place chicken back into the liquid.
- Pasta Integration: Distribute dried pasta throughout the sauce, ensuring complete submersion, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cover, allowing ingredients to harmonize and pasta to cook perfectly.
- Cheese Transformation: Once pasta reaches al dente texture, fold in Parmesan and mozzarella, stirring until cheeses melt luxuriously into the sauce, creating a creamy, indulgent consistency.
- Final Embellishment: Sprinkle remaining mozzarella across the top, letting it bubble and turn golden, then garnish with fresh herbs for a vibrant, appetizing presentation.
- Serving: Plate immediately, showcasing the dish’s compelling blend of textures and flavors at peak temperature.
Notes
- Master Chicken Searing: Achieve golden-brown perfection by ensuring chicken pieces are dry before seasoning and searing, which locks in flavor and creates a beautiful crust.
- Pasta Submersion Secret: Completely cover pasta with liquid to guarantee even cooking and prevent dry or undercooked spots, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Cheese Melting Magic: Add cheese gradually and off direct heat to prevent separation and achieve a smooth, creamy sauce texture that coats every ingredient.
- One-Pot Cleanup Hack: Use the same pot for multiple cooking stages to maximize flavor development and minimize dish washing, capturing every delicious remnant from each step.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 75 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg