Simply by Maha
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DinnerCrispy breaded chicken parm served over creamy spicy rigatoni
Italian · Dinner

Chicken Parm with Spicy Rigatoni

Crispy breaded chicken parm over a creamy, spicy rigatoni: all the comfort of your favourite Italian dinner, made at home in one cosy meal.

4.8 (24 reviews)
40m
Prep
30m
Cook
70m
Total
4
Serves
medium
Level
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How to Make Chicken Parm with Spicy Rigatoni

  1. Prepare the chicken
    Slice the chicken breasts and beat them thin.
  2. Season the chicken
    Season the chicken however you like before breading.
  3. Set up the breading station
    Prepare one bowl with seasoned flour, one bowl with beaten eggs, and one bowl with breadcrumbs.
  4. Boil the pasta
    Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rigatoni until al dente. Reserve a little pasta water, then drain.
  5. Start the pasta sauce
    In a pan with olive oil over medium heat, cook the chopped onion and garlic until softened and fragrant.
  6. Build the sauce
    Add the tomato paste and cook for a minute, then add the red pepper flakes, oregano, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. Stir well.
  7. Add the cream and parmesan
    Pour in the heavy cream and let it simmer gently. Add Parmesan and stir until the sauce is creamy and smooth.
  8. Fry the chicken
    Bread the chicken by dipping it into the flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs. Fry until golden and cooked through.
  9. Make the chicken parm
    Spoon some of the sauce over the fried chicken, top with mozzarella and Parmesan, then place under a low broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
  10. Finish the pasta
    Toss the cooked rigatoni into the spicy sauce and add more Parmesan.
  11. Plate and serve
    Serve the spicy rigatoni with the chicken parm on top or on the side.

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4.8 (24 reviews)

About Chicken Parm with Spicy Rigatoni

This chicken parm with spicy rigatoni is the dinner I make when I want something properly comforting. You get crispy breaded chicken under melty mozzarella and Parmesan, sitting next to a creamy, gently spicy rigatoni. It is a bit of a project, but every step is simple and the payoff is huge.

The trick that makes it feel restaurant-level is using one sauce twice. You build a single creamy, spicy tomato-cream sauce, toss the rigatoni in it, and spoon a little over the chicken before the cheese goes on. One sauce, two jobs, and everything on the plate tastes like it belongs together.

It is rich and indulgent, so I save it for a cosy night in or when people are coming over. Make the sauce while the chicken breads and fries, and it all comes together at once.

If you have seen this called chicken parmesan with rigatoni, it is the same plate. I just shorten it to parm.

Per serving
  • 1450Calories
  • 70gProtein
  • 88gFat
  • 95gCarbs
estimated

Chicken Parm with Spicy Rigatoni Tips and Notes

Why you'll love it

  • Crispy fried chicken, melty cheese, and creamy spicy pasta on one plate.
  • Restaurant-style comfort food at home, no special equipment.
  • One creamy, spicy sauce does double duty for the pasta and the chicken.
  • The heat is easy to adjust, dial the red pepper flakes up or down.
  • A real crowd-pleaser for a cosy dinner or having friends over.
  • Most of it can be prepped ahead so the final assembly is quick.

Ingredient notes

  • Chicken breast: slice each breast in half horizontally and beat it thin, so it cooks fast and stays juicy. Thin and even is the goal.
  • Heavy cream: this is what makes the rigatoni silky. Don't swap it for milk, it won't coat the pasta the same way.
  • Red pepper flakes: 2 tablespoons gives a real kick. Start with 1 if you like it milder, you can always add more.
  • Parmesan: grate it fresh if you can, it melts into the sauce far more smoothly than the pre-grated kind.
  • Breadcrumbs: panko gives the crispiest crust, but regular fine breadcrumbs work too.

Tips & tricks

  • Set up your breading station first. Flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs, in three bowls. It keeps the job clean and fast.
  • Don't crowd the pan. Fry the chicken in batches so the oil stays hot and the crust turns golden instead of soggy.
  • Reserve a little pasta water. A splash loosens the sauce if it gets too thick when you toss the rigatoni.
  • Broil the cheese, don't bake it. A low broil melts the mozzarella fast and gives a bubbly, golden top without overcooking the chicken.

Storage & make-ahead

  • Leftovers: keep the chicken and pasta in the fridge for up to 3 days, separately if you can, so the chicken keeps some crunch.
  • Reheat: re-crisp the chicken in a 375°F oven or air fryer; reheat the pasta gently on the stove with a splash of cream or water. Avoid the microwave for the chicken, it goes soft.
  • Make ahead: bread the chicken and make the sauce earlier in the day, then fry and assemble just before serving.

Variations

  • Less heat: use 1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes, or swap for a pinch of paprika for colour without the burn.
  • Lighter: bake or air-fry the breaded chicken at 400°F instead of frying.
  • Different pasta: penne or ziti catch the creamy sauce just as well as rigatoni.

Serve it with a simple green salad and some garlic bread to round out the plate.

Learn the staples

Master the Italian basics

Guide

The Secret to Crispy Chicken Parm (No More Sogginess)

The real secret to crispy chicken parm is keeping the crust away from the sauce. Here's how I get shatter-crisp chicken parmesan that stays crunchy under the cheese.

Chicken Parm with Spicy Rigatoni FAQs

It's crispy breaded chicken topped with sauce and melted mozzarella and Parmesan, served with rigatoni tossed in a creamy, spicy tomato-cream sauce. A comfort-food mashup of chicken Parmesan and a spicy creamy pasta.
Yes. Use 1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes instead of 2, or leave them out and add a little paprika for colour. You can always add more heat at the end.
Yes. Bread it the same way and bake at 400°F, or air-fry, until golden and cooked through. It won't be quite as crispy as frying, but it's lighter.
Rigatoni holds the creamy sauce beautifully, but penne, ziti, or any short ridged pasta works just as well.
Bread the chicken and make the sauce earlier in the day. Fry the chicken and toss the pasta just before serving so everything stays crisp and creamy.
Keep leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days, ideally chicken and pasta separately. Re-crisp the chicken in a hot oven or air fryer, and loosen the pasta with a splash of cream or water on the stove.
A crisp green salad and garlic bread are perfect, since the dish itself is rich. A squeeze of lemon also cuts nicely through the cream.
Fresh mozzarella for melting on the chicken, and freshly grated Parmesan for the sauce and topping. Fresh-grated melts more smoothly than pre-shredded.
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