Crispy Parmesan Panko Chicken with Lemon-Garlic Linguine and Roasted Tomatoes

This baked chicken dinner pairs a savory Parmesan-panko topping with a bowl of creamy lemon linguine. The chicken roasts until the crust is golden while grape tomatoes soften and blister beside it.

A quick sauce made with garlic, butter, cream cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, pasta water and Parmesan coats the linguine without feeling heavy. Serve the chicken alongside the pasta with extra roasted tomatoes and a final sprinkle of cheese.

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Ingredients

1 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Panko BreadcrumbsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Fry SeasoningView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 cup Parmesan CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

24 ounce Chicken BreastsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon Dijon MustardView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon MayonnaiseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 ounce LinguineView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Grape TomatoesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 clove GarlicView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Cream CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 tablespoon ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Salt, to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Pepper, to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 450°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly oil it.
2. Wash and dry the produce. Zest the lemon until you have 1/2 teaspoon zest, then cut the lemon into quarters.
3. In a small bowl, combine the panko, half of the fry seasoning and 1/3 cup Parmesan. Season the crumb mixture with salt and pepper.
4. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and place it on one side of the prepared baking sheet. Season all over with salt, pepper and the remaining fry seasoning.
5. In another small bowl, stir together the Dijon mustard and mayonnaise. Brush the mixture over the tops of the chicken breasts, then sprinkle the panko-Parmesan mixture over the coated sides, pressing gently so it sticks.
6. Roast the chicken on the middle rack for 10 minutes.
7. While the chicken starts roasting, add the linguine to the boiling water. Cook until al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain the linguine.
8. Meanwhile, halve the grape tomatoes lengthwise and mince or grate the garlic. In a medium bowl, toss the tomatoes with half the garlic and a drizzle of olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper.
9. After the chicken has roasted for 10 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Move the oven rack to the top position. Add the seasoned tomatoes to the empty side of the baking sheet.
10. Return the baking sheet to the oven and roast until the tomatoes are browned at the edges and the chicken is no longer pink in the center, 7 to 8 minutes. If the tomatoes need a little longer, remove the chicken and roast the tomatoes for about 1 minute more.
11. Set the pasta pot over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter and the remaining garlic. Cook until the butter melts and the garlic smells fragrant, about 1 minute.
12. Reduce the heat to low. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, lemon zest, cream cheese and 1/4 cup reserved pasta water. Stir until the sauce is smooth.
13. Squeeze in 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Add the drained linguine and half of the remaining Parmesan, then toss until coated. Add more reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
14. Fold half of the roasted tomatoes into the linguine. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
15. Divide the pasta among plates and serve the chicken alongside. Top the linguine with the remaining roasted tomatoes and remaining Parmesan. Serve the remaining lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over the dish.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use the same pan for the chicken and tomatoes?

Yes. Start the chicken on one side of the lined baking sheet, then add the seasoned tomatoes to the empty side after the chicken has roasted for 10 minutes.

How do I keep the pasta sauce from getting too thick?

Use the reserved pasta water. Start with 1/4 cup in the sauce, then add more as needed while tossing the linguine.

What makes the chicken topping stick?

A mixture of Dijon mustard and mayonnaise is brushed over the chicken before the panko-Parmesan crumbs are pressed on top.

When is the chicken done?

The chicken is done when it is no longer pink in the center and the panko-Parmesan topping is roasted.

How is the lemon used in this recipe?

Lemon zest is stirred into the creamy pasta sauce, lemon juice brightens the linguine and extra lemon wedges are served on the side.