One-Pan Pizza Pasta (Print)

Savory one-pan meal with chicken, pepperoni, rotini, and melted mozzarella cheese for effortless cooking.

# Ingredients:

→ Proteins

01 - 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast (approximately 8.8 oz), cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 30 slices pepperoni, sliced or quartered

→ Pasta

03 - 10.5 oz uncooked rotini pasta

→ Cheese

04 - 7 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
05 - 1.4 oz grated Parmesan cheese

→ Sauce

06 - 2 cups marinara or pizza sauce

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

07 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 small red bell pepper, diced (optional)
10 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Seasonings

11 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
12 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
13 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Liquids

14 - 1 2/3 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water

# Instructions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add chicken pieces, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 3–4 minutes until lightly browned but not fully cooked.
02 - Add finely chopped onion, minced garlic, and diced red bell pepper (if using) to the skillet. Cook for 2–3 minutes until softened and aromatic.
03 - Stir in the pepperoni and cook for an additional 1 minute to release flavor.
04 - Add uncooked rotini, marinara sauce, chicken broth, dried Italian herbs, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir thoroughly to combine, ensuring the pasta is mostly submerged.
05 - Bring mixture to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 12–14 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente and most liquid is absorbed.
06 - Stir in half of the shredded mozzarella and all of the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella on top.
07 - Cover skillet and cook for 2–3 minutes until cheeses are melted and bubbly.
08 - Remove from heat and let rest for 2 minutes. Garnish with extra herbs if desired and serve.

# Pro Tips:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in a single pan, which means less cleanup and more time enjoying the meal.
  • The pasta absorbs all those pizza flavors directly while it cooks, so you skip the bland pasta, separate sauce situation.
  • Chicken and pepperoni give you real substance without needing to fuss over multiple proteins.
02 -
  • Don't fully cook the chicken in step one—if you do, it'll toughen up by the time everything else is ready, leaving you disappointed and regretful.
  • Stir the pasta as it cooks so it doesn't clump or stick to the bottom; uncooked pasta has this annoying habit of grabbing onto itself.
  • If the mixture looks too dry before the pasta is done, splash in a little more broth—better slightly loose than crunchy pasta.
03 -
  • Use a skillet with a lid so you can trap steam and keep everything from drying out—if yours doesn't have one, aluminum foil works in a pinch.
  • Tasting as you go matters; adjust the Italian herbs and red pepper flakes to your own preferences rather than treating them as law.
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