Chicken Parmesan Pasta Skewers

Chicken Parmesan Pasta Skewers turn classic chicken parm into a fun, easy dinner made with cooked chicken, penne pasta, marinara sauce, and melted mozzarella. The chicken and pasta are threaded onto skewers, sauced, covered with cheese, and baked until hot and melty.

I kept seeing pasta skewers making the rounds on Instagram and thought, well, that looks easy enough, let me try that at home myself. They were really fun to make, but more importantly, they actually worked. The pasta stayed on the skewers, the chicken heated through without drying out, and my kids liked them too.

I cooked my chicken the day before with salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, and garlic powder, then refrigerated it overnight. Using already-cooked chicken made the skewers quick to assemble the next day, and cooking the pasta al dente helped it stay firm enough to thread without tearing.

If you want the same flavors in a more traditional dinner, my Chicken Parmesan is an easy place to start.

Ingredients

• 6 ounces dry penne ritorte pasta
• 2 chicken breasts, cooked and cooled
• 1 cup marinara sauce
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• Chopped fresh basil, for serving
• Skewers – I trimmed my skewers to about 10 inches long so they fit comfortably on my baking sheet.

Chicken Seasoning

For the chicken shown here, I seasoned the breasts with salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, and garlic powder before cooking.

You can cook the chicken specifically for this recipe or use cooked chicken you already have, as long as it can be cut into sturdy pieces for the skewers.

How to Make Chicken Parmesan Pasta Skewers

Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cook the penne ritorte according to the package directions until al dente. Drain well and set aside.

Cut the cooked chicken into approximately 1-inch cubes.

Thread 2 pieces of pasta and 1 piece of chicken onto a skewer, repeating until you have about 3 pieces of chicken. Add an extra piece or two of pasta as needed to fill the skewer. I used about 8 pieces of pasta per skewer.

Place the finished skewers onto the prepared baking sheet. Continue until you have approximately 6-8 skewers.

Use a pastry brush to spread marinara sauce over the chicken and pasta, then top each skewer with shredded mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the chicken is hot throughout. If reheating refrigerated leftover chicken, heat to 165°F.

Remove from the oven and finish with chopped fresh basil before serving.

Tips for Pasta Skewers That Actually Stay Together

Cook the pasta al dente. Pasta that gets too soft is much more likely to split when you thread it onto the skewer. I used penne ritorte, but regular penne should work too. You just need a sturdy tube-shaped pasta that can hold its shape on the skewer.

Keep the chicken pieces fairly substantial. Pieces around an inch worked well for me and were sturdy enough to stay in place.

Trim the skewers if needed. Mine were longer than I wanted, so I cut them down to about 10 inches. The exact size does not matter as long as they fit your baking sheet.

Can I Use Leftover Chicken?

Yes. That is exactly what I did. I cooked my chicken the day before, refrigerated it overnight, and used it the next day. Leftover cooked chicken breast works too as long as you can cut it into pieces sturdy enough to stay on the skewers.

If your kids like chicken with marinara and melted cheese, my Pepperoni Pizza Chicken is another easy dinner with similar flavors.

What to Serve with Chicken Parmesan Pasta Skewers

Because these already have chicken and pasta, I would keep the sides simple. Try them with my Seasoned Green Beans for an easy vegetable, or add a fresh salad alongside the skewers.

For a larger meal, you can also browse my side dish recipes for more vegetables, salads, and easy sides that work with chicken.