Chicken Pasta Crinkle Cake (Printable Version)

Crispy phyllo layered with chicken, pasta, and cheese creates a creamy, savory dish perfect for any occasion.

# What You Need:

→ Filling

01 - 2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast
02 - 1 cup cooked ditalini pasta (from about ⅓ cup 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, to taste
10 - Black pepper, to taste

→ Phyllo Layers

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

→ Custard

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

# Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - In a large bowl, mix shredded chicken, cooked ditalini pasta, ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, parsley, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
03 - Unroll phyllo dough and cover with a damp towel to prevent drying. Working quickly, lay one sheet on a clean surface, brush lightly with melted butter, then scrunch it accordion-style into loose folds.
04 - Place the scrunched phyllo pieces evenly into the prepared baking dish, repeating with 7 more sheets arranged side by side to cover the bottom completely.
05 - Spread the chicken and pasta mixture evenly over the phyllo base.
06 - Repeat the scrunching and buttering process with the remaining 8 phyllo sheets, placing them over the filling to cover fully, then brush the top with remaining melted butter.
07 - Whisk together eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, salt, and black pepper. Pour the custard evenly over the layered phyllo and filling, allowing it to soak through.
08 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is golden brown and crisp. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
09 - Serve warm and garnish with additional fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks restaurant-worthy but comes together in under two hours with mostly pantry staples and cooked chicken you probably have on hand.
  • The phyllo gets impossibly crispy while the filling stays creamy and tender, creating this perfect textural contrast that keeps people coming back for seconds.
  • You can assemble it hours ahead and bake it right before dinner, which means less chaos when guests are arriving.
02 -
  • Don't skip the damp towel over the phyllo stack—even five minutes of air exposure makes the sheets brittle and impossible to work with without cracking.
  • The custard is essential; I once tried skipping it to save calories and ended up with dry, disconnected layers instead of a cohesive, creamy cake.
  • Make sure your oven reaches full temperature before baking; a slow oven means limp phyllo instead of crispy.
03 -
  • Keep a spray bottle of water nearby while working with phyllo—a tiny mist helps if edges start drying out, but use it sparingly or you'll make the dough soggy.
  • The scrunching technique is forgiving, so don't stress about making each fold perfect; those organic wrinkles are what create the signature crinkly texture.
Go Back