Chicken Parmesan Casserole takes all of the flavors we love in our favorite Chicken Parmesan recipe and turns them into a belly warming casserole!
Tender chunks of chicken and pasta in a rich tomato sauce. This chicken casserole is topped with mozzarella cheese and a garlic buttery topping for the perfect bite!
Add in a side salad and some crusty bread and you’ll have dinner on the table in a flash.
Chicken Parmesan Casserole starts with tender chunks of cooked chicken. I normally use either Oven Baked Chicken Breasts or leftover Roast Chicken. If you don’t have leftovers, you can also use rotisserie chicken or make a super quick Poached Chicken.
If you use rotisserie chicken, remember to put the leftover bones and bits in the freezer for another day to turn them into a savory chicken soup.
How to Make Chicken Parmesan Casserole
The great thing about baked chicken parmesan casserole is how easy it is to prepare on busy weeknights. I usually make it even easier on myself with leftover chicken.
To make chicken parmesan casserole into a filling meal the whole family will love:
- Boil the pasta al dente and drain (it will finish cooking in the oven)
- In the same pot, mix the pasta, shredded chicken, sauce and diced tomatoes, and place into a casserole dish.
- Top with shredded mozzarella.
- Spread the Panko topping over the cheese and bake until golden brown and bubbling.
Pasta for Chicken Parm Casserole
The pasta you use can be just about any shape you like – or with pasta you already have on hand, other than spaghetti. I recommend either penne or rotini here, either would be the perfect choice for casseroles. They’re dense and delightfully chewy. This means it holds up well to baking, freezing, or if you expect there to be leftovers.
Rotini is my personal favorite, and kids seem to like it too. Those little spirals catch and hold the sauce, making for a more tender and juicy dish. Be sure not to overcook them so they don’t fall apart and turn into mush if you plan on freezing of refrigerating and reheating leftovers.
For a lighter version, you can even serve this dish over spaghetti squash. While it may not be pasta, it is still super delicious!
Easy Casserole Topping
I always think a good topping gives any casserole dish extra pizazz but it’s especially important in this recipe. Since this recipe mimics the flavors in our favorite chicken parm recipe, the crumbs replicate that delicious crunch and breading we love so much. Panko, garlic, butter and parmesan add the perfect crisp topping.
Of course, you can substitute whatever breadcrumbs are in your cupboard. The fat in the melted butter will still make them bake up nice and crumbly but Panko does give the best crispy crunch.
What to Serve with Chicken Parmesan Casserole
Baked Chicken Parmesan Casserole is a simple Italian inspired dish. And what goes better with basic Italian than crusty garlic bread, and a fresh green salad?
You can pop a foil-wrapped garlic loaf in the oven at the same time the casserole is cooking. For the salad, just whisk up a homemade balsamic vinaigrette. The acidity of the vinegar will make a welcome contrast to the buttery and cheesy richness of this casserole. Your family is going to love it!
How to Reheat Chicken Parmesan Casserole
If you have leftovers, you can refresh with a new topping layer and reheat in the oven. Freezing the leftovers is also an option. Either way, the flavors will still be awesome.
More Casseroles You’ll Love
- Eggplant Parmesan
- Easy Tuna Casserole – Classic recipe!
- Spaghetti Squash Casserole
- Hamburger Casserole – Easy!
- Cheesy Chicken Casserole – Quick and creamy.
- Homemade Mac and Cheese Casserole – Personal Favorite!
Chicken Parmesan Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ounces rotini or penne
- 24 ounces marinara sauce or pasta sauce, divided
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken or chopped chicken
- 14 ½ ounces canned diced tomatoes well drained, 1 can, optional
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Topping
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- ⅓ cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 375°F.
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Mix all topping ingredients together. Set aside.
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Cook pasta al dente according to package directions. Toss with 2 cups pasta sauce, Italian seasoning, chicken, diced tomatoes and parsley.
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Place in a 9x9 dish or 2QT casserole dish and top with remaining pasta sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and topping mixture.
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Baked 23-25 minutes or until golden and bubbly and topping is browned.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Casserole
Cuisine Italian
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Hi, just assembled this and wondering if I should cover it with foil prior to baking. I doubled the recipe and it makes so much! Thanks,
Cindy
This should be baked uncovered.
Delicious! next time however, i would use a lasagna type pan ( I used a deep casserole dish) so there is more panko/crunch and cheese per bite. I would also double the topping because it was yummy!
I make this recipe for my family all the time and they love it. This time I used Alfredo sauce and omitted the diced tomatoes and it was so delicious. All around a good, versatile recipe.
Great !
Had this recipe pinned due to ease of freezing and meal prep. I decided to make it for friends working thru a medical crisis. They loved it. I’ve actually heard about it twice since dropping off last week. This is definitely a keeper recipe (for me) as it checks all the boxes – simple ingredients, easy to assemble, option to sub in fresh tomatoes from the garden, freezes well and tastes great as written. Thank you for sharing!
I’m so glad your friends loved this recipe, how nice of you to prepare a meal for them!
How far in advance can I make this and then bake it when I want to serve it. Or is it better to bake it (without topping)freeze it and then reheat it?
P.S. Love your recipes!
Hi Kate, yes this can be made up to 2 days ahead. It can also be frozen and reheated. I am so glad you are enjoying the recipes!
really interested in making this but is it possible to make it in the crock pot instead of the oven
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure Taylor. You could possibly use the cook time in this Crock Pot Sausage Pasta but I haven’t tried it. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!
Prepped this casserole a few days in advance and baked it for supper one night. It was so delicious! Definitely a new family favorite! And we had leftovers for lunch the next days which was perfect. SWP Employee
Glad I doubled the recipe! Superb!!
Do you think it would be ok to freeze this casserole?
Hi Virginia, I haven’t tried freezing this casserole but I think it should turn out okay. I would recommend adding the topping when you are ready to bake it though.
I don’t have any panko, can I use reg bread crumbs?
I think that’ll work in a pinch Shellie!
At what temperature and how many minutes do you recommend for reheating frozen leftover dish?
I’d recommend thawing overnight and reheating as directed in the recipe, or until heated through. Enjoy Jennifer!
Perfect, thanks so much! Made this for the first time recently and it was delicious. Definitely looking forward to having it again :)
You’re welcome Jennifer!
Is the nutritional information per serving?
Yes it is per serving.
Very good:) I put the chicken (rotisserie) on top of the pasta and made the panko with butter and spread that on top of the chicken instead of mixing chicken in the pasta.
Good tip! More like chicken parm if the chicken ,some sauce , cheese and breadcrumbs are on the top.