Chicken Pasta Crinkle Cake (Printer-Friendly)

A savory dish with crispy phyllo layers, shredded chicken, ditalini pasta, and creamy cheese filling.

# What You Need:

→ Filling

01 - 2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast
02 - 1 cup cooked ditalini pasta (approx. 3.5 oz uncooked)
03 - 1 cup ricotta cheese
04 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
05 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
07 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
08 - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
09 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Phyllo Layers

10 - 1 package (16 sheets) phyllo dough, thawed
11 - ½ cup unsalted butter, melted

→ Custard

12 - 3 large eggs
13 - 1 cup whole milk
14 - ½ cup heavy cream
15 - ½ teaspoon salt
16 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

# How to Cook:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - In a large bowl, combine shredded chicken, cooked pasta, ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, parsley, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir until well blended.
03 - Unroll phyllo dough and cover with a damp towel. Working quickly, lay one sheet on a clean surface, brush lightly with melted butter, and scrunch accordion-style into loose folds.
04 - Place scrunched phyllo sheets side by side in the baking dish to cover the bottom, using 8 sheets, brushing each with butter as you go.
05 - Spread the chicken and pasta mixture evenly over the phyllo base layer.
06 - Scrunch and butter the remaining 8 phyllo sheets as before, arranging them over the filling to cover completely. Brush top with remaining melted butter.
07 - Whisk eggs, milk, cream, salt, and pepper together in a bowl. Pour custard evenly over the assembled layers, ensuring it soaks through the phyllo.
08 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until golden and crisp on top.
09 - Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm, garnished with extra parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The phyllo gets shatteringly crisp on top while staying tender where the custard soaks through, creating two textures in every bite.
  • It uses rotisserie chicken and leftover pasta, turning weeknight staples into something that looks like you spent hours planning.
  • The custard binds everything together so each slice holds its shape, making it easy to serve at potlucks without the usual casserole mess.
02 -
  • Keep the phyllo covered with a damp towel at all times, because even a few minutes of exposure will dry it out and make it crack when you try to scrunch it.
  • Pour the custard slowly and evenly, making sure it soaks through all the layers instead of pooling in one spot, or you'll end up with dry patches and soggy corners.
03 -
  • Brush the phyllo with butter using a light hand, because too much will make it greasy instead of crisp, and you'll taste the butter more than the filling.
  • If a phyllo sheet tears while you're scrunching it, just keep going and nestle the pieces together in the dish, because once it bakes, no one will notice the imperfections.
Go Back