Chicken Parmesan Casserole

🍝🧀 Chicken Parmesan Casserole — Comfort Food Meets Crowd‑Pleaser

The kind of dinner that makes you want to grab a fork, a blanket, and maybe cancel your evening plans.

This Chicken Parmesan Casserole is what happens when two Italian‑American comfort food icons decide to join forces and make your weeknight dinner dreams come true. We’re talking crispy breaded chicken, hearty rigatoni pasta, rich marinara sauce, and a glorious blanket of melty mozzarella and Parmesan cheese — all baked together until bubbly and golden.

It’s:

Ridiculously easy — especially with the frozen breaded chicken shortcut.
Family‑friendly — picky eaters, cheese lovers, and pasta fanatics unite.
Perfect for gatherings — potlucks, Sunday dinners, or “just because” nights.

💬 Reader prompt: Are you a “team extra sauce” person or a “team extra cheese” person? (No wrong answers… unless you say neither.)

Working mom life is busy and hard to stay on top of things. Especially trying to figure out dinner on busy nights, and your kids are sometimes picky. My kids are so funny, sometimes they will eat everything in sight and then sometimes they dry heave over their previous favorite meal.

My boys love spaghetti, which is awesome, so this casserole was bound to be a hit! It had “chicken nuggets” and spaghetti. They actually liked, because you know how kids are. Sometimes they don’t like the things when mixed with other things! This Casserole was a hit and I made it 2 days in advance and it was awesome still! Enjoy.

Chicken Parmesan Casserole

Ingredients

1 pound rigatoni pasta
32 oz. marinara sauce
3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded & separated
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
3 frozen breaded chicken breasts, cooked according to directions

Directions

Preheat
- Heat oven to 375°F.
Cook the Pasta
- Boil rigatoni in salted water until 1 minute shy of al dente. Drain.
Cook the Chicken
- Bake or air fry breaded chicken according to package directions. Let rest 10 minutes, then slice into strips.
Mix the Pasta
- In a large bowl, combine cooked rigatoni, marinara sauce, and 1 cup mozzarella.
Layer the Casserole
- Lightly grease a 9×13‑inch baking dish.
- Add half the pasta mixture, half the chicken strips, ½ the Parmesan, and 1 cup mozzarella.
- Repeat with remaining pasta, chicken, Parmesan, and mozzarella.
Bake
- Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes.
- For a browner top, uncover, increase heat to 425°F, and bake 5 more minutes.
- If baking from chilled, bake at 325°F for 40 minutes, then increase heat to brown the top.

🔢 Calorie Count (Per Serving — Serves 8)

Calories: ~465
Protein: 28g
Carbs: 42g
Fat: 20g
Sugar: 6g

📊 Nutritional Facts (Per Serving)

Nutrient	Amount	% Daily Value*
Calories	465	23%
Total Fat	20g	26%
Saturated Fat	9g	45%
Cholesterol	85mg	28%
Sodium	980mg	43%
Total Carbs	42g	15%
Dietary Fiber	4g	14%
Sugars	6g	—
Protein	28g	56%

\*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

👩‍🍳 Cooking Tips for Casserole Glory

Undercook the pasta slightly — it will finish cooking in the oven and soak up all that saucy goodness.
Rest the chicken — slicing too soon can make it lose its crispiness.
Freshly shredded cheese — melts creamier than pre‑shredded.
Layer evenly — so every bite gets pasta, chicken, and cheese.
Broil at the end — for that irresistible golden top.

💬 Reader prompt: Do you go straight for the crispy edges of a casserole, or are you a center‑piece person?

🎨 Recipe Variations

Spicy Kick — add red pepper flakes to the marinara.
Veggie Boost — layer in sautéed spinach, mushrooms, or zucchini.
White Sauce Swap — try Alfredo instead of marinara for a creamy twist.
Protein Change‑Up — use breaded eggplant for a vegetarian version.
Extra Crunch — sprinkle seasoned breadcrumbs on top before baking.

🧒 Kid Tips

Cut chicken into bite‑sized pieces for easier eating.
Serve with garlic bread for dipping (kids love the “scoop and eat” method).
Let them sprinkle the cheese layers — instant kitchen helpers.
Keep seasoning mild for sensitive palates.

💬 Reader prompt: Parents — do your kids eat the chicken first, the pasta first, or just pick out the cheese?

🛒 Grocery Hacks

Frozen breaded chicken — a total time‑saver; keep a bag in the freezer.
Pasta sales — stock up when it’s cheap; it lasts forever.
Marinara variety — try different brands or make your own for flavor changes.
Cheese blocks — shred yourself for better melt and flavor.
Parmesan wedge — lasts longer and tastes fresher than pre‑grated.

📣 Reader’s Challenge: #ChickenParmParty

Here’s your mission:

Make this Chicken Parmesan Casserole.
Put your own spin on it — maybe a new cheese blend, a veggie layer, or a spicy sauce.
Snap a photo and post with #ChickenParmParty.
I’ll feature my favorites in an upcoming Friday Favorites post!

♻️ Leftover Remix

Chicken Parm Subs — stuff into hoagie rolls, top with extra cheese, and broil.
Pasta Bake Cups — scoop into muffin tins, top with cheese, and bake for grab‑and‑go lunches.
Pizza Topping — chop and scatter over a homemade pizza crust.
Soup Stir‑In — add to tomato soup for a hearty twist.
Stuffed Peppers — fill halved bell peppers with casserole leftovers and bake.

💭 Final Thoughts

This casserole is proof that comfort food doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s hearty, cheesy, and endlessly adaptable — the kind of recipe you’ll make on repeat because it’s just that good.

💬 Reader prompt: If you could mash up any two comfort foods into one casserole, what would you choose?

Some dinners are just dinners. This Chicken Parmesan Casserole? It’s a love letter to comfort food. It’s the smell of marinara bubbling in the oven, the sight of gooey cheese stretching from your fork, and the sound of happy sighs around the table.

I love that it’s a recipe you can make your own — swap the pasta shape, change the sauce, add veggies, or go wild with the cheese. It’s forgiving, too; even if your layers aren’t perfect, the flavors will still come together in bubbly, cheesy harmony.

So here’s my challenge: make it, share it, and tag your creations with #ChickenParmParty so we can all drool together, swap ideas, and maybe even inspire the next great casserole mash‑up. Because food is better when it’s shared — and this one is too good to keep to yourself.

Here’s to crispy chicken, saucy pasta, and the kind of dinners that make you feel like a kitchen rockstar. 🍝💛

Did you try our Chicken Parmesan Casserole recipe? What did you think? Did you love it? We would love to hear from you! Please leave a comment below or tag us on Instagram!

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