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This super simple No Boil Chicken Parmesan Casserole is a perfect family dinner that requires so little effort to toss together. No need to boil the pasta, it cooks up perfectly al dente as this pasta dish bakes. Juicy chicken tossed in breadcrumbs and parmesan and all the cheesy goodness. Everyone will want seconds!
Pasta on the menu is always the perfect way to make sure everyone is happy at dinner time.
I love a good Baked Pasta Recipe, but boiling the noodles before hand adds an extra step that I just don't always have time for. That is why this Chicken Parmesan Casserole is a perfect baked pasta--no boiling required!
Why you will love this recipe:
- It is a dump and go dinner recipe. You literally do not have to do anything but toss all the ingredients together, pour into the pan and bake. A little more than halfway through, give it a stir. This Chicken Parmesan Casserole dinner is SO SIMPLE.
- Uses lots of common kitchen ingredients. Chicken, pasta, marinara, garlic, mozzarella, parmesan--I could go on, but these ingredients are ALWAYS in our kitchen. Fresh basil is the one thing I have to plan on ahead of the time, but when push comes to shove, dried basil can be used as well.
- Cozy and comforting. Pasta, check. Cheese, check. More cheese, check. This dish is so comforting, but not too heavy like a lasagna so it is the perfect balance.
- Easy to add veggies. Trying to sneak some extra veggies? Use a veggie packed marinara, add more spinach, add some roasted zucchini--plenty of ways to add more!
What you will need:
- If you don't have Italian breadcrumbs, don't worry. Toss your regular breadcrumbs with about ½ teaspoon of Italian seasoning before adding them to the chicken in this Chicken Parmesan Casserole. Feel free to make your own bread crumbs from scratch as well!
- Use your favorite marinara sauce. We like spicy marinaras so when I know the little guy isn't eating with us, I like to use one with a kick.
- The egg is completely optional in this recipe. It helps the breadcrumbs and parmesan adhere to the chicken better, but you are certainly not gettin the same crispiness as you would in a regular chicken parmesan.
How to make this recipe:
- In a mixing bowl, toss together the cubed chicken, salt, pepper and garlic. Add in the egg (optional) and toss to coat as well. Toss the chicken with breadcrumbs and parmesan and allow to evenly coat. (steps 1-2)
- Add the uncooked pasta, spinach, one jar marinara, chopped basil, and one cup mozzarella and toss well to combine. (step 3)
- Add in the broth and stir to combine. I don't suggest adding the broth in with everything else in step 3--it makes for a bit of a mess if you do so. (step 4)
- Pour about one cup marinara into the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan sprayed with oil. Spread to cover. Add in the pasta mixture over top and spread to make even. (step 5)
- Spread another cup of marinara over top of the pasta. (step 6)
- Tightly cover the pan with foil--make sure it's tight! This will allow the steam to help cook the pasta. Bake for about 40 minutes covered. Uncover and stir pasta will to help get the pasta from the bottom to the top and vise versa.
Bake the chicken parmesan pasta another 15-20 minutes--test the pasta to make sure it's al dente. Then set the oven to broil and add remaining mozzarella on top.
Broil for about 5 minutes to melt the cheese.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Top with extra freshly chopped basil if desired.
Notes and Tips:
- DO NOT SKIP stirring the pasta when removing the foil. The pasta at the bottom will be much further along in cooking than the pasta on top. You will want to shift it around to allow for the pasta to cook even. You don't want to end up with chewy, undercooked pasta!
- Cover the pan tightly with foil when baking. This helps the cooking of the pasta by steaming it. You want to trap the heat inside or your pasta will not cook.
- While the recipe calls for shredded mozzarella, I love adding fresh slices of mozzarella on top instead. You could also opt for another cheese if desired. A cheese blend on top would be delicious.
- You can use another short pasta aside from penne in this Chicken Parmesan Casserole. Rotini, fusilli, rigatoni, etc.
Other recipes you will love:
- Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Italian Sausage
- Simple Beef Pasta Skillet
- Creamy Instant Pot Pasta
- Avocado Pesto Pasta
- Easy One Pot Chicken Alfredo
- Pumpkin Ricotta Pasta Bake
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Chicken Parmesan Casserole
This super simple No Boil Chicken Parmesan Casserole is a perfect family dinner that requires so little effort to toss together. No need to boil the pasta, it cooks up perfectly al dente as this pasta dish bakes. Juicy chicken tossed in breadcrumbs and parmesan and all the cheesy goodness. Everyone will want seconds!
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Servings: 8
Calories: 409kcal
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breasts, cubed uncooked
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Pepper
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten (optional)
- ½ c parmesan
- ½ c Italian breadcrumbs
- 2 24 oz. jars marinara sauce you won't use all of the 2nd jar
- 3 cups penne pasta uncooked
- 1 ½ c shredded mozzarella
- 5-7 basil leaves, chopped
- 1 large handful baby spinach
- 2 ¼ c chicken broth I prefer reduced or low sodium
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a large bowl, toss the chicken with garlic, salt and pepper. If desired, add whisked egg and toss (this is an optional ingredient. I have made it both ways and it works fine!). Add the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese and toss to coat the chicken well.
- Add one jar marinara, spinach, dry pasta, basil, and one cup mozzarella and stir to combine. Add the broth into the bowl and stir to incorporate.
- Spray a 9x13 inch pan with oil. Spread about one cup of marinara on the bottom of the pan to cover. Add the pasta and chicken mixture to the pan and spread to an even layer. Cover with one more cup of marinara.
- TIGHTLY cover the pan with foil and place in the oven. Bake for about 40 minutes covered. After 40 minutes, remove the foil. Pasta should be tender, but not quite al dente. The chicken should be close to done as well. Stir the mixture well to allow the top pasta to rotate to the bottom of the pan. Bake another 15-20 minutes uncovered until pasta is al dente.
- Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese over top and change the oven to Broil. Broil for about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- Cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Notes
- DO NOT SKIP stirring the pasta when removing the foil. The pasta at the bottom will be much further along in cooking than the pasta on top. You will want to shift it around to allow for the pasta to cook even. You don't want to end up with chewy, undercooked pasta!
- Cover the pan tightly with foil when baking. This helps the cooking of the pasta by steaming it. You want to trap the heat inside or your pasta will not cook.
- While the recipe calls for shredded mozzarella, I love adding fresh slices of mozzarella on top instead. You could also opt for another cheese if desired. A cheese blend on top would be delicious.
- You can use another short pasta aside from penne in this Chicken Parmesan Casserole. Rotini, fusilli, rigatoni, etc.
Nutrition
Calories: 409kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 1003mg | Potassium: 829mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 787IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 227mg | Iron: 3mg
Did you try this recipe? I would love to see it! Mention @LemonsAndZest or tag #LemonsAndZest!
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First of all let me tell you how happy I am to have found your site. This is the second recipe I have tried recently and once again you made it possible for me to put on a GREAT meal (Sheet Pan Crusted Parmesan Chicken was most excellent too!). I made this with a bit of extra chicken as I had tenderloins to use up - I used 1-1/2 pounds. And I added an extra handful of spinach as I sneak veggies in on my husband where I can 😉. The only other slight change was topping with Provolone cheese. We all loved this dish. Awesome kid friendly too.
I can attest that this recipe is super easy, delicious, comfort food at its best! Your measurements of liquid vs pasta and bake times (covered first then uncovered) were spot on perfect!!!
I can’t thank you enough for 2 back-to-back excellent recipes.
Looking forward to the next one. Sincerely, thank you for the post and all the helpful hints.
Bridget! You are making me blush. Seriously you have made my day! I have to be able to make my recipes while chasing a toddler so they have to be super simple and something I can basically do with my eyes closed. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment!!!
This was FANTASTIC and so easy to make! My picky kids licked their plates. I'm excited to have the leftovers for lunch today.
I'm doing a freezer/pantry clean-out challenge, so I adapted the recipe a tiny bit to use what I had on hand. No fresh basil, so I added a sprinkle of dried. I didn't have spinach so we served it with a big salad. Oh, and I used 100% whole wheat penne and the cooking time remained the same.
Great recipe!!
Kid approval is the key to my heart—always. And so glad to hear the whole wheat worked well. One less thing I have to test 🤪