I don't know what is better than something that already works -- you know, if it isn't broke, then...

That said, I've certainly worked on a bunch of projects incorporating a microcontroller with one of its functions being to deal with programmable PLLs. If loading the PLL is all you're going to do, then using a microcontroller is probably a bit of overkill. If however, you will be adding a bit more "application" around it (like the display function you mention), then applying a microcontroller to the task makes a bit more sense, unless the whole effort is purely educational and in that case, I'm in the "put an MCU anywhere you can" camp.