Parmesan Chicken Baked Ziti is total comfort food and assembles with less than 10 ingredients you probably already have!
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.
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.
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.
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.
Don’t be afraid. You got this.
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Parmesan Chicken Baked Ziti is total comfort food and assembles with less than 10 ingredients you probably already have!
Ingredients
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Garnish with extra fresh basil and serve warm.
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Danielle - The Creative Bite
I could take a big plate of this for dinner, it looks amazing!!!
Life is but a Dish
Thank you!
Megan @ MegUnprocessed
Baked Ziti is such an easy, delicious dish! This looks great!
Life is but a Dish
Thanks Megan!
Thalia @ butter and brioche
Love pasta bakes! This looks divine and I just love that rich colour and cheesy top.
Life is but a Dish
Thank you!!
Michelle (What's Cooking with Kids)
Looks delicious and so simple that older kids could do most of it by themselves! Love that!
Life is but a Dish
Yes! A great recipe for kids!
Megan @ MegUnprocessed
Looks amazing! This going to be a hit to pasta lovers.
Heather@thefedupfoodie
This looks beautifully simple and delicious!
Life is but a Dish
Thank you!!
Todd Rygelski
Looks fantastic! Is this a healthy version or does this recipe need tweaked to be considered healthy?
Life is but a Dish
Thanks! Probably needs a little tweaking 🙂
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! 🙂
Life is but a Dish
Aww love that! Ziti is def a fave of mine too!
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!
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?
Chris
Gorgeous!
★★★★★
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!
★★★★
Life is but a Dish
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!
Nancy
Where’s the ziti??? It’s penne
Life is but a Dish
Oops! You can totally use ziti!
Brittany
I was wondering if i could use Mexican cheese instead of mozzarella?
★★★★
Life is but a Dish
Sure!
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!
★★★★★
Life is but a Dish
I’m so glad you liked it!