Garlic parmesan pasta includes a bunch of ingredients that you either have in your cupboards or can get for cheap. It’s an easy crowd-pleaser that can be thrown together minutes before a party (or, if you want, you can have it all to yourself). Regardless of the setting, get ready to enjoy this delectable dish!

Cost Breakdown

Recipe Making Process

Chicken is used in all types of restaurants, from the priciest eateries to the McDonald’s down the street. It’s a meat that can be easily found for cheap, but, if prepared properly, can seem like a real accomplishment to cook. This dish follows that basic idea: it’s cheap, but it feels like a higher-end treat.

That said, while making this dish, there were a few things we did to bring down the cost, such as substituting heavy cream with half and half. We also used store-brand olive oil and pre-grated Parmesan. Budgeting your life away truly bites, but this dish has enough of that homey goodness to mentally transport you from the doom of the dorms to your parents’ dinner table. However, there might be a couple of techniques your parents may or may not have tried their hand at while cooking at home. One of the techniques used in this recipe involves a chicken breast that is either butterflied or beaten. Butterflying is what it sounds like: you cut a chicken so that it looks like a butterfly.

Before you butterfly it, you need to remove the tendons and any surface fat from the chicken. This will help improve the texture, the quality of the meat, and can make cutting easier. Once that’s done, you place the breast down on a flat surface and cut it parallel to the floor so it resembles a book (as shown in the video below). However, like a butterfly or a book, it needs to have the middle section intact, so you should not cut it all the way through. After cutting, you can open it up and cook it as-is. This helps the chicken breast cook all the way through while retaining its natural shape.

You could also simply beat it down. The preferred way to do it is with a meat tenderizer, but you could use a variety of blunt objects, from the food-safe rolling pin or (heaven forbid) the heaviest book you can find.

Recipe Steps:

• 1. Gather and prepare all of your ingredients, and grab your pan. That’s right, you only need one pan for this recipe! Just make sure it will be deep enough to cook your noodles in as well.

• 2. In a small bowl, mix together the Italian seasoning, paprika, salt & pepper. Pat the chicken dry and then rub both sides with the seasoning mixture.

• 3. Bring a large pan to medium heat. Once hot, add avocado oil. Then, add seasoned chicken and cook for 3-5 minutes per side, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. It’s best to check this with a thermometer, while also checking to see if the chicken is firm and white all the way through. Remove chicken from the pan and set it aside to rest.

• 4. Reduce heat to medium-low and add more avocado oil and butter. Then, add onion and season it with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes, or until it begins to get tender and translucent.
• 5. Add garlic, stir, and cook for 1 minute longer.

• 6. Deglaze the pan with chicken broth, scraping up all the browned bits stuck to the bottom. Allow the broth to come to a light boil.

• 7. Then, add the dry pasta and stir to make sure that the pasta is submerged in the broth.
• 8. Cover the pan and cook for 10 minutes or until the pasta is al-dente.
• 9. Turn off the heat and add in the parmesan, heavy cream and parsley. Stir until the parmesan is melted and the sauce is warm and thickened slightly. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.

• 10. Slice the cooked chicken into strips and add it into the pan along with the pasta. Toss to combine. Then, serve & enjoy!

• This recipe doesn’t have any vegetable sides, but broccoli would pair very well with this. It provides a bit of a bite while complimenting well with the creamy sauce. It could also go with a variety of other vegetables, but this is my personal go-to when making things like this.

Garlic Parmesan Pasta

Author: Food Literacy Students Cooking Method:Sautéing Boiling Cuisine:American Italian Courses:Lunch, Dinner

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 30 minutesCook time: 40 minutesTotal time:1 hour 50 minutesServings:4 servingsCalories:300 kcal Best Season:Fall

Description

Incredibly easy, very delicious, and fun to make! Only needs one pan and can be thrown together in just a few minutes.

