Parmesan Crusted Chicken Spaghetti

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• The chicken has a crisp Parmesan crust but stays juicy inside.
• The tomato sauce is chunky, fresh and not overly heavy.
• The spaghetti catches plenty of sauce without becoming soggy.
• Fresh basil and Parmesan bring everything together at the end.
• It feels like a proper restaurant-style dinner without being difficult to make.
• The chicken and pasta can both be made with straightforward ingredients you probably already use.

 

Ingredients

For the Parmesan chicken

• 2 large chicken breasts
• 60g plain flour
• 2 large eggs
• 90g breadcrumbs
• 50g finely grated Parmesan
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, for frying

For the tomato basil spaghetti

• 300g spaghetti
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 200g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes, optional
• Salt, to taste
• Cracked black pepper, to taste
• Small handful fresh basil, roughly torn
• 30g freshly grated Parmesan

To finish

• Extra freshly grated Parmesan
• Fresh basil leaves
• Extra cracked black pepper
• Small drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, optional

Instructions

1. Prepare the chicken

• Slice each chicken breast horizontally to make thinner cutlets.
• If any pieces are much thicker than the others, place them between two sheets of baking paper and gently flatten them.
• Season both sides with salt and black pepper.

You want the cutlets fairly even in thickness so they cook through at the same time the crust turns golden.

2. Set up the coating

• Put the flour in one shallow bowl.
• Beat the eggs in a second bowl.
• In a third bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, garlic powder and oregano.
• Coat each chicken cutlet first in flour.
• Dip it into the beaten egg.
• Press it firmly into the Parmesan breadcrumb mixture.

Do not just sprinkle the coating over the chicken.

Press it in properly so you get a good crust rather than breadcrumbs falling off all over the pan.

3. Fry the chicken

• Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
• Add the chicken cutlets without overcrowding the pan.
• Cook for around 4 to 5 minutes per side, depending on thickness.
• Turn once the underside is deep golden and crisp.
• Cook until the chicken is completely cooked through.
• Transfer to a plate and let it rest.

The crust should be quite dark in places.

Not burnt, obviously, but properly browned.

That is where a lot of the flavour is.

4. Cook the spaghetti

• Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.
• Add the spaghetti.
• Cook until al dente according to the packet instructions.
• Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
• Drain the spaghetti and set aside.

Do not rinse it.

You want the starch on the pasta because it helps the tomato sauce cling.

5. Start the tomato sauce

• Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a large frying pan or saucepan.
• Add the chopped garlic.
• Cook for around 30 seconds over medium heat.
• Add the chopped tomatoes and halved cherry tomatoes.
• Stir in the oregano and chilli flakes if using.
• Season with salt and cracked black pepper.
• Simmer for around 10 to 12 minutes.

The sauce should thicken but still stay chunky.

I like some of the cherry tomatoes to soften completely while others stay partly intact.

That gives the sauce a much nicer texture.

6. Add the basil

• Stir the torn basil through the tomato sauce.
• Let it cook for about 1 minute.
• Taste and adjust the seasoning.

If the tomatoes taste a little sharp, let the sauce simmer for another couple of minutes rather than immediately reaching for sugar.

Most of the time it just needs a little more cooking.

7. Toss in the spaghetti

• Add the drained spaghetti directly to the tomato sauce.
• Toss well.
• Add a splash of reserved pasta water if the sauce feels too thick.
• Sprinkle in the grated Parmesan.
• Toss again until the spaghetti is evenly coated.

The pasta should look glossy and tomatoey rather than dry.

There should still be visible chunks of tomato throughout.

8. Slice the chicken

• Slice the rested chicken cutlets into thick strips.
• Keep the slices fairly wide so the crisp crust stays obvious.

Do this just before serving.

If you slice the chicken too early, some of the juices will run out and the crust can soften.

9. Assemble

• Divide the tomato basil spaghetti between bowls.
• Lay the sliced Parmesan chicken over the top.
• Grate over more Parmesan.
• Add a few fresh basil leaves.
• Finish with cracked black pepper.

A very small drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil over the pasta is nice too, especially if the tomatoes are quite acidic.

Getting the Chicken Really Crispy

The chicken needs enough oil to fry properly.

Not deep-frying amounts, but enough that the breadcrumb coating is touching hot oil rather than a dry pan.

Keep the heat at medium.

If the pan is too hot, the Parmesan in the crust can burn before the chicken is cooked.

If it is too cool, the coating soaks up oil and turns heavy instead of crisp.

And leave the chicken alone for the first few minutes.

Constantly lifting it to check underneath makes it much harder for a good crust to form.

The Tomato Sauce

I keep this sauce very simple.

Garlic, tomatoes, olive oil, oregano, basil and seasoning.

The chicken already has a lot of flavour from the Parmesan crust, so the pasta does not need a thick creamy sauce competing with it.

The fresh cherry tomatoes make a big difference.

They give you sweeter little bursts of tomato alongside the richer canned tomato base.

I also prefer leaving the sauce slightly rustic.

A completely smooth sauce would still taste good, but the chunky tomatoes fit this dish much better.

What to Serve With It

This is already a full dinner, so I would not add much.

A simple green salad is enough.

Garlic bread works if you want something more substantial.

Roasted broccoli or asparagus would also be good on the side.

Personally, I usually stop at salad because the chicken and spaghetti are already doing plenty.

Storage

Store leftover chicken and spaghetti separately if you can.

The pasta will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

The chicken will also keep for about 3 days.

Reheat the chicken in the oven or air fryer if you want to bring some crispness back.

The microwave works, but the crust will soften.

Reheat the spaghetti gently with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.

Q&A

Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breast?

Yes.

Boneless chicken thighs work, but they will have a slightly richer flavour and may need a little longer to cook.

Can I bake the chicken instead of frying it?

Yes.

Bake at around 220°C or 200°C fan until golden and cooked through.

Spray or drizzle the coating lightly with oil first.

Can I use jarred tomato sauce?

You can.

But if you have 15 minutes, the simple tomato and basil sauce here is worth making.

Can I use another pasta shape?

Absolutely.

Linguine, fettuccine or rigatoni would all work.

I like spaghetti because it sits nicely underneath the sliced chicken.

Why is my chicken coating falling off?

Usually because the chicken was wet before coating or the breadcrumb mixture was not pressed on firmly enough.

Pat the chicken dry before starting.

Can I make the sauce ahead?

Yes.

The tomato sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead and reheated before adding the pasta.

Final Thoughts

This is one of those dinners where the first thing I go for is always one of the dark crispy corners of chicken.

The Parmesan crust has loads of flavour on its own, but once you get a bite with the tomatoey spaghetti and fresh basil underneath, it all makes sense together.

I also like that the sauce stays quite simple.

There is enough juicy tomato to coat the spaghetti, but it does not bury the chicken.

Finish it with fresh Parmesan, a few basil leaves and plenty of black pepper.

That is really all it needs.