This savory garlic parmesan chicken and pasta dish combines tender, juicy chicken thighs with a rich tomato herb sauce and perfectly cooked pasta – all topped with freshly grated parmesan for a hearty family meal that’s impressive enough for Sunday dinner but simple enough for weeknights!
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This garlic parmesan chicken and pasta has become my go-to when I need a reliable crowd-pleaser. The combination of crispy-skinned chicken thighs nestled in a fragrant tomato sauce makes everyone think I’ve been cooking all day!
What I love most about this dish is how it transforms simple ingredients into something spectacular. The chicken thighs slowly braise in the oven, infusing the sauce with savory goodness while you’re free to help with homework or catch up on laundry.
When dinner time arrives, you’ll have a restaurant-worthy meal that brings everyone to the table with eager anticipation.
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Why You’ll Love Making Garlic Parmesan Chicken and Pasta
- One-Pot Wonder: Less dishes means more time with family and less time cleaning up! The chicken and sauce cook together in one pot, with just a separate pot needed for pasta.
- Budget-Friendly Luxury: Chicken thighs are not only more flavorful than chicken breasts, they’re typically more affordable too. This dish feels indulgent without breaking the bank.
- Make-Ahead Magic: This recipe actually tastes better the next day, making it perfect for meal prep or when you need leftovers to save your sanity midweek.
- Versatile Crowd-Pleaser: Easily adaptable to please picky eaters and food enthusiasts alike – add more garlic for grown-ups or tone down the herbs for little ones.
- Impressive Yet Effortless: The combination of herbs, garlic and parmesan creates complex flavors that make guests think you’ve spent hours in the kitchen!
🍗 Oven meals are a sanity saver when you are home but your hands are needed elsewhere in the home!
Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken thighs — I use thighs with the bone in and skin on for the extra flavor and savings.
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
- Butter
- Diced tomatoes — one big can
- Whole tomatoes — one regular sized can
- Tomato paste
- Fresh or dried herbs — rosemary, thyme, basil, and parsley
- Garlic
- Pasta — I used the fun cavatappi pasta!
- Parmesan
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Garlic Parmesan Chicken and Pasta
Step 1: Preheat oven to 400°F. Salt and pepper chicken thighs well, and brown in an ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat in oil and butter. Remove chicken from pan.
Step 2: Pour in tomatoes with their juice and tomato paste. Add salt and pepper to taste, stirring to combine. Bring sauce to a boil, then turn off heat. Add herbs and garlic and return the chicken to the pan.
Step 3: Put lid on the pot and cook in the oven for 1 hour. Remove pot from oven, and allow it to sit on the counter with the lid on while you boil the pasta.
Step 4: Cook the pasta to al dente. Drain and add to a large serving bowl. Check thickness of sauce and cook on stovetop to thicken if needed. To serve, pour sauce over cooked pasta, then arrange chicken pieces over the top. Sprinkle generously with fresh parmesan and serve.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! Boneless thighs work beautifully in this recipe, just reduce the oven cooking time to about 30-40 minutes. The bone-in version provides extra flavor, but boneless offers quicker cooking and easier eating, especially for kiddos.
Yes! This dish actually develops even more flavor overnight. Complete the recipe through cooking the chicken, then refrigerate. The next day, reheat the chicken and sauce on the stovetop while cooking fresh pasta for serving.
Absolutely! Freeze the chicken and sauce (without pasta) for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop while cooking fresh pasta for serving.
Expert Tips
- Baste For Extra Flavor: While in the oven, baste the chicken thighs occasionally with the pan juices. This adds moisture and enhances the flavor.
- Properly Brown the Chicken: Take your time during the browning step – those extra minutes create a flavor foundation that makes all the difference. A good sear equals maximum flavor!
- Don’t Rush the Oven Time: The full hour in the oven allows the chicken to become fork-tender while infusing the sauce with incredible flavor. If you’re short on time, you can reduce to 45 minutes, but the full hour is worth it when possible.
- Season in Layers: Season the chicken well before browning AND taste the tomato sauce before adding the chicken back in. This builds depth of flavor throughout the cooking process.
More Delicious Chicken Dinner Recipes
I cook at least one chicken dish each week – it’s just such a versatile main ingredient. Here are some chicken dinners we really like!
- Chicken Sausage Pasta Bake: An easy to make homemade pasta and chicken dish with flavorful sauce and gooey cheese.
- Crockpot Spicy Honey Garlic Chicken: An easy, delicious Crockpot meal made with inexpensive chicken thighs and a simple Asian style sauce.
- Butter Lettuce Couscous Salad With Grilled Chicken: Quick and easy to make and great served warm, cold, or at room temperature.
More Main Dish Chicken Recipes To Consider
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Garlic Parmesan Chicken and Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighs, bone in and skin on
- Salt and pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 can diced tomatoes (28 ounces)
- 1 can whole tomatoes (14 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon each fresh rosemary, thyme, basil, and parsley (or 1 teaspoon each dried herbs)
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 16 ounces pasta
- Grated parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Salt and pepper chicken thighs well.
- Heat an ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and butter. When oil/butter is hot, add chicken thighs to the pan. Using tongs, brown on all sides, about 2 minutes. Remove chicken from pan.
- Pour in tomatoes with their juice and add tomato paste. Add salt and pepper to taste, stirring to combine. Bring sauce to a boil, then turn off heat.
- Add herbs and garlic and return the chicken to the pan.
- Put lid on the pot and cook in the oven for 1 hour.
- Remove pot from oven, and allow it to sit on the counter with the lid on while you boil the pasta.
- Cook the pasta to al dente. Drain and add to a large serving bowl.
- Remove lid and check sauce. If it’s overly thin, remove the chicken from the pot and boil the sauce on the stovetop for 5 to 10 minutes. Check seasonings and adjust as needed.
- To serve, pour sauce over cooked pasta, then arrange chicken pieces over the top. Sprinkle generously with fresh parmesan and serve.
Notes
- Before draining your pasta, reserve about ½ cup of the starchy cooking water. If your final sauce needs thinning or you’re reheating leftovers, this pasta water works magic for achieving the perfect consistency.
- Allow the dish to rest for 5-10 minutes after coming out of the oven. This helps the chicken retain its juices and lets the flavors settle into perfection.
- Use fresh herbs or substitute dried with 1 teaspoon dried herbs for each herb – rosemary, thyme, basil, and parsley.
- Coordinate cooking times so that the chicken thighs and pasta finish around the same time to ensure both components are served hot and fresh.
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