Chicken Parmesan Casserole
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Chicken Parmesan Casserole is by far one of the most popular recipes on Thriving Home. It is super easy to make, can easily be turned into a freezer meal, and is very family friendly. This real food, healthy dinner recipe is a staple in our home.
We joke around that this is the recipe got us a cookbook deal.
Reason is, about 7 years ago, Chicken Parmesan Casserole went viral on Pinterest, brought us lots of new followers who were seeking simple & delicious freezer meals. This increased attention snowballed and helped us catch the attention of publishers.
We’ve since carved ourselves a niche in the freezer cooking world with two cookbooks, 1 Hour Meal Prep Sessions, and more.
All thanks to Chicken Parmesan Casserole. Just watch and see how easy this meal is!
Here’s How Easy it Comes Together!
What Ingredients Do I Need to Make Chicken Parmesan Casserole?
Another perk of this recipe is how simple the ingredients are. I bet you have most of these ingredients on hand:
- Cooked Chicken – Use rotisserie chicken as a shortcut.
- Marinara sauce – You can make your own marinara or use store bought. Choose the brand with the most recognizable ingredients.
- Shredded mozzarella – I like to shred my own cheese. Here’s why!
- Panko or whole wheat bread crumbs – Panko breadcrumbs will give it a great texture on top. You can use regular bread crumbs in a pinch though.
- A few fresh herbs – Adds some nice flavor and color.
A Great Use of Leftover Chicken!
Not only is this recipe simple and delicious but it is very resourceful. What I mean by this is Chicken Parmesan Casserole is a great way to use leftover chicken.
Often times, I’ll have leftover cooked chicken from a Roasted Whole Chicken or a Rotisserie Chicken. When this is the case I throw it in the freezer until I have a few cups.
This makes it super easy to put together the casserole on a busy night. Just thaw the chicken and use it in the casserole. Easy peasy way to use up some leftovers in a tasty way.
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Make it a Freezer Meal
The easy-to-print Chicken Parmesan Casserole recipe is below, but I wanted to mention that, as with so many of our freezer-friendly recipes, this Chicken Parmesan Casserole freezes wonderfully. Simply assemble the casserole (with cooked chicken) and freeze it in an airtight container before baking.
When you want to make it, thaw it safely and bake it according to the recipe instructions.
While it may be easier to buy the disposable foil containers, it really makes sense to stock up on some quality, safe dishes that you can bake AND store in.
How to Serve Chicken Parmesan Casserole
I almost always serve this casserole over cooked pasta. You could use penne, linguine, or really any type of noodle you have on hand. Chicken Parmesan Casserole can also be served over cooked brown rice. Lastly, it’s delicious if simply served by itself!
Here are some recipe ideas that would go well with this dish:
- Simple & Delicious Baby Boiled Potatoes
- Texas Toast Garlic Bread
- Autumn Chopped Salad or Mexican Chopped Salad
- Crockpot Cinnamon Apple Sauce
Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!
Chicken Parmesan Casserole
This family favorite is super easy to make, made with real food ingredients, and also freezer friendly.
Ingredients
- 4 cups (about 1.5 pounds) fully-cooked chicken, shredded or cubed (see Cooking Notes for how to cook the chicken)
- 1 jar (about 28 ounces) of marinara sauce (or make your own)
- 1/2 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup Panko or whole wheat bread crumbs (Here is how to make your own) (Gluten-Free Option: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs or almond meal instead.)
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2–4 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley (or 1 tablespoon dried parsley)
- salt and pepper, to taste
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Instructions
Make It Now:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8×8 inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Layer the fully-cooked chicken in the bottom. Dump in the marinara sauce and mix with the chicken. Next, top with both cheeses until all the chicken is covered.
- In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, olive oil, fresh herbs and a pinch of salt and pepper together.
- Sprinkle the seasoned breadcrumbs over the top. (Freezing instructions begin here.)
- Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden on top and bubbling on the sides.
Freeze For Later: Follow Steps 1-4. Cover the casserole tightly with a few layers of plastic wrap and/or foil, squeezing out as much air as possible. Label and freeze for up to 3 months.
Prepare From Frozen: Thaw in the fridge over night and follow Step 5. Note: If it’s still slightly frozen in the middle, you’ll just have to cook it longer than the recipe calls for or defrost it a bit in the microwave before baking. Cover it with foil if the top gets too brown in the oven.
COOKING NOTES:
How to Cook the Chicken: For this recipe you can use rotisserie chicken from the store, which is a great short-cut! Or cook some boneless, skinless chicken breasts using one of these methods until it’s done (165°F internally or no longer pink inside):
- Bake in Oven: Preheat oven to 400°F. Place chicken in a casserole dish or on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake uncovered for about 20-30 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts.
- Slow Cooker: Place chicken in slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Really! That’s all it takes to get it done, otherwise you’ll overcook and dry it out.
- Instant Pot: Place chicken and 1 cup chicken broth in a 6 quart Instant Pot. (Note: If using an 8 quart, add an additional 1/2 cup of broth.) Lock and seal the lid. Cook at high pressure for 7 minutes and use a quick release of the pressure when the cook time is up. (Note: It will take 10-15 minutes to come to pressure before the cook time starts.)
- Grill: Pound out the chicken to about 3/4 inch thick (or cut it in half lengthwise) to help with fast and even cooking. Preheat grill to medium-high heat and clean the grates well. Grill for about 4-5 minutes per side, maybe longer depending on the thickness.
Notes/Tips
Where We Get Our Chicken: We get our meat from ButcherBox. The chicken is organic and curated from small, trusted farms. We highly recommend this service to source healthy meat–like uncured bacon, wild salmon, and grass-fed beef–and have used it for years ourselves.
Be sure to check out our Top 15+ Chicken Freezer Meals. Every recipe can be made fresh or from frozen.
Can I bake it, put fully cooked portions in freezer meal containers, thaw later, and reheat? Thanks!
Hi Denise, I do think that would work. Just let the leftovers cool entirely, wrap them very tightly to avoid air exposure, and rewarm on low heat (50% power in microwave) so you don’t overcook the chicken.
I didn’t read the freezer part until AFTER I put the bread crumb mixture on top… do you think that will affect my casserole when I thaw and bake later?
We actually think it’s fine to freeze the casserole with the breadcrumb topping on it (and recommend it in the recipe), if that’s what you’re concerned about. I have one of these casseroles thawing in my fridge right now and it’s got the breadcrumbs on top. They will crisp up in the oven. Hope that helps.
Could you mix it with pasta before freezing?
Yes, we’ve had several readers they have pre-cooked some pasta to al dente and mixed it in with the sauce/chicken and it worked!
This turned out awful. I never have to throw out food but I had to do it with this after freezing, thawing and baking. The chicken was awful and nothing was really melted or hot using the times on the directions. It was a bummer because we were looking forward to it on our vacation. I might try it again if I have enough rotisserie chicken or if you could give a link to how to cook the chicken. I gave 2 stars because I usually do like your freezer meals.
★★
Hi Julie! I’m so sorry to hear this! I’m trying to think what could have gone wrong. Did you use raw chicken or pre-cooked chicken? Rotisserie chicken is a great short-cut for the cooked chicken. Good idea to include some ideas for how to cook the chicken. I’ll do that in the notes. Another thought: Sometimes if you use chicken that has been pumped full of a water/salt solution, it can release a lot of liquid in the casserole after freezing, thawing, and baking. Lastly, the casserole really needs to be fully thawed before baking. If it’s still cold, it might take longer than from fresh. I’d love any more feedback so I can tweak the recipe instructions. Thanks! – Rachel
Made this recipe in a whim. My 12 year old son had a friend over and he stayed for dinner. I had a call to be on, but I was able to whip this up. My husband liked it too. I used GF Pablo and GF noodles. It was a hit…will be worked into the rotation. Ty for an easy doable recipe that uses staples on hand and tastes good!
★★★★
Thanks for the review and good to know that those GF subs worked for you.