KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Culinarian Lauren Lane joins the FOX4 Morning Crew to prepare this easy, quick and delicious weeknight meal.
This one-pan dish will serve happy tummies and have easy cleanup, perfect for any night of the week.
Ingredients
- 12-ounce package whole wheat penne pasta
- 1 (24 ounces) jar pasta sauce (I use Rao’s)
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1 pound of chicken (cut into small 1″ pieces)
- I teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 3/4 cup bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Reggiano cheese (grated)
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.
- Add uncooked noodles, pasta sauce, water, chicken, Italian seasoning, and 1/2 cup mozzarella to the baking dish. Add a generous amount of salt and pepper. Mix ingredients together.
- Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until pasta is al dente. (see note below)
- Remove from oven and stir well. Spread mozzarella cheese, then the breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese over the pasta dish. Drizzle with olive oil if desired.
- Bake uncovered for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bread crumbs are golden brown.
Notes
- If after the first 40 minutes your pasta isn’t cooked through, continue cooking until desired tenderness is reached. If your dish looks dry, add a 1/4 cup of hot water, stir and continue cooking.
- Whenever there are so few ingredients, you should try to use quality ingredients. For example, grate your own Parmesan Reggiano. It’s so much better!
- This recipe can be halved—Bake in a 9×9 dish.
- Serve with a salad and crusty bread if desired.
You can follow Lauren on Instagram for even more recipes!