Chicken Parmesan Casserole is a quick weeknight meal that is ready to bake in ten minutes with mozzarella, Parmesan, tomato sauce and a crouton crunch topping for the perfect Chicken Parmesan flavor!
CHICKEN PARMESAN CASSEROLE
Chicken Parmesan Casserole is a casserole dish that the whole family will love. While croutons might seem like an unusual addition to a casserole, they add crunch and texture that really brings the whole dish together. This quick, easy casserole is a perfect Weeknight Dinner, with all the great flavors of Chicken Parmesan and half the work.
Using the croutons in this otherwise pretty simple chicken, marinara and cheese bake is like magic. Half the croutons get this warm soft garlic bread texture (from touching the cheese and sitting amongst the sauce) and the other half stay crispy and buttery providing a flavor similar to a breading even though this dish doesn’t require you to bread your chicken.
For a ten minute prep? No egg washes, no dredging and crumbs and the flavors are great.
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And if you want, you can double or triple this and bake it off in foil pans. We love making it in larger quantities and adding extra veggies to the side. Freezer meals for the win.
TIPS FOR MAKING CHICKEN PARMESAN CASