This Baked Ziti Mashup Brings Two Italian Comfort Classics Together

Baked ziti has been an Italian-American comfort classic for generations. It traces its roots to Sicily and Campania in Italy and is typically known as a simple, filling dish that makes a great family dinner. Historically, baked ziti was served to celebrate marriage, a coming together of families. With that in mind, it seems perfect that you could elevate a classic baked ziti by marrying it to another comfort food staple: chicken Parmesan.

Part of the appeal of baked ziti is that it's a one-dish meal that can be put together with just a few simple ingredients. Upgrading this to a chicken Parmesan baked ziti doesn't take a lot more effort. In addition to the dried ziti, you need canned San Marzano tomatoes and basil for the sauce. The chicken Parmesan can be made by sauteeing boneless chicken thighs with garlic and seasoning with salt and pepper. When the chicken is cooked, it gets mixed with the pasta and sauce. The casserole is topped with bocconcini cheese, panko bread crumbs, and Parmesan, and then baked. A little fresh basil and more cheese can be added before serving.

The addition of the garlic chicken with the crunchy panko Parmesan top brings a savory layer to baked ziti. The juices from the chicken and sauteed garlic saturate the sauce and pasta to bring a greater depth of flavor. It also takes what makes chicken Parmesan so good and builds on it, creating a more cohesive dish where bright tomatoes, gooey, salty cheese, savory chicken, and rich garlic are all spread throughout. Each bite brings the best of both recipes together.

One thing that a traditional baked ziti sometimes lacks is that crunchy texture that makes chicken Parmesan so good. The panko layer brings that in this casserole, but you could double down on crunch with just a few tweaks to the recipe. Bread and fry the chicken until crispy before adding it to the casserole to ensure crunchy bites throughout. Use Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs with your chicken bites to match the flavor profile.

For an even more robust flavor, consider marinating your chicken first. Use a dry white wine, Italian herbs, and olive oil, then let the chicken marinate for a few hours or ideally overnight. This will keep the chicken juicy and flavorful, especially if you choose to bread and fry it first.

While our recipe calls for bocconcini cheese and Parmesan, you could include different cheeses like mozzarella or provolone to focus on that classic chicken Parm taste. These can add extra gooeyness and a nice cheese pull. If you want the whole casserole to have a richer, creamier element, you could also fold in some ricotta with the pasta and sauce.

If you like sauce that has a bit of a kick, you can turn those San Marzano tomatoes into something closer to an arrabbiata sauce. Consider adding red pepper flakes or even a bit of diced fresh Calabrian chilies. If you choose to marinate the chicken, you can add peppers there, or even a bit of hot sauce, so the heat comes from within.