Recipe

Chicken Parmesan Pasta Bake

No-boil dump-and-bake — penne cooks right in the sauce + water, topped with chicken, mozzarella & parmesan.

Scaled from a 6-serving no-boil bake (chicken broth swapped for water)

Ingredients

Dry pasta (penne/spaghetti)

0.167 lb/person · Uncooked — goes in dry

20.5 lb2 × 20 lb case

Marinara sauce (#10 can)

0.033 can/person · Pasta bakes in the sauce

4 cans

Water (instead of chicken broth)

Have on hand — no purchase · Replaces the chicken broth — the pasta soaks it up as it bakes

—

Chicken breast cutlets

0.2 lb/person · Diced, added raw — cooks in the bake

24 lb

Mozzarella (shredded)

0.083 lb/person · Topping

10 lb2 × 5 lb

Shredded parmesan

0.021 lb/person · Topping (shared with Caesar)

2.75 lb

Italian breadcrumbs

0.017 lb/person · Golden crumb topping

2.25 lb1 × 5 lb

Hotel pans (full + half) Oven (in the ranges) Full sheet pans Chafing dishes + fuel

No boiling! Grease deep foil / full hotel pans. Per pan, stir together the UNCOOKED penne, marinara, and water (this replaces the chicken broth) so the pasta is submerged.
Mix in the diced raw chicken, plus garlic powder & Italian seasoning from the pantry.
Cover tightly with foil; bake at 400°F for ~40 min, until the pasta is al dente and the chicken hits 165°F.
Uncover, top with mozzarella, parmesan, and breadcrumbs; bake ~10 min more until bubbly and golden.
Rest 10 min before serving. Batch across the 2 ovens and hold in chafers.