Chicken Parm casserole delivers all the flavors we love about classic chicken parmesan in an easy, one-pan dinner.
This is one of those easy recipes that the whole family will ask for again and again. I speak from experience!
If you’ve got leftover chicken cutlets, this yummy casserole is a great way to use them.
Ingredients
- Chicken cutlets. Make them homemade (get my recipe here) or buy them premade at the grocery store.
- Short cut pasta. Any type of short pasta like rotini, farfalle or rigatoni will work well in this recipe.
- Pasta sauce. Homemade sauce is best, but I’ll admit I have been grabbing for Rao’s more and more often lately. It’s a great substitute for homemade sauce.
- Mozzarella cheese
- Ricotta cheese
- Egg
- Dried basil
- Dried parsley
- Dried oregano
- Salt
- Sugar
How to Make Chicken Parm Casserole
Start with the Chicken Cutlets
If you are making chicken cutlets from scratch, check out my homemade recipe here.
Maybe you have some leftover cutlets, and that’s perfect for this recipe. Or, find premade cutlets or even breaded chicken tenders at the grocery store.
Whatever you’re starting with, go ahead and cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Make the Ricotta Mixture
In a mixing bowl, stir together the ricotta, egg, dry spices, salt and sugar.
Stir 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese into this mixture as well.
Assemble the Casserole
Spread the bottom of a casserole dish with half of the ricotta mixture.
Then layer half of the cooked pasta on top of the ricotta, followed by half of the chicken.
Repeat these layers one more time. Finish by sprinkling the rest of the mozzarella cheese over top.
Bake the Casserole
Since everything is already cooked, this easy dinner will take less than 30 minutes in the oven.
Watch for the cheese to bubble and the top to turn golden brown, and it’s ready!
Serving Suggestions
- Garnishes. Sprinkle fresh basil, grated Parmesan cheese or red pepper flakes on top of the casserole or over individual servings.
- Salad. A crisp side salad or Caesar salad are classic pairings for a cozy meal like this one.
- Bread. Garlic knots, pull apart garlic bread or a crusty loaf of sourdough would all be delicious with this meal.
Short Cuts to Make Chicken Parm Casserole even Easier
1. Chicken. Buy breaded chicken patties or chicken tenders at the grocery store instead of making your own. Or, to lighten things up, try using cubed rotisserie chicken breasts instead.
2. Sauce. A good jarred sauce is a nice thing to have on hand for busy weeknights. I’ve been grabbing for Rao’s when I don’t have any homemade sauce in the house.
3. Make Ahead. Assemble this entire casserole on a Sunday and bake it up any day of the week! Just keep it covered with plastic wrap in the fridge until you’re ready to enjoy it.
Pro Tips
1. Use thick pasta sauce. For baked casseroles, I recommend using a tomato sauce instead of a marinara sauce. Marinara sauce has too much moisture and could result in a watery casserole.
2. Reduce fat and calories with low fat dairy. Using part-skim ricotta and mozzarella is okay in this recipe, it’ll still be good! And you can save some calories.
3. Cook the pasta al dente. Remember we are baking it too, so cooking it just until al dente will keep the pasta from getting mushy during baking.
Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
You can assemble this casserole a few hours to days ahead and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to bake it.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Leftovers microwave really easily!
What is the best pasta to use for chicken parm casserole?
Choose a short type of pasta that holds sauce well and distributes flavor evenly.
Great options include penne pasta, rigatoni, ziti and rotini.
Can you freeze chicken parm casserole?
Yes! This one-dish dinner freezes beautifully. Assemble it completely but don’t bake it. Cover it tightly with aluminum foil or two layers of plastic wrap.
When you’re ready to bake, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight or simply bake from frozen. Be sure to adjust the cook time if you’re baking from frozen.
When you try this easy chicken Parmesan casserole recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Drop a rating or leave a comment below. Enjoy!
For more easy dinner ideas, try these:
Chicken Parm Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 lb. chicken cutlets
- 1 lb. short cut pasta
- 16 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
- 3 cups pasta sauce
- 15 oz. ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp. dried parsley
- 1 tsp. dried basil
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1/2 tsp. salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Boil and drain the pasta according to package directions for al dente.
- Take the cooked chicken cutlets and cut them into bite sized pieces.
- In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, 1 cup of mozzarella, pasta sauce dried spices, salt, sugar and egg.
- In a 9×13 baking dish, layer half of the ricotta mixture, then half of the cooked pasta, then half of the chicken. Repeat the layers one more time.
- Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella evenly across the top of the casserole. Bake in the preheated oven 25-30 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbling.
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