The Ultimate Guide: What Pasta Goes With Chicken Parmesan (15 Perfect Options)

When you’re making that crispy, cheesy chicken parmesan, choosing the right pasta to serve alongside it can make or break your meal. I’ve been cooking Italian-inspired dishes for years, and let me tell you – the pasta you pair with chicken parm matters more than most people think!

Chicken parmesan features crispy breaded chicken topped with tomato sauce and melted cheese. It’s a hearty dish that needs the right pasta companion to create that perfect bite. While many restaurants automatically serve it with spaghetti, you actually have lots of delicious options to choose from!

Let’s dive into the best pasta choices that’ll elevate your chicken parmesan to restaurant-quality status, plus some tips on why each one works so well.

Best Pasta Types for Chicken Parmesan

1. Spaghetti

The classic choice that you’ll find in most Italian-American restaurants. The thin strands work well with light tomato sauce that coats each noodle evenly. While it’s traditional it can be a bit messy to eat with chicken parm since twirling the long noodles while cutting chicken isn’t always easy.

2. Fettuccine

These flat, ribbon-like noodles provide more surface area for sauce to cling to. The thicker texture stands up well to the hearty chicken and creates a satisfying bite. Fettuccine works especially well when you want something with more substance than spaghetti.

3. Linguine

Similar to fettuccine but thinner, linguine offers a nice middle ground between delicate angel hair and heartier fettuccine. It’s sturdy enough to handle tomato sauce while still maintaining an elegant presentation.

4. Angel Hair

Super thin and delicate, angel hair pasta is perfect if you want something light that won’t compete with your chicken parmesan. It cooks quickly and absorbs sauce beautifully, making for a more refined presentation.

5. Rigatoni

These tube-shaped pastas with ridges are excellent for catching chunky tomato sauce. The substantial bite of rigatoni matches the hearty texture of crispy chicken parmesan. Plus, the hollow center soaks up sauce and juices from the chicken.

6. Penne Rigate

Similar to rigatoni but smaller and with diagonal cuts at the ends. The ridges on penne rigate help trap sauce, making each bite flavorful. They’re easy to eat alongside chicken and work well for family meals.

7. Farfalle (Bowtie)

These fun bow-tie shaped pastas are particularly good if you’re serving kids. They have plenty of surface area for sauce to cling to and their playful shape makes them easy to eat with pieces of chicken. The sauce settles nicely into the folds of the pasta.

8. Fusilli

The spiral shape of fusilli is perfect for grabbing onto chunky tomato sauce. Each twist and turn holds sauce beautifully, and the springy texture complements the crunch of chicken parmesan nicely.

9. Bucatini

Looking like thicker spaghetti but with a hole running through the center, bucatini offers a unique eating experience. The hollow center fills with sauce, giving you more flavor in each bite.

10. Elbow Pasta

Simple but effective, elbow macaroni is bite-sized and kid-friendly. It’s easy to get both pasta and chicken in the same forkful, and the hollow shape captures sauce well.

11. Gemelli

These twisted strand pastas have lots of nooks and crannies that make them perfect for holding sauce. The short length makes them easy to eat alongside chicken parmesan.

12. Campanelle

These flower-shaped pastas are both beautiful and functional. Their ruffled edges catch sauce wonderfully, and their unique shape adds visual interest to your plate.

13. Pappardelle

These wide, flat noodles create a dramatic presentation. They’re substantial enough to stand up to hearty chicken parm and create a satisfying textural contrast.

14. Orzo

This rice-shaped pasta is a unique option that works well as a base for chicken parmesan. It’s small size allows it to absorb sauce beautifully and creates a different texture than longer pasta shapes.

15. Gnocchi

While technically a dumpling rather than pasta, gnocchi’s soft, pillowy texture offers a delightful contrast to crispy chicken. Their substantial nature stands up well to the hearty components of chicken parm.

How to Choose the Right Pasta

When selecting pasta for your chicken parmesan, consider these three key factors:

1. Sauce Thickness

• Thin sauces work best with thin pastas like spaghetti, angel hair, or linguine
• Chunky sauces pair well with shapes that can trap chunks, like rigatoni, penne, or fusilli
• Smooth sauces go with any pasta but especially well with wide noodles like fettuccine

2. Texture Contrast

Think about how the pasta texture will complement the chicken:

• Crispy chicken pairs nicely with softer pasta shapes like fettuccine
• Juicy chicken works well with al dente, firmer pastas that add textural contrast

3. Dining Experience

Consider who’s eating and how:

• Kids might prefer shorter pastas like penne, farfalle, or elbow macaroni
• Formal dinners might call for more elegant choices like linguine or pappardelle
• Family-style meals work well with sturdier shapes like rigatoni that can withstand serving

Tips for Serving Pasta with Chicken Parmesan

1. Cook pasta al dente – Slightly firm pasta stands up better to the hearty chicken and sauce

2. Don’t drown it – Use enough sauce to coat the pasta without making it soggy

3. Serve separately – Sometimes serving the pasta and chicken on separate sections of the plate lets each shine

4. Garnish thoughtfully – Fresh basil and a sprinkle of good parmesan cheese brings everything together

5. Consider the sauce – Matching your pasta to your specific tomato sauce thickness makes a huge difference

My Personal Recommendation

In my experience, rigatoni is actually the ultimate pasta for chicken parmesan. Here’s why I think it works so perfectly:

• The tubular shape with ridges catches sauce beautifully
• Its substantial bite matches the hearty texture of the chicken
• The hollow center soaks up juices from the chicken and sauce
• It’s easy to get both pasta and chicken in the same forkful
• The size works well for both adults and kids

But honestly, there’s no wrong answer here! The best pasta for chicken parmesan is ultimately the one you and your family enjoy most. Feel free to experiment with different shapes until you find your perfect match.

Final Thoughts

While spaghetti might be the traditional choice in restaurants, don’t be afraid to switch things up at home. Each pasta shape brings something unique to the table, and changing the pasta is an easy way to make chicken parmesan feel new and exciting.

Remember, the pasta police won’t come after you for choosing whichever pasta you have in your pantry! The heavenly combination of crispy chicken parmesan and pasta with tomato sauce is always a winner, regardless of which pasta shape you choose.

What’s your favorite pasta to serve with chicken parmesan? I’d love to hear about your preferences in the comments below!

The best pasta for chicken parm are types that are good at holding sauce and can accommodate the chicken, including long-strand options like spaghetti, fettuccine, and linguine, or short, tubular, and ridged pastas such as penne, rigatoni, and cavatappi. These short shapes are particularly useful for one-pot chicken parm recipes and provide ridges for sauce to cling to.

Yes, chicken parmesan often comes with a side of pasta, though this can vary by restaurant or recipe. While some dishes serve the chicken directly on top of the pasta, it’s also common for it to be served as a main course with a separate side of spaghetti or another pasta.