Parmesan Chicken Pasta Bake
Hey ya’ll. Yep, twice in one week. You got me! I’ve really been planning out my content so that I can be more consistent and now the kind of things I’m posting here for ya’ll. So I’m BACK! Before I jump into the inspo for this incredible pasta bake, I want to say THANK YOU…
Hey ya’ll. Yep, twice in one week. You got me! I’ve really been planning out my content so that I can be more consistent and now the kind of things I’m posting here for ya’ll. So I’m BACK! Before I jump into the inspo for this incredible pasta bake, I want to say THANK YOU to everyone that has been rocking with me so heavy in 2020. It’s been a hard year for everyone, yet ya’ll continue to show support both on here and on social media. I love you NikNaks! Alright alright, quit being mushy, gosh! BTW, I made a video for this one! It’s so good and easy, and I wanted to prove that to ya’ll! Watch it HERE!
THE INSPIRATION
The inspiration behind this dish, honestly, came from my love of one dish meals, combined with the fact that we had a ton of chicken tenders in our outside freezer because no one ever remembered we already bought chicken tenders. A mess really! Going through the things we had here, I saw that there was also a good amount of heavy cream (thanks Keto), canned tomatoes and cheeses. I also got a pack of Banza shells in my latest Hungryroot box! I put my brain to work and decided to make a one pan pasta dish. I decided to throw in some spinach for more veggies and use chicken stock so that it was an overly rich dish with solely heavy cream as the liquid! It turned out so amazing!! (seriously, look at the pictures!) and I was a smash. The thing I love most about this dish is that I took my grilled cheese method of using mayo for a better, more even toasting and applied it to the chicken as a binder for the breadcrumbs. The result was a beautifully browned and crispy chicken that added great texture to the dish! We’ll get into the details in a second, but for those who don’t know, Banza noodles are made from chickpeas. They have very simple ingredients and are naturally gluten free. I like them because I don’t feel heavy or bloated after having them. Plus they’re loaded with fiber and protein. So it’s a win all around. With my Hungryroot partnership, I am able to offer them to you along with 30% off if you use the code ANGELBANZA! Def check them out if you haven’t before
THE DEETS
The details of this pasta are few as it’s a really easy to make dish and it’s made easier by using what you have on hand in some aspects. If you don’t have chicken tenders, you can use chicken breasts, nuggets or boneless, skinless thighs! The biggest key is to only fry on one side and let it finish cooking in the sauce! Also, I of course used Banza shells, but you can use their macaroni noodles, or just regular flour pasta as well! You can also use veggie stock in lieu of chicken, provolone for mozzarella and any kind of grated parm combination you have. You can also make this really easily low carb/keto by subbing in pork panko for the bread crumbs and using something like Impastable or Palmini for the noodles! I really wanted this to be a “Oh I have most of that in my pantry already” kind of dish! It’s pretty fast (we’re talking about 40 mins start to finish) and pretty hands off. And the best part is, if you’re the type of person who is afraid to fry chicken for fear it won’t be done or overcooked, this is great because you only have to do one side!! We’re just getting the tops crispy here! Ok, that’s really it…let’s get into some tips before you get to the recipe!
TIPS FOR MAKING
Ya’ll already know what it is, here are some quick tips and tricks for making this dish a success and keeping dinner a stress free occasion!
- Roughly chop your spinach. It helps to fit more in because remember spinach wilts down a lot. You’ll start off with a mound and end up with 3 pieces in your entire dish! Add in batches and you’ll be good to go!
- Fry your chicken in batches if you have to. You want to make sure you’re creating a nice crispy coating and not causing it to steam or simmer.
- Feel free to pop your finished dish under the broiler for a minute or 2 to recrisp the chicken. Sometimes when the chicken is finishing in the sauce, I noticed that, depending on the breading, it softens. It’s an easy fix for texture!
Alright, that’s all for today folks! I’ll be back on Monday with a brand new dish that I also filmed and is super easy. I hope you all make this soon and enjoy it as much as we did! As always, let me know how it goes!!
Don’t forget to tag me in your photos online @lizeeangel or using #lizeeangel. And as always, comment below and please, like, share and follow me on youtube, instagram, twitter, facebook and pinterest!
Creamy One Pan Crispy Chicken Pasta
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 tsp italian seasoning
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 1/8 tsp paprika
- 1lb chicken tenderloin
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 whole shallot, finely minced
- 2 gloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 15oz can petite diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 3/4 cups chicken stock
- 1 tbsp worcestershire
- 1 package Banza shells
- 4 oz baby spinach
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 cup parmesan
- 2 oz mozzarella, diced or shredded
- 1 tbsp basil, chopped
Instructions:
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat while you prepare your chicken station.
- In a flat bowl or plate, combine bread crumbs, 1/4 cup panko bread Italian seasoning, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper and 1/8 tsp paprika. Stir to combine.
- Arrange chicken breast tenderloin in a single layer. Season with 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp paprika, onion powder and garlic powder and toss to coat fully.
- On one side of chicken, coat with mayo. Dip chicken mayo side down into season bread crumbs.
- Add 2 tbsp oil to heated skillet and allow to warm for about 30 seconds.
- Place chicken into pan, breading side down and pan fry for 2-3 mins, or until breading is nice and golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Next, add shallots to pan and fry until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 2 mins, or until fragrant.
- Add in the tomatoes and allow them to cook for about 1 minute before adding in the chicken stock and Worcestershire. Taste and adjust for salt level.
- Turn heat on high and allow the liquid to come to a boil and add in the Banza shells. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
- Reduce the pan to medium heat. Uncover the pan and add in spinach, allowing it to wilt down. Work in batches if necessary. Add in cream, nutmeg and parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust for any seasonings.
- Add in mozzarella cheese and on top, add in the chicken, breading side up, making sure the chicken is submerged in the liquid about halfway.
- Cover and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes or until the chicken reads 150 degrees in the thickest part. If your breading has softened too much, throw the pan under the broiler to recrisp.
- Remove from heat and top with basil. Serve hot and enjoy!
Calories
539Fat (grams)
18.7Net carbs
41Protein (grams)
49.2
