If you're looking for something to do with leftover chicken cutlets, you came to the right place. A ricotta-filled pasta dream, creamy chicken parmesan pasta is a delicious pasta bake with chicken cutlets, tomato sauce, and plenty of parmesan.
If you're interested in more pasta bakes, you would enjoy Authentic Italian Baked Ziti, Italian Stuffed Shells with Meat Sauce and Ricotta, or Brie Pasta.
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Leftover Chicken Cutlets
I make chicken cutlets almost every Monday. I'm constantly coming up with ways to repurpose them, whether it be chicken parm sliders or this pasta bake! Finding ways to make leftovers LESS boring keeps my family happy and means I have to cook new meals less!
Pasta bakes are great because they are easy to make and can easily be reheated. That's why I love Authentic Italian Lasagna. They aren't temperamental sauces like Pasta Alla Gricia that can go wrong in just an instant!
This creamy chicken parmesan pasta is the perfect way to feed your family and reduce the effort doing so! It's a quick weeknight meal that you can make on reheat, and serve with a dollop of ricotta cheese on top and a side of Garlic Parmesan Green Beans
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Rotini. I chose to use rotini pasta. I like rotini in pasta bakes but you could also use ziti or rigatoni. Just don't cook it quite as long as the box says cause you're going to bake it too.
- Chicken Cutlets. I love making this recipe when I have leftover chicken cutlets from the night before. But you could also make Italian chicken cutlets following our recipe the same day.
- Sauce. You can use our Authentic Italian Sunday Sauce or Spicy Vodka Sauce if you have any leftover or in the freezer instead of making more sauce!
*Please see the recipe card below for more information on the ingredients.
Step-by-Step Directions
Normally, I do this recipe with leftover chicken cutlets, but you could make it with fresh cutlets too. Just fry up the cutlets the same way we do in our crispy chicken cutlets recipe, and then start with Step 1 below.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350℉. If you already have your chicken cutlets made, you can chop them up. I also like to slice a couple to place on top of the pasta bake.
Step 2: In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Stir in the minced garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add the whole plum tomatoes. Use a wooden spoon to break apart the tomatoes. Season with salt. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Step 3: In the meantime, bring a pot of water to a boil. Boil the pasta for 2 minutes less than the box says and strain. When the sauce is finished simmering, add the handful of basil. Pour the pasta into the sauce and combine.
Step 4: Once the pasta is well combined, add the ricotta and chopped chicken cutlets and mix. Top the mixture with parmesan and mozzarella and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
If your saucepan isn't oven-safe, you can transfer the dish to a Pyrex baking dish and top it with the cheese there. Once you remove it from the oven, your creamy chicken parmesan pasta is ready to serve!
You can serve it with a vegetable side to make this a complete meal like Lacinato Kale, Caesar Salad, or Italian Cabbage.
Pro-Tips
- If you plan on making the cutlets the same day, follow our Italian chicken cutlets recipe!
- People aren't used to having a hot saucepan and often forget the handle is hot when they have it sitting out on the counter. I have burnt my hand multiple times like this, including with this dish. I always recommend sliding an oven mitt onto the handle so you don't burn your hand.
- Always fry cutlets in olive oil. You're going to get a better flavor and a better fry. You can read all about it in our in-depth article on what oil to fry chicken cutlets in.
I love chicken with red sauce. You can switch it up with our Chicken Rollatini, or if you want something even creamier, try our Creamy Sundried Tomato Chicken Pasta.
You can make more easy weeknight pasta dishes like Simple Pasta with Eggplant and Tomatoes if you want something light, vegetable-forward, or Linguine with Clams for a seafood dish!
Recipe FAQs
The bottom or handle of your saucepan or skillet should have a little oven-safe symbol or say oven-safe. Most metal saucepans can go in the oven, which makes this dish even more convenient.
These are technically different types of cheese, although they are trying to be the same thing. Parmigiana is only a product of certain areas in Italy. It is of protected origin. It can only be made in a few provinces like Parma, Modena, Bologna, and a few more. Parmesan is typically a different flavor and not made quite the same.
Store the pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat by placing it in an oven-safe container and baking it in the oven at 350 degrees.
More Easy Weeknight Meals
📖 Recipe
Creamy Chicken Parmesan Pasta
Equipment
- 1 large saucepan
- 1 large pot
Ingredients
- 6-8 cooked chicken cutlets, chopped or sliced
- 1 28 oz can whole plum tomatoes
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 handful basil
- 1 lb Rotini
- 1 cup ricotta
- ½ cup mozzarella
- ¾ cup parmesan
- 1 teaspoon salt for taste
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Stir in the minced garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add the whole plum tomatoes. Use a wooden spoon to break apart the tomatoes. Season with salt.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Simmer the sauce for 20 minutes. Then stir in the handful of basil. In the meantime, bring a pot of water to a boil. Boil the pasta for 2 minutes less than the box says and strain. Pour the pasta into the sauce and combine.
- Once the pasta is well combined, add the ricotta and chopped chicken cutlets and mix. Top the mixture with parmesan and mozzarella and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and serve!
Notes
- If you plan on making the cutlets the same day, follow our chicken cutlets recipe!
- People aren't used to having a hot saucepan and often forget the handle is hot when they have it sitting out on the counter. I have burnt my hand multiple times like this, including with this dish. I always recommend sliding an oven mitt onto the handle so you don't burn your hand.
Vinny
I'm always looking for a quick and easy recipe to re use our chicken cutlet recipe and this one scratches that itch for me! Hope you enjoy!
J Howe
No where in ingredients or instructions do you say cutlets should be pre-cooked. The only way I found out was in the narrative paragraph just before the recipe, that said it was a good way to use leftover cutlets. This is a very important note to leave out of ingredient list or instructions. Obviously, mixing chicken in with pasta, then baking this in oven for 15-20 minutes would not be enough time to get raw chicken cooked sufficiently. Plus, an oven safe pan would be a good thing to note for novice cooks. Or pour entire pasta mixture into casserole to bake.
Vinny and Marisa
Yes, you have to use precooked chicken cutlets as described where you read it. It's not left out, it is right where you read it! Like you said, obviously you wouldn't stir raw chicken into the dish. Yes and for the novice, when the pan comes out of the oven you should use oven mitts because it will be hot.