Description
Chicken Parmesan Casserole brings classic Italian comfort right to your dinner table with zero fuss. Crispy chicken, melted cheese, and zesty marinara create a simple one-pan meal that feeds your whole family fast.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 small boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ¾ pound rigatoni pasta
- 32 oz marinara sauce
Cheese:
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Supporting Ingredients:
- ¾ cup flour
- 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cups Italian breadcrumbs
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Fresh parsley
Instructions
- Cook ¾ pound rigatoni pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and set pasta aside in a colander.
- Pound 2 small chicken breasts to ½-inch thickness using a meat mallet. Mix ¾ cup flour with 2 teaspoons seasoned salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a shallow dish.
- Whisk 2 eggs in a separate bowl. Pour 1 ½ cups Italian breadcrumbs into another dish. Dredge each chicken breast first in seasoned flour, then egg wash, and finally coat completely with breadcrumbs.
- Heat ¾ cup vegetable oil in a large skillet to 350°F. Carefully fry chicken breasts for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer to a cutting board and slice into strips.
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with 2 tablespoons butter. Spread 1 cup marinara sauce across the bottom of the dish.
- Layer half the cooked rigatoni over the sauce. Top with 1 cup marinara, 1 ½ cups mozzarella, chicken strips, and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese.
- Add remaining pasta, 1 cup marinara sauce, 1 ½ cups mozzarella, and remaining 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
- Bake covered for 25 minutes at 375°F. Remove foil and bake an additional 10-15 minutes until cheese turns golden and bubbly.
- Let casserole rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle fresh chopped parsley on top before serving hot.
Notes
- Choose rigatoni or another sturdy pasta that catches sauce well and holds up during baking.
- Pat chicken dry before dredging to ensure crispy, even breading that sticks perfectly.
- Toast breadcrumbs briefly in a dry skillet before coating chicken for extra crunch and deeper flavor.
- Keep marinara sauce slightly thinner than usual since pasta will absorb liquid during baking, preventing a dry casserole.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5 to 6
- Calories: 621 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 870 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 37 g
- Cholesterol: 135 mg