Ingredients

Chicken

• 1 tbsp avocado oil (can be substituted with olive oil)
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, butterflied or beaten down to about ½” thickness
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• ½ tsp paprika
• Salt & pepper to taste

Pasta

• 1 tbsp avocado oil (can be substituted with olive oil)
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• ½ jumbo yellow onion, diced (roughly 1 cup)
• 4-6 large cloves garlic, minced
• 8 oz dry penne pasta
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese *
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, mix together the Italian seasoning, paprika, salt & pepper. Pat the chicken dry and then rub both sides with the seasoning mixture.
2. Bring a large pan to medium heat. Once hot, add avocado oil. Then, add seasoned chicken and cook for 3-5 minutes per side, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove chicken from the pan and set it aside to rest.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low and add more avocado oil and butter. Then, add onion and season it with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes, or until it begins to get tender and translucent.
4. Add garlic, stir, and cook for 1 minute longer.
5. Deglaze the pan with chicken broth, scraping up all the browned bits stuck to the bottom. Allow the broth to come to a light boil.
6. Add the dry pasta and stir to make sure that the pasta is submerged in the broth.
7. Cover the pan and cook for 10 minutes, or until the pasta is al-dente.
8. Turn off the heat and add in the parmesan, heavy cream and parsley. Stir until the parmesan is melted and the sauce is warm and thickened slightly. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
9. Slice the cooked chicken into strips and add it into the pan along with the pasta. Toss to combine. Then, serve & enjoy!

Notes

• Alternatives to Ingredients:
• 1. If all you have is a small or medium onion, use the entire onion. Regardless, the entire portion should be roughly the size of your fist.
• 2. For the chicken broth, you can also use chicken bouillon and prepare according to the package instructions.
• 3. You can substitute heavy cream for half and half, which is a bit cheaper and has fewer calories.
• 4. If you’ve got dried parsley, you can use it in place of the fresh stuff! Just use two teaspoons– cutting it down from the original two tablespoons.
• 5. You can use normal, gluten free or protein pasta in order to make it fit your dietary needs.
• 6. You can use pre-minced garlic in order to save time and energy. One medium-sized clove equals roughly 1/2 teaspoon, so aim for 3 tsp (or 1 tbsp) garlic.
• 7. As mentioned in the recipe, the avocado oil can be substituted with olive oil, which brings down the cost considerably.

Keywords:chicken, pasta, quick dinners, quick lunches

Cost Breakdown

Recipe Making Process

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F
• Place chicken breasts between two sheets of heavy plastic (Resealable freezer bags work well) on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound chicken with the smooth side of a meat mallet to a thickness of 1/2-inch.

• Season chicken thoroughly with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour using a sifter or strainer, evenly coating both sides.
• Beat eggs in a shallow bowl and set aside. Mix bread crumbs and 1 cup Parmesan cheese in a separate bowl, set aside.
• Dip a flour-coated chicken breast in beaten eggs. Transfer breast to the bread crumb mixture, pressing crumbs into both sides. Repeat for each breast. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

• Heat 1/2 inch olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. Cook chicken in the hot oil until golden, about 2 minutes per side. The chicken will finish cooking in the oven.

• Transfer chicken to a baking dish. Top each breast with 2 tablespoons tomato sauce. Layer each chicken breast with equal amounts of mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, and provolone cheese. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan over top and drizzle with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is browned, bubbly, and chicken breasts are no longer pink in the center, 15 to 20 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

Chicken Parm with Marinara Sauce

Author: Whitney, Emily, Karson, James Cooking Method:Simmering Cuisine:Italian Courses:Italian American Lunch, Dinner

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 30 minutesCook time:1 hour Total time:1 hour 30 minutesServings:8 servingsEstimated Cost:6.60 $Calories:151 kcal

Description

A simple and delicious marinara sauce that can be used on anything – from pasta, to pizza, to this delicious chicken parm! And the chicken parm is a breaded chicken breast that is first pan-fried, then topped with the marinara sauce and cheese! Finish this dish by baking in the oven until the cheese is melted!

Ingredients

Best Marinara Sauce

• 2 (14.5 oz) cans of stewed tomatoes
• 1 (6oz) can of tomato paste
• 4 Tbsp freshly chopped parsley
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 6 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/3 cup finely diced onion
• 1/2 cup white wine (or substitute with 1/4 cup white wine vinegar and 1/4 cup white grape juice)

Chicken Parmesan

• 8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups panko bread crumbs, or more as needed
• 1 ½ cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour, or more if needed
• 1 cup olive oil for frying, or as needed
• 1 cup prepared tomato sauce
• ½ cup fresh mozzarella, cut into small cubes
• ½ cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 cup grated provolone cheese
• 4 teaspoons olive oil

Instructions

Best Marinara Sauce

1. Place tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper in a food processor; blend until smooth.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until slightly softened, about 2 minutes.
3. Stir in blended tomato sauce and white wine (or vinegar and grape juice substitute)
4. Simmer, stirring occasionally until thickened, about 30 minutes.

Chicken Parmesan

5. While marinara sauce is simmering, preheat an oven to 450 degrees F.
6. Place chicken breasts between two sheets of heavy plastic (resealable freezer bags work well) on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound chicken with the smooth side of a meat mallet to a thickness of 1/2-inch.
7. Season chicken thoroughly with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour using a sifter or strainer; evenly coating both sides.
8. Beat eggs in a shallow bowl and set aside. Mix bread crumbs and 1 cup Parmesan cheese in a separate bowl, set aside. Dip a flour-coated chicken breast in beaten eggs. Transfer breast to the bread crumb mixture, pressing crumbs into both sides. Repeat for each breast. Let chicken rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
9. Heat 1/2 inch olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. Cook chicken in the hot oil until golden, about 2 minutes per side. The chicken will finish cooking in the oven.
10. Transfer chicken to a baking dish. Top each breast with 2 tablespoons tomato sauce. Layer each chicken breast with equal amounts of mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, and provolone cheese. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan over top and drizzle each with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil.
    
11. Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is browned and bubbly and chicken breasts are no longer pink in the center, 15 to 20 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
    

Keywords:Healthy on a budget, Homemade, Italian, Marinara, Sauce

There is a lot of beauty in simplicity, and this recipe is exactly that. The few cooking techniques that are needed for this is breading (which is explained in the recipe below) and baking. Since the cooking technique used here is a dry technique, we have included helpful tips and reminders for anyone of any level of skill: preheat the oven BEFORE you begin the recipe, set a timer that is split up into two times in order to flip it halfway through, and how to tell when the chicken is cooked thoroughly. This last tip is particularly important because no one wants to bite into half-cooked chicken! From our own procedure, we agree that the best way to gauge its readiness is to examine the outer crust of the chicken, which should be a deep golden brown, not pale or soggy. And if you want further proof, cut open the thickest part of the chicken in the MIDDLE of the pan, and see if there is any pinkness left. If not, you are good! If you don’t want to ruin the look of the chicken, poke a thermometer into the meat and make sure it reaches at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

These may seem like tedious details, but it is incredibly important in order to create a safe, crispy product. We hope that this recipe can teach you proper roasting techniques, so that you can become a pro for other recipes in the future!

When experimenting with our recipe, it became clear some things which may seem like a good idea at first are not as effective as one might hope. In the original experiment we decided to double coat our chicken with the butter milk and dry mixture, this ended up creating a semi-soggy coating even after cooking thoroughly; in this case more is not always more.

When it comes to serving the chicken after cooking, it’s best to decide some dishes to serve with it beforehand if you aren’t in a rush or are cooking for more than one. Since the chicken provides the bulk of protein in the meal it’s good to pair it with some roasted veggie or in the summer maybe some fresh cut fruit to add variety to the palette. A classic addition would be any sort of grain like rice or pasta.

Additionally, another option would be fried potatoes or coleslaw! This would be best served as a backyard barbecue treat, or a nice meal on a snowy day to deter the winter scaries.

Oven “Fried” Chicken

Author: Thursday Group 1 Cooking Method:dry heat oven Cuisine:Classic American Courses:Lunch, Dinner

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 10 minutesCook time: 20 minutesRest time: 5 minutesTotal time: 35 minutesServings:4 servingsCalories:300 kcal Best Season:Summer

Description

A quick but delicious fix to any college student’s end of day hunger. After a full day at school or work the first thing you want to do is eat something amazing but the last thing you want to do is cook it. With this oven fried chicken you are getting the best of both worlds.

Ingredients

• 3 chicken breasts
• 3/4 cup of buttermilk
• 4 tbsp of melted butter
• 1/2 cup of flour
• 1/3 cup of breadcrumbs
• 2 tsp of seasoning salt (Lawry’s brand works great)
• 1/3 tsp of black pepper
• 1 1/3 tsp of paprika

Instructions

1. Prep: Thaw and soak chicken the night before if possible. If not, one half-hour before cooking is fine as well. Cut into thick strips (about 3 per breast) and soak in buttermilk in the fridge. 
2. Set oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit
3. Get a 15 x 19in baking tray. Line with parchment paper. Melt the butter (10-15 sec in the microwave) and brush onto the paper with a food brush or with a paper towel. 
4. Make coating: Combine Panko, flour, paprika, salt, and pepper in a gallon zip-lock bag (amount of coating can be adjusted if you want to add a second coating).
5. Coat chicken: Put chicken in zip-lock bag and shake well to coat.
6. Bake the chicken: Space the chicken out of the baking sheet with room to breathe. Put them into the 145F oven and bake for 10 min.
7. After 10 min, flip them gently with tongs or a spatula. Drizzle some cooking oil onto the pan if it is dry, to help the bottoms of the breast crisp up in the oven. Cook another 10 min. 
   
   Check temp has reached 165F for at least 15 sec. If needed, bake an additional 5-10 min. Pull and let sit 2 min on a paper towel to soak up excess oil before serving.

Video

Notes

• You can soak the chicken in buttermilk for up to overnight. This makes prep a little easier and the chicken more flavorful.
• You can customize the seasonings to whatever you want! Try out Cajun, spicy, Italian, Korean, sesame, ranch, and so many more!
• You can add a little bit of baking powder to the breading (¼ tsp per batch). This increases volume and surface area of the breading and makes the skin crispier.
• Spray some cooking oil on the chicken before baking to achieve more of a deep-fried texture with less oil.
• While the chicken bakes, you can make side dishes: coleslaw, salad, steamed vegetables, baked potatoes, or anything else you would like! Also consider whipping up some homemade dipping sauce of your choice!

Keywords:budget-friendly, quick dinner, chicken lovers, easy-to-make, college diet, finger food, home-style

Cost Breakdown

What else do I need to know?

1. This chicken is great over rice, noodle, or potatoes, and paired with some steamed broccoli.
2. To make this dish even more budget-friendly, try switching out the ingredients for all generic brands.
3. Not a fan of spice? The sauce is so flavorful you can eliminate the sriracha.
4. The lime can also be substituted out for white rice vinegar.
5. This recipe is easy to double, or even triple. Just multiply each ingredient by 2 or 3.

Test your Knowledge: What’s
Cross-Contamination?
Most people don’t know the importance of keeping cuts of meat away from shared surfaces in food preparation. Why is this so important? Well, raw meat carries pathogens that when put in contact with other foods may cause food-borne illness. This process is called Cross-Contamination. It’s important to keep raw meat on a separate cutting board (as shown in the pictures) and to handle it with great care, being mindful not to use the same cutting board for different ingredients. This recipe uses raw meat, following these safety practices will ensure that your Honey Garlic Chicken is not only tasty but free of harmful pathogens.

Let’s Talk About It
I absolutely loved this recipe. Not only was the cooking process fun, it was easy and timely. The only difficulty I came across was making sure the chicken was cooked all the way through. Some steps I included to ensure that everything was cooked properly was by butterflying the chicken (cutting one breast in half as pictured above) to make the breasts less thick and cook evenly. For good time management, I made sure to begin cooking the rice and broccoli right after putting the chicken in the oven. This meant that everything would be cooked and served hot right as the chicken came out. I used canned garlic that was pre-minced, however adding fresh garlic can be another way to make this recipe budget friendly, fresh, and sustainable. Next time, I might change up the cooking process by only pan frying and allowing it to simmer in the marinate. This way, sauce is not lost as it bakes in the oven and gives the chicken more flavor and tenderness.

Honey Garlic Chicken

Author: Food Literacy Students Courses:Uncategorized

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 10 minutesCook time: 25 minutesRest time: minutesTotal time: 35 minutesServings:8 servingsCalories:280 kcal Best Season:Summer

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. low-sodium soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp honey
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Juice of on lime
• 2 Tbsp sesame oil, divided
• 1 tsp Sriracha
• 1 Tbsp Cornstarch
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Sesame seeds, for garnish
• Sliced green onions, for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, garlic, lime juice, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, Sriracha, and cornstarch.
3. Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, heat the remaining tablespoon sesame oil. Add chicken and sear until golden, 4 minutes per side. Pour over the glaze and transfer to the oven.
4. Bake until the chicken is no longer pink, 25 minutes. Heat broiler.
5. Spoon glaze over chicken and broil until caramelized, 2 minutes. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.

Keywords:chicken, easy, Gluten Free, Healthy, Homemade, honey, Quick