Chicken Parmesan Spaghetti Bake
Seared chicken breast and spaghetti baked under tomato sauce with a golden mozzarella and breadcrumb crust. A high-protein, comforting Italian-style dinner straight from the oven.
- Total
- 55 min
- Prep 15 · Cook 35 · Rest 5
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Medium
You'll practice: Searing · Cooking al dente
- Savory
- Italian
- Stovetop
- Oven
Instructions
-
Heat the oven to 200°C. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1 tsp salt, and cook 180 g spaghetti until just shy of al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
~8 min
Cooking pasta just shy of al dente prevents it from turning mushy when baked in the oven.
Cooking al dente Boil until the pasta is just shy of al dente, it should still have a slight bite, then drain immediately to stop cooking.
-
Pat 2 chicken breasts dry, season with the remaining salt and black pepper. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken until golden on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. It will finish cooking in the oven.
~8 min
Searing creates Maillard browning for deeper flavor, and the chicken finishes cooking in the oven.
Searing Pat the chicken dry and use medium-high heat; avoid moving it until it releases easily, about 4 minutes per side.
-
Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce in a baking dish. Add the drained spaghetti, then the seared chicken breasts. Pour the remaining tomato sauce over everything.
~4 min
-
Tear 125 g mozzarella over the top. Sprinkle 30 g breadcrumbs evenly. Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the chicken reaches 74°C, about 20 minutes.
~20 min
Baking melts the cheese and browns the breadcrumbs, while the chicken reaches a safe internal temperature.
Tearing the mozzarella instead of slicing it creates uneven peaks that brown more deeply under the broiler.
If the breadcrumbs brown too fast, tent the dish loosely with foil for the last 5 minutes.
-
Let the bake rest for 5 minutes so the sauce settles, then serve.
~5 min
Resting allows the sauce to thicken and the juices to redistribute, so the bake holds together when served.