Pioneer Woman Cheesy Chicken Parmesan Pasta Bake

Pioneer Woman cheesy chicken parmesan pasta bake takes 1 hour and crispy chicken thighs, rotini and fontina cheese to make a bubbly, saucy casserole. Try this easy chicken parmesan casserole for Sunday dinner or family night, since it's a one-dish bake that makes great leftovers.

Cook the rotini a minute or two short of the package time, because it keeps baking in the marinara. Skip that and the pasta turns mushy by the time the cheese is golden.

Mixing flour into the panko and fine breadcrumbs coats every inch of the chicken, which plain panko can't do. The chicken only browns in the skillet, then finishes in the oven on top of the cheesy pasta.

Pioneer Woman Cheesy Chicken Parmesan Pasta Bake

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: DinnerCuisine: American, ItalianDifficulty: Medium

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Calories

1457

kcal

Crisp breaded chicken thighs sit on saucy rotini under a blanket of melted fontina and Parmesan. The crumb coating stays crunchy on the edges while the pasta underneath soaks up the marinara.

Ingredients

• FOR THE PASTA:
  

• 1 lb. Whole Wheat Rotini
  

• 1 jar (24 Oz. Size) Marinara Sauce, Divided
  

• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
  

• 1/2 tsp. Dried Basil
  

• 12 oz. weight Fontina Cheese, Freshly Grated, Divided
  

• 1/4 c. Finely Grated Parmesan Cheese
  

• FOR THE CHICKEN:
  

• 3 tbsp. Vegetable Or Canola Oil
  

• 1 lb. Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs
  

• 1 1/4 c. All-purpose Flour, Divided
  

• 1 tsp. Salt
  

• 1 tsp. Pepper
  

• 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
  

• 3 Eggs, Lightly Beaten
  

• 2 c. Seasoned Panko Bread Crumbs
  

• 1/2 c. Seasoned Fine Breadcrumbs
  

Directions

• Preheat and prep: Preheat the oven to 375°F and spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Then bring a big pot of water to a boil for the pasta.
• Cook the rotini: Cook 1 lb. whole wheat rotini according to the package directions, but pull it a minute or two early. It will finish cooking in the oven, so slightly firm is what you want.
• Set up breading bowls: Stir together 1 cup flour, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. pepper and 1 tsp. garlic powder in one bowl. Add the 3 beaten eggs to a second bowl, then mix the 2 cups panko, 1/2 cup seasoned fine breadcrumbs and remaining 1/4 cup flour in a third.
• Bread the chicken: Season the chicken thighs with a little salt and pepper, then dip each piece in the flour, then the egg. Press it into the breadcrumbs so they stick.
• Brown the chicken: Heat 3 tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the chicken. Cook 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply golden.
• Build the pasta base: Pour 3/4 of the 24 oz. jar of marinara into the baking dish and stir in 2 cloves minced garlic and 1/2 tsp. dried basil. Then stir in the cooked rotini and half of the 12 oz. fontina.
• Top and bake: Lay the chicken on top of the pasta, spoon the remaining marinara over it and scatter on the remaining fontina. Sprinkle 1/4 cup Parmesan over everything and bake 30 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
• Rest and serve: Let the bake cool for a few minutes before serving. That helps the sauce settle so the pasta scoops out cleanly.

Tools for this recipe

• Pyrex 9x13 glass baking dish, Lodge 10.25-inch cast iron skillet, OXO 12-inch locking tongs, Parmigiano Reggiano wedges, aged 24 months. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?

Yes, boneless chicken breasts work if you slice them into thinner cutlets first so they cook through in the oven. Thighs stay juicier during the long bake, so breasts can dry out if they are thick.

How long do leftovers keep?

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat covered in a 350°F oven so the pasta warms through, because the microwave softens the breadcrumb coating.

Can I assemble this ahead of time?

You can bread the chicken and cook the pasta earlier in the day and keep them in the fridge. Build and bake it just before dinner, since sitting in sauce makes the crust soggy.

What if I don't have fontina cheese?

Mozzarella is the easiest swap and melts into the same stretchy layer. Provolone works too, and either one still gets the Parmesan on top.

What is the most common mistake with this bake?

Overcooking the pasta before it goes in the oven is the big one. It keeps absorbing sauce for 30 minutes, so fully cooked rotini ends up mushy.