Description
Make classic Chicken Parmesan flavors with minimal effort using this one-dish, dump-and-bake casserole recipe. Everything cooks together, including the raw chicken and pasta.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 (16 ounce) package uncooked penne pasta
- 3 cups marinara sauce
- 3 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- 1.5 lbs. raw chicken , diced into bite-sized pieces
- 1–2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese or Italian cheese blend
- 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- Optional garnish: fresh chopped herbs such as fresh basil or fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F. Spray a 13-inch by 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In the prepared baking dish, stir together the uncooked pasta, marinara sauce, water, salt, pepper, and raw chicken.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish if you mixed it in a separate bowl. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil to keep moisture in.
- Bake the covered dish for 30 minutes.
- Uncover the dish and stir the contents well. The pasta will still be firm and liquid will remain; this is expected.
- Spread the mozzarella cheese over the top. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 10-15 more minutes, or until the cheese is melted, the top is golden brown, the pasta is tender, and the chicken is cooked through.
- Garnish with fresh herbs, if you choose. Serve the casserole.
Notes
- For added flavor, consider adding red wine, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, or crushed red pepper flakes to the initial mixture.
- Covering the dish tightly during the first bake period is important so the pasta absorbs the liquid as it cooks.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 40 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 850
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Unsaturated Fat: 10
- Trans Fat: 0.5
- Carbohydrates: 55
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 42
- Cholesterol: 110
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