Sprig Originals's kitchen / No-Boil Chicken Parmesan Penne Bake
No-Boil Chicken Parmesan Penne Bake
By Sprig Originals · cooked up in Sprig
Worked out from this recipe's ingredients. If you're cooking for an allergy, always read the full ingredient list.
Everything goes into one baking dish raw — dry penne, jarred marinara, water and cubed chicken breast — then bakes under foil until the pasta is tender and the chicken is juicy. A blanket of mozzarella and buttery parmesan panko goes on at the end for that crunchy chicken-parm top. No boiling, no browning, no extra pans, and the leftovers reheat beautifully.
Ingredients
Casserole
- 1 tbsp olive oil, for the dish
- 12 oz dry penne
- 24 oz jarred marinara sauce
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 1/4 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Topping
- 2 cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and rub a 9x13-inch baking dish with the olive oil.
- Add the dry penne, marinara, water, cubed chicken, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper directly to the dish. Stir well with a spoon until the pasta is evenly coated, then spread flat and press down so every piece of pasta and chicken is submerged in liquid.
- Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes.
- Uncover and stir thoroughly, scraping the corners and turning the pasta over so the top layer gets coated in sauce. The pasta should be just tender and the sauce thickened; if the pasta is still firm, re-cover and bake 5 to 8 minutes more.
- In a small bowl, mix the panko, parmesan and melted butter with a fork until crumbly. Scatter the mozzarella evenly over the pasta, then sprinkle the panko mixture over the cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 15 to 18 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling at the edges and the crumbs are deep golden. The chicken should register 165°F (74°C).
- Let the casserole rest 10 minutes so it sets, then scatter the torn basil over the top and cut into squares to serve.
Chef's tips
- Use a standard 9x13 dish — anything smaller and the pasta sits too deep to cook evenly, anything larger and the liquid evaporates before the penne is tender.
- Seal the foil tightly at the edges. That trapped steam is what cooks the pasta, so a loose cover means crunchy penne.
- Stir in 5 oz of baby spinach or 2 cups of chopped zucchini when you uncover at step 4 to work in a vegetable.
- Reheats well: cover with foil and warm at 350°F for 20 minutes, or microwave individual portions with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
- You can assemble through step 2 up to 8 hours ahead and refrigerate covered; add 10 minutes to the covered bake time.
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
620calories
42gprotein
62gcarbs
22gfat
Estimates only — values vary with brands and portions.
Made with Sprig
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