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Chicken Parmesan Casserole

Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian Inspired, Southern
Keyword chicken-parmesan-casserole, easy-chicken-parmesan, parmesan-chicken-casserole
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 525kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 pound box penne pasta cooked to al dente
  • 1 1/2-2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts 1 inch cubes
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes optional
  • 1 small onion finely diced
  • 3 medium cloves garlic minced
  • 6 cups prepared marinara sauce i.e. Bertolli or similar
  • 2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
  • 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided use
  • Topping:
  • 1/2 cup Italian seasoned panko breadcrumbs (or classic dried breadcrumbs)
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 tsp granulated garlic
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
  • 1-2 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley or fresh basil for serving

Instructions

  • Cook the penne pasta in salted water per the package instructions. Drain well then add back to the pasta pot.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
  • Season cubed chicken on all sides using salt and black pepper. Drizzle a large skillet with olive oil over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook for 3-5 minutes or until browned and cooked through. Remove from skillet using a slotted spoon.
  • To the skillet add diced onion and crushed red pepper flakes. Continue to cook over medium high heat for 3 minutes or just until softened scraping any brown bits from bottom of pan. Add garlic cooking for 1 minute longer. Remove from heat.
  • Combine: To the cooked penne pasta add cooked chicken, onion, Italian seasoning, 5 cups marinara sauce and 2 cups mozzarella cheese. Mix to combine then pour into the baking dish.
  • Drizzle the top with the reserved 1 cup marinara sauce and sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese.
  • Topping: In a small bowl, mix together panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese and granulated garlic with melted butter. Sprinkle over shredded cheese.
  • Bake for 35-40 minutes or until bubbly and the top is golden.
  • Serve immediately garnished with chopped parsley.

Notes

  • Chicken Substitutions: This recipe begins with cubed boneless skinless chicken breasts. For a timesaver you could use any leftover or cooked chicken in this recipe. Rotisserie chicken, poached chicken, roasted chicken or grilled chicken. You will need around 3 cups of chopped chicken.
  • Use Breaded Chicken: You can also make this dish using 12 frozen breaded chicken tenders. Use your favorite brand and prepare them per the package instructions in the oven or air fryer. Once cooked slice into bite size pieces.
  • Pasta: You could use another pasta for this recipe such as ziti or rotini.
  • Alternate Crumb Topping: You can use fresh breadcrumbs or crushed croutons for the topping. Adjust the amount of parmesan cheese and melted butter, if needed. Sprinkle it on top just before baking.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 525kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 99mg | Sodium: 1653mg | Potassium: 1071mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1275IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 317mg | Iron: 4mg