Chicken Parmesan Casserole

5 from 24 votes

Chicken Parmesan Casserole

A fantastic chicken parmesan casserole! Crispy, tender breaded chicken. Deliciously al dente pasta. A decadent, deep red marinara sauce. Melted cheese, perfectly golden brown atop the bed of pasta and chicken.

Prep Time10

Cook Time35

Course: Pasta recipes

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: chicken breasts, chicken parmesan, parmesan chicken casserole

Servings:

Author: chefjar

Ingredients

3/4 pound 340 grams tortiglioni, ziti or penne pasta, uncooked
32 ounces 1 liter marinara sauce
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese finely grated
3 cups mozzarella cheese grated and divided
9 ounces 250 grams baby spinach
2 large boneless and skinless chicken breasts halved horizontally to make 4 fillets
3/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons butter unsalted
Fresh parsley to garnish

Instructions

Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water according to the package instructions. Drain and return to the pot.
In a medium bowl or measuring cup, whisk together marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
Toss the pasta with the seasoned sauce, Parmesan cheese, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and baby spinach. Set aside.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Prepare everything for breading the chicken.
Bowl 1: In a shallow dish mix together the flour, red chili flakes, salt and pepper.
Bowl 2: whisked eggs.
Bowl 3: breadcrumbs.
Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, then in the whisked eggs, and dip into the breadcrumbs to evenly coat.
Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Fry chicken until golden and crispy, about 4-5 minutes each side. You may need to cook it in batches.
Place on the cutting board and slice.
Preheat your oven to 375°F| 190°C. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish.
Add half of pasta mixture. Top with half of chicken and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.
Add the remaining pasta. Top with the remaining chicken and 1 cup o mozzarella cheese.
Bake uncovered for 25 minutes. For a crispier top, broil further for 1- 2 minutes.
Garnish with fresh parsley.
Enjoy!

Notes

Storage

Storage : you can easily refrigerate this dish. It retains a lot of moisture thanks to the breadcrumbs, spinach and the marinara sauce. You can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

Freeze: it freezes really well, too! Pasta, sauce, and breaded chicken will all freeze just fine. The trick with reheating is to defrost the casserole in your fridge the night before you intend to use it.

Reheat: if you’re reheating this casserole, we encourage you to gently spoon some extra marinara sauce over the top to prevent the pasta from drying out while baking.

Make ahead

You can assemble your casserole up to two days before cooking. Of course, you’ll want to refrigerate the dish, so when the time comes to cook it, be sure to let it sit at room temperature for thirty minutes. To cook the casserole you’ve made ahead of time, bake it at 375°F.

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