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Parmesan Chicken Baked Ziti

Apr 9, 2016 / by / 28 Comments(updated Jul 15, 2020)
★★★★★ from 5 reviews

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Parmesan Chicken Baked Ziti is total comfort food and assembles with less than 10 ingredients you probably already have!

Parmesan Chicken Baked Ziti-3

Easy dinners. You asked for it! This Parmesan Chicken Baked Ziti is the perfect amount of cozy and comfort, without being heavy. I mean, I love cheese, but I can’t stand when there’s giant globs of melted cheese in my baked ziti. I want ooey gooey stringy cheesy bites every time. 

Parmesan Chicken Baked Ziti

With less than 10 simple ingredients (which you probably already have most of in your pantry), this satisfying dinner can be on the table in no time. 

Parmesan Chicken Baked Ziti

I’m actually sad to admit this, but it’s been a while since I’ve used plain old regular pasta. I’ve been experimenting lately with brown rice pasta, gluten free pasta, and even black bean pasta (which by the way, I’m not a fan of). And while this can be done with any of those alternatives, there’s  nothing quite like the original. 

Parmesan Chicken Baked Ziti

I love how easy this meal is to make. And I know you will too. I got lucky with this one, because even my kids ate it! I make no promises here, but it really is THAT good. 

Parmesan Chicken Baked Ziti-5

Don’t be afraid. You got this. 

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Parmesan Chicken Baked Ziti

★★★★★ 4.6 from 5 reviews
  • Yield: 4 1x
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Description

Parmesan Chicken Baked Ziti is total comfort food and assembles with less than 10 ingredients you probably already have!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 ounces penne pasta
  • 1 pound boneless (skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch pieces)
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • Salt & pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
  • 2 cups tomato sauce (I love the Tomato Basil Sauce from Trader Joe’s)
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add 2 large pinches of salt, then add the pasta and cook according to the package, about 10-11 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet with 1 teaspoon of olive oil over medium/high heat. Add the chicken and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper, the garlic powder, and dried basil. Cook for about 5 minutes until chicken is just cooked through. Turn off heat and set aside.
  3. Once the pasta is done cooking, drain it, then return the hot pasta to the pot. Add the chicken, tomato sauce, chopped fresh basil, and mix together until the pasta is well coated.
  4. Add half of the pasta mixture back to the skillet that you cooked the chicken in, (or you can use a greased 9×11 baking dish). Sprinkle with 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup parmesan. Add the rest of the pasta, then top with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan.
  5. Bake for 20-25 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Garnish with extra fresh basil and serve warm.
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    Comments

  2. Brooke Daniel

    I made this with a head of cauliflower cut into bite size pieces instead of the pasta. I steamed the cauliflower for 4 minutes first. It was actually delicious! My husband can’t eat carbs, so this was my attempt and I was surprised it worked so well. I also added sauted mushrooms. Thanks for a great recipe!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  5. PastaLover

    Doubled the recipe and made this last night for my boyfriend and roommates and we all loved it! It’s a great meal that is budget friendly as well 🙂 perfect for a college student!

    Thank you!

    ★★★★

    Reply

  7. Todd Rygelski

    So what can I do to tweak this into a healthy recipe? I am assuming swap out the pasta for whole wheat or something along those lines. Please share any tips you have! Thanks!

    Reply

    • Life is but a Dish

      Not sure it would ever be a totally healthy recipe, but it could be made a bit healthier by using a whole wheat or gluten free pasta or adding some veggies?

  8. Nikki

    Love the twist on baked ziti! Baked ziti is one of my most favorite dishes to make and eat!! It’s the first meal I ever cooked for my husband when we were dating and I made enough to feed an army! I will be trying this dish out for sure! 🙂

    Reply

  12. Michelle (What's Cooking with Kids)

    Looks delicious and so simple that older kids could do most of it by themselves! Love that!

    Reply