Chicken Parmesan Casserole
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Chicken Parmesan Casserole is by far one of the most popular (and simple) recipes on Thriving Home. Shredded chicken, flavorful marinara sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, and a crunchy breadcrumb topping make up this quick and comforting casserole. Enjoy “as is” or serve over pasta.
5 Reasons to Make This Recipe Tonight
If you’re short on time, new to cooking, feeding picky eaters, or just tired at the end of the day, we created this recipe for you. Here’s why it’s our most popular casserole…
- Only 6 main ingredients: So simple! You probably have most ingredients on hand. Plus it’s a great way to use up leftover rotisserie chicken.
- Fast: This only takes 35 minutes to make from start to finish.
- Kid-friendly: People of all ages like this casserole. Just check out the comments.
- Freezer-friendly: We give you freezer meal instructions so that it will come out tasting like a fresh meal, just like we do in all our freezer meals. So double your batch and freeze one for later.
- Healthy: Serve alongside some whole grain pasta or brown rice and a salad or veggie, and you’ve got a well-rounded, nutritious meal.
P.S. If you like this easy casserole, you’ll love our 4-layer Chicken and Stuffing Casserole.
Key Ingredients
Like I mentioned, a perk of this recipe is the simplicity of the ingredients–only 6 main ones! I bet you have most of these on hand:
- Cooked Chicken – Use rotisserie chicken as a shortcut or I included directions for how to cook your chicken ahead of time in the Cooking Notes. You could also use chicken from our Roasted Chicken and Vegetables recipe or from Instant Pot Whole Chicken.
- Marinara sauce – You can make your own marinara sauce or use store bought. Choose the brand with the most recognizable ingredients. We recommend Newman’s Own or Rao’s brands.
- Shredded Mozzarella cheese – Like our Baked Chicken Parmesan and Chicken Parmesan Sandwich, this cheese adds Italian comfort factor.
- Shredded Parmesan cheese – Another mandatory staple of Chicken Parmesan. Grated Parmesan will work, too.
- Panko or whole wheat bread crumbs – Panko breadcrumbs will give it a great texture on top. You can also use regular homemade breadcrumbs or gluten-free breadcrumbs too.
- Fresh herbs – Fresh parsley or basil adds some additional flavor and color. You can substitute dried herbs from your pantry.
Note: Find our full printable recipe with ingredient amounts and directions at the bottom of this post.
Reader Tip: Add Pasta
Several of our readers have said they add cooked pasta, such as rotini or penne pasta, as the bottom layer of the casserole with success.
We would suggest cooking pasta just until it’s al dente, so it doesn’t get too soft after baking. Also, make sure it gets coated in the marinara sauce so it doesn’t dry out.
Make It a Freezer Meal
As with many of our freezer-friendly recipes, this one freezes wonderfully. A valuable use of your time in the kitchen is to double this recipe and a freeze an 8×8 dish for another dinner.
To Freeze: Simply assemble the casserole (with cooked chicken), do NOT bake, and then freeze it in an airtight freezer container.
To Prepare From Frozen: When you want to make it, thaw and bake it according to the recipe instructions
How to Serve Chicken Parmesan Casserole
I almost always serve this casserole over cooked pasta. You could use penne, linguine, rotini, 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!
For a well-rounded meal, serve it with one of these delicious side dishes:
- Garlic Green Beans
- Side salad topped with Honey Dijon Dressing
- Oven Roasted Broccoli
- Autumn Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
- Cheesy Pesto Bread or Texas Toast
FAQs
While mozzarella and Parmesan are the classic cheeses used in Chicken Parmesan, feel free to use other types. Try shredded Italian blend, asiago, or provolone in place of the mozzarella and grated Romano or even crumbled feta cheese in place of the Parmesan.
I have tested the casserole with raw chicken and it will get cooked through in about 20-30 minutes (be that a meat thermometer registers 165°F when inserted in the chicken). However, I’ve found that raw chicken releases a lot of liquid and can leave an unappetizing film behind in the dish. So, I recommend using fully cooked chicken instead.
Yes, several of our readers have said they add cooked pasta, such as rotini or penne pasta, as the bottom layer of the casserole with success.
We would suggest cooking pasta just until it’s al dente, so it doesn’t get too soft after baking. Also, make sure it gets coated in the marinara sauce so it doesn’t dry out.
Yes, you can freeze Chicken Parmesan Casserole. After prepping the casserole but before baking, wrap the dish in several layers of plastic wrap or foil, pressing out as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Yes, this casserole can be made gluten free by simply using gluten free breadcrumbs.
More Chicken Casseroles to Try
If you like this casserole, you’re sure to love some of these other favorite chicken casseroles:
- Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Chicken Fajita Casserole
- Chicken and Stuffing Casserole (or Turkey Stuffing Casserole)
- Chicken Spaghetti
- Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas
Be sure to check out our Top 15+ Chicken Freezer Meals, too. Every recipe can be made fresh or from frozen.
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 1/2 pounds) fully-cooked chicken, shredded or cubed (see Cooking Notes)
- 3 cups marinara sauce (or one 24-ounce jar)
- 1/2 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup Panko or regular bread crumbs (sub: gluten free bread crumbs)
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2–4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (or 1 tablespoon dried parsley)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
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, stir together the breadcrumbs, olive oil, fresh parsley, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- 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. If you want it a little more browned on top, turn on the broiler for 1-2 minutes (watch closely so it doesn’t burn!). Serve “as is” or over your favorite cooked pasta or rice.
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.
Notes/Tips
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). Be sure to season well with salt and pepper first.
- 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 2 1/2 to 3 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 or water 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: Cut the chicken in half lengthwise so you have thinner pieces (this helps 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.
Gluten-Free Version: Use gluten-free bread crumbs. I like to make my own with gluten-free breadcrumbs, because I can’t stand the gummy rice flour ones at the store.
Adding Pasta: Several of our readers have said they add cooked pasta as the bottom layer of the casserole with success. We would suggest cooking pasta just until it’s al dente, so it doesn’t get too soft after baking. Also, make sure it gets coated in the marinara sauce so it doesn’t dry out.
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.
This recipe is so easy to make and is delicious. I’m going to make it for our next family gathering.
Thanks for the review, Karin!
I thought this recipe was incredibly easy and so very good. I will be making this again.
Thanks for the feedback, Norma. Really appreciate it!
This was so good, and easy to make! We have leftovers for another night.
Great to hear that, Alica. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We really appreciate it.
Made this for a meal for a friend and made a second one for us as well.
It was a hit all around. Very easy to put together and was able to make a small third dish with gluten free bread crumbs as my friends daughter is gluten sensitive.
So kind of you to make one to share with a friend. And I’m happy to hear you could make a GF substitution for your daughter. That’s how I make mine too. I’ve also found that almond meal works well as a topping, because it browns up in the oven. Thanks for the review!
We loved this! Made ahead of time and cooked when ready to have dinner.
Glad to hear that, Mary. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
Easy, tasty quickly made meal. Good enough for company too.
This is an oldie but a goodie in my house. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for the review!
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!
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.
Absolutely delicious – our granddaughter made this and brought it to us for dinner after my husband got out of the hospital and it was a real treat with a side dish of noodles with the marinara sauce and another side dish of whole green beans.
I love hearing when our food is gifted to others. I’m so glad it was a help to you and your husband. Thanks for taking the time to share and leave a review, Launa.
I have made this countless times for my husband since we married 5 years ago. It’s one of his favorites! I always make it as instructed and place it over too the pasta or more frequently I place it over quinoa for a healthier and GF option.
I wondered if I could cook pasta and place it underneath before baking the casserole in the oven. Do you have tips for doing this? Maybe a different shape of pasta for easier serving? Should I only cook it to al dente? Any tips would be much appreciate. Thank you! 🙂
This recipe was SO easy and perfect for a busy Monday night when I didn’t feel like trying very hard. So delicious and with all the easy ingredients I didn’t even have to run to the store. Also want to thank Polly and Rachel for always pre-calculating the macros– that saves me so much time as both my husband and I do macro counting. I saw a lot of comments regarding the chicken being watery and I didn’t have that problem…I made my chicken in the instant pot beforehand and then shredded and it turned out perfect! Thanks again.
Thanks for taking the time to rate/review, Casey! Glad it was a simple, delicious meal for you. 🙂
Chicken Parm is a favorite at our house, but sometimes takes too long. I really like how quickly this comes together!
Recipe was very tasty, but chicken or sauce gave off a lot of water. It’s probably dependent upon your ingredients. I really enjoyed the flavor and crispy topping but not the watery sauce in the bottom. I used my go-to marinara sauce that I always use for lasagna, so it was probably my chicken. It’s difficult to find chicken not enhanced with chicken broth. Even so, I wanted to share my experience so others consider this before making recipe.
Thanks for your feedback, Sara. Did you use raw or fully cooked chicken? This is why we suggest using fully cooked chicken in the recipe. If you cook it from raw, it will get liquidy in the bottom.
I just found your website and I’m excited to start trying your recipes. I especially like that you show how to freeze and cook from freezer as I have NEVER had any luck doing this due to food somehow having So many ice crystals on them coming out of the freezer. I may have missed it but can you tell me what containers you use for baking and freezing? Thanks in advance!
So glad you found us! This post has lots of great info on what containers we use and recommend: https://thrivinghomeblog.com/the-5-best-ways-to-package-and-store-freezer-meals/
Also, you should hop over and join our Facebook group! You can always ask questions about how to prep a meal for the freezer or troubleshoot over there: https://www.facebook.com/groups/freezerfoodies/