Chicken parmesan pasta casserole

A one-pot wonder of a meal!

This dish offers all the great flavour of classic chicken parmesan, combined in a super easy one-pot pasta dish that’s ready in just 30 minutes – and even less if you cook the chicken ahead of time. It can be prepared in a larger oven-safe pot or, for a slightly elevated presentation, prepare the dish to the point of stirring in the parmesan and some of the mozzarella, then scoop into individual oven-safe ramekins. Sprinkle with remaining cheese then top with breadcrumbs (to mimic the breading on classic chicken parm) then broil and serve.

Ingredients

• 12 oz (340g ) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) pieces            
• Few pinches salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon (.5 g) each dried basil and oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon (.8 g) garlic powder
• 1 medium sized onion, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 1/2 cups (10 oz / 285 g) dried short pasta (I used shells; use gluten-free if you like)
• 3 cups (750 mL) marinara sauce (purchased or homemade)
• 2 1/2 – 3 cups (625 – 750 mL) water
• 1 1/2 cups (170g) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup (45 g) freshly-grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup (15 g) minced fresh basil
• 1/2 cup (55 g) Panko (or use gluten-free breadcrumbs)

Method

• To a large pot (I used my Dutch oven) placed over medium-high heat, add a drizzle of olive oil.  Add chicken; season with salt, pepper, basil, oregano and garlic powder. Cook, stirring often, until chicken is no longer pink in the middle (about 5 minutes).
• Add onion and garlic to the pot and cook about 2-3 minutes, until soft. Stir in marinara sauce and 2 1/2 cups of water, then bring to a boil. Stir in pasta; when the pot comes back to the boil, reduce heat to a steady simmer and cover pot. Cook for 10 – 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is just tender. Add a little more water if the mixture is looking dry towards the end of the cooking time.
• When pasta is just about cooked, preheat broiler and adjust rack as needed. Stir parmesan and 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese into the cooked pasta. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese on top of the dish then sprinkle Panko on top of that. Broil until cheese is bubbly and melted, about 2 – 3 minutes.
• Scatter fresh basil on top then serve hot.

Serves 4 – 6.