Description
Chicken Parmesan Casserole brings classic Italian comfort straight to your dinner table with zero fuss. Crispy chicken, melted cheese, and zesty marinara sauce combine perfectly for a crowd-pleasing meal that makes weeknight dinners seriously delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 small chicken breasts
- ¾ lb rigatoni pasta
- 32 oz marinara sauce
Supporting Ingredients:
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 ½ cups Italian breadcrumbs
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
Seasoning and Binding Ingredients:
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Fresh parsley
Instructions
- Cook rigatoni for 8 minutes at a rolling boil, which is 1 minute less than package instructions. Drain pasta and return to pot, then gently fold in 32 oz marinara sauce, 2 tbsp Parmesan, and 1 cup mozzarella.
- Create a dredging assembly with three separate shallow dishes: mix ¾ cup flour, 2 tsp seasoned salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper in the first dish; crack 2 large eggs and beat them in the second dish; pour 1 ½ cups Italian breadcrumbs in the third dish.
- Slice 2 chicken breasts into ½-inch thick strips. Coat each strip first in seasoned flour, then dunk in beaten eggs, and finally roll thoroughly in breadcrumbs, pressing crumbs gently to stick.
- Heat ¾ cup vegetable oil and 2 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat at 375°F. Fry chicken strips for 4 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to paper towels and slice into bite-sized pieces.
- Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish. Spread half the saucy rigatoni across the bottom, creating an even layer. Distribute half the chicken pieces on top.
- Sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella and 2 tbsp Parmesan over the first layer. Repeat layering with remaining pasta, chicken, and top with remaining cheeses.
- Bake uncovered at 375°F for 25 minutes. For extra crispness, increase temperature to 425°F and bake an additional 5 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
- Choosing the right pasta matters, so select rigatoni with good ridges to hold more sauce and create better texture.
- Salting the flour mixture generously ensures the chicken has deep, rich flavor before frying.
- Frying chicken in a blend of butter and oil helps create a golden, crisp exterior while keeping the inside juicy.
- For a lighter version, bake the chicken instead of frying, and use whole wheat pasta and part-skim mozzarella to reduce calories.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 34 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 565 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 54 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 39 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg