Chicken Mozzarella Pasta - This whole entire dish comes together in under 16 minutes. The chicken simmers away in a marinara sauce and at the end, fresh mozzarella cheese is added to make it all gooey and melty!
One of my favorite things to do on the weekend in the morning is to watch episodes of the Pioneer Woman, Ina Garten, Trisha Yearwood, and Molly Yeh on Food Network. Watching Food Network is how I learned how to cook. Every now and then, if I come across a recipe of theirs I love, I will feature it on this blog and it has been a while since I’ve done that. Recently, I noticed that Rachel Ray’s show 30 Minute Meals is on again I do like her as well. So happy to see her back. If you like Ree Drummond recipes try her recipe for Baked Ziti, Sour Cream Noodle Bake, or Perfect Pot Roast.
I’ve been getting really good at scaling down recipes to only serve 1 or 2 people. Most of the recipes the Pioneer Woman makes, will feed a large family. For pasta recipes like this one, I’ll only use 1 or 2 cups of pasta instead of the WHOLE entire package. I’d have pasta for weeks if I did that. I really liked this and I liked how the chunks of cheese would get all melty inside the pasta. I also like how you can still have your favorite celebrity TV chefs recipe on a diet. Another reason why I love WW’s recipe builder app.
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Ingredients for Chicken Mozzarella Pasta
- Penne or rigatoni
- Olive oil - Look for olive oils that are labeled as extra virgin, cold-pressed, and unfiltered for the highest quality.
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces - They’re lean and quick-cooking and always come out juicy and tender. Use an instant-read thermometer to make sure that the chicken is not over cooked. When reading labels for chicken breasts try to find ones that say Organic or Free Range.
- Garlic - Chopped fresh garlic can take some time to chop so I often always use the freshly minced garlic that comes already made in a jar.
- Onion - provide a sweet and savory flavor to the dish, while also helping to build the foundation of the dish with its aroma and ability to caramelize.
- One 25-ounce jar good-quality marinara sauce
- Red pepper flakes - are small pieces of dried hot peppers, typically made from cayenne, that are crushed or ground into small flakes.
- Fresh Parsley - is a type of herb that is commonly used as a garnish or seasoning in various dishes. It has a bright green color and a mild, slightly bitter taste. Parsley is a good source of vitamins A and C, as well as minerals such as potassium and iron.
- Fresh mozzarella, cut into medium cubes
- Parmesan shavings - is a hard, granular cheese that originated in Italy. It is typically made from cow's milk and has a sharp, nutty flavor. Parmesan cheese is often grated and used as a topping for pasta dishes, salads, and other foods.
- Basil leaves - for garnish
- See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to make Chicken Mozzarella Pasta
Step 1 Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
Step 2 Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. (can be any type of pasta)
Add the chicken pieces in a single layer and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Allow to cook, without stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Stir the chicken around to brown it on all sides. Remove to a plate.
Step 3 In the same skillet over medium-high heat, add the garlic and onions and stir immediately to start cooking. Cook until the onions are deep golden, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 4 Reduce the heat to low and pour in the marinara sauce, red pepper flakes and ½ cup water. Stir until the onions and garlic are mixed in, then add the chicken back to the skillet. Add the parsley and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 8 minutes.
Step 5 Make sure the sauce is bubbly and very hot, then gently stir in the mozzarella. Let sit, undisturbed, until you can see that the mozzarella is very soft, 2 to 3 minutes.
Pour it onto a platter. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Immediately sprinkle on the Parmesan shavings. Pour on the sauce, sprinkle with grated Parmesan and the chiffonade of basil and serve immediately!
Tips for Chicken Mozzarella Pasta
The fresh mozzarella is a must. Do not skimp out on this and use reduced fat mozzarella cheese! Most grocery stores carry this now. It is usually located in the deli area with all the other different types of cheeses and cured meats like salami!
After you add it to the chicken the mozzarella because really melty and stringy and that was my favorite part.
More Great Recipes to Try:
- Air Fryer Onion Rings
- Grinder Salad Sandwich - Tiktok Recipe
- Zero Point Cabbage Soup
- Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks
- French Fries in the Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Pickle Chips
If you tried this Ree Drummond Chicken Mozzarella Pasta orany other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you! Follow along on Tiktok @jennarecipediaries
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Chicken Mozzarella Pasta - Pioneer Woman
- Prep Time: 6min
- Cook Time: 20min
- Total Time: 26
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
Chicken Mozzarella Pasta - This whole entire dish comes together in under 16 minutes. The chicken simmers away in a marinara sauce and at the end bites of fresh mozzarella cheese is added to make it all gooey and melty!
Ingredients
- 1 pound penne or rigatoni
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- One 25-ounce jar good-quality marinara sauce
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into medium cubes
- ¼ cup Parmesan shavings, plus grated Parmesan, for serving
- 12 basil leaves, cut into chiffonade
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces in a single layer and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Allow to cook, without stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Stir the chicken around to brown it on all sides. Remove to a plate.
- In the same skillet over medium-high heat, add the garlic and onions and stir immediately to start cooking. Cook until the onions are deep golden, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low and pour in the marinara sauce, red pepper flakes and ½ cup water. Stir until the onions and garlic are mixed in, then add the chicken back to the skillet. Add the parsley and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 8 minutes.
- Make sure the sauce is bubbly and very hot, then gently stir in the mozzarella. Let sit, undisturbed, until you can see that the mozzarella is very soft, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Drain the pasta and pour it onto a platter. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Immediately sprinkle on the Parmesan shavings. Pour on the sauce, sprinkle with grated Parmesan and the chiffonade of basil and serve immediately!
- Serving Size: 1 cup
Notes
myWW points: Blue 11; Green 12; Purple 11
Points are calculated with the WW recipe builder app and not using the nutrition info.
Nutrition
- Calories: 546
- Sugar: 13.1
- Sodium: 640mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 7.6g
- Carbohydrates: 69.4g
- Fiber: 10.8g
- Protein: 33.4g
Julie Stutts says
This is really yummy and easy to put together. It took me a little longer to put together than the timing listed, but it was worth it. Thank you!
Karl says
Quick tasty bang on having some of this