This 30 minute one pot chicken parmesan will remind you of the classic! This is a quick and easy weeknight meal. The entire dinner is made in one pot, even the spaghetti noodles, and it's a lighter version of the original (no breaded chicken).
Recipe was first published 8/23/2021.
Your family will love this chicken parmesan spaghetti dinner! I know mine does and I make this all the time because it's so easy and so good. Seasoned chicken thighs cooked in the pan, topped with mozzarella cheese, surrounded by spaghetti and pasta sauce.
You only need one pan to prepare this dinner. I use my trusty 3.5 quart that has a lid and it's the perfect size for this recipe.
I wouldn't call this a healthy dinner, but I would say it's a healthier take on the classic chicken parmesan with pasta. We are skipping the breading entirely! So by having unbreaded chicken thighs we get to skim off a few calories.
The thing I like best about this recipe is that you don't need to cook the spaghetti noodles separately in boiling water. They go right into the pasta sauce. The way you do it is by adding the water directly into the sauce, then the noodles absorb it. It's a thing of magic!
All one pot dinners are amazing, if you love this one then you should try this meat lovers pizza pasta bake or this one pot lemon chicken and rice.
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Ingredients Needed
- chicken thighs - you could use chicken breast too just make sure to pound it thinly since it takes longer to cook than thighs
- diced yellow onion
- minced garlic
- spaghetti noodles
- pasta sauce or marinara
- mozzarella cheese
- parmigiano reggiano cheese
- seasonings: Italian herb seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper
Optionally you can grab some fresh basil which I recommend. It makes the dish that much more special and since it only takes 30 minutes why not jazz it up a little.
How To Make One Pot Skinny Chicken Parmesan
The first step is to season and cook your chicken thighs. You don't need to cook them through fully because they will have extra time to cook with the pasta and sauce. A few minutes on each side is fine then set the chicken aside on a plate.
Saute some diced onion and minced garlic then add in pasta sauce, water and spaghetti noodles. It's important to break the spaghetti noodles in half so they will fit. Bring the chicken back to the pot, cover with a lid and cook on low for 12-15 minutes or until the spaghetti has cooked through.
Half way through cooking layer on some mozzarella cheese on top of the chicken. When the spaghetti is done cooking sprinkle on some fresh grated parmigiano cheese and basil.
FAQ
A simple green salad with vegetables is the perfect side.
I haven't tested freezing this recipe, but I'm sure you can - just like a lasagna. Reheat in the oven.
Spaghetti noodles are my favorite to use but really any pasta noodles will work.
Yes but you will need a larger pan than a 3.5 qt (which is what I used for the recipe and photos).
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One Pot Skinny Chicken Parmesan (30 Minute)
This 30 minute one pot chicken parmesan will remind you of the classic! This is a quick and easy weeknight meal. The entire dinner is made in one pot, even the spaghetti noodles, and it's a lighter version of the original (no breaded chicken).
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb chicken thighs
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 oz spaghetti, broken in half
- 2 c water
- 24 oz pasta sauce or marinara
- 8 oz mozzarella cheese, sliced
- ¼ c Parmigiano reggiano cheese
- optional: fresh basil
Chicken Seasoning
- 1 ½ tsp Italian herb seasoning
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- Pepper
Instructions
- Heat a large sauté pan (that has a lid) over medium heat, drizzle olive oil in the bottom of the pan
- Rub the chicken thighs with the chicken seasoning
- Sauté the chicken thighs for 2 minutes on each side, set aside on a plate
- To the pan, add the diced onions and minced garlic, sauté for 2-3 minutes with a pinch of salt
- Break the spaghetti noodles in half and add to the pan with the pasta sauce and water
- Place the chicken on top
- Bring this to a boil, stir a bit, cover and turn the heat down to low
- Simmer for 12-15 minutes (see notes section)
- After the time is up add the slices of mozzarella cheese on top of the chicken, put the lid back on and continue cooking until the pasta is done and the mozzarella is melted
- To serve, sprinkle with fresh parmigiana cheese and basil
Notes
Cooking time for pasta varies depending on the type of spaghetti you chose. If you chose thin spaghetti your cook time will be less than if you chose regular spaghetti. Use the cook time on the package to help as a guide.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 533Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 181mgSodium: 1341mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 4gSugar: 9gProtein: 41g
This information comes from online calculators. Although moderncrumb.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
Laura
Hi-how would this work with fresh pasta?
Tara Moore
It wouldn't work. The recipe is written for uncooked dry pasta (like barilla). Instead you would have to add your pasta at the very end! Or boil it separately and add at the very end.