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Chicken Parmesan casserole in a glass baking dish.

Chicken Parmesan Casserole

This family favorite chicken casserole is super easy to make, made with real food ingredients, and also freezer friendly
4.76 from 74 votes
Yield: 5 servings
Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:27 minutes
Total Time:42 minutes
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Ingredients
 

  • 4 cups shredded or diced fully-cooked chicken (see Cooking Notes)
  • 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce
  • 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 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (sub: fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried parsley)
  • Salt and pepper (to taste)

Instructions
 

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease an 8x8-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
  2. 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.
  3. In a small bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs, olive oil, fresh parsley, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
  4. Sprinkle the seasoned breadcrumbs over the top evenly.
  5. Bake on the middle rack for 25-35 minutes, or until hot in the middle and bubbling on the sides. Turn on the broiler for 1-2 minutes at the end to help it get brown on top (watch closely so it doesn’t burn!).
  6. Serve warm "as is" or over your favorite cooked pasta or rice.

Freezer Instructions

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 Steps 5-6. 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 Prep the Chicken: Pick one of these options to provide the 4 cups cooked, shredded chicken for one batch of this recipe:
1) Shred one rotisserie chicken from the store.
2) Buy/chop one (16-ounce) package of shredded chicken.
3) Season well with salt & pepper and cook 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts using a method below until 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 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.
Recipe Update: I retested this older recipe several times in October 2025 and found that it needed to bake at a higher temp and for a bit longer. (The previous recipe said 350°F for 20-25 minutes, if you're wondering.)
Nutrition Facts: I calculated the nutrition facts using 16 ounces cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast that was seasoned with 1 teaspoon salt. If you use a store-bought rotisserie chicken, this recipe will contain more calories and fat.

Nutrition

Serving: 5 portions | Calories: 385 kcal (19%) | Carbohydrates: 18 g (6%) | Protein: 39 g (78%) | Fat: 17 g (26%) | Cholesterol: 112 mg (37%) | Sodium: 1259 mg (55%) | Fiber: 3 g (13%) | Sugar: 6 g (7%)
If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe!
Author: Rachel Tiemeyer