Gooey mozzarella cheese, jarred tomato sauce, fresh basil—oh yes! This chicken parmesan baked ziti is one of my go-to weeknight dinner. Bake until golden brown and bubbling. It’s cozy comfort food at its finest. Yields 4 servings.

baked ziti in a cast iron skillet

Easy pasta dinner recipes. 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. 

a cast iron skillet with cheesy 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. 

bowl of dried penne

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. 

pot with penne, tomato sauce and chopped basil

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. If you love this idea you gotta try my Pasta Bake with Ground Turkey, Classic Chicken Parmesan or Chicken Parmesan Meatballs.

skillet with melted cheese over cooked pasta

Don’t be afraid. You got this. 

a skillet with baked pasta with melted cheese
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Ridiculously Easy Chicken Parmesan Baked Ziti

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Description

Gooey mozzarella cheese, jarred tomato sauce, fresh basil—oh yes! This chicken parmesan baked ziti is one of my go-to weeknight dinner. Bake until golden brown and bubbling. It’s cozy comfort food at its finest. Yields 4 servings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 ounces ziti (or 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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skillet with half eaten baked ziti

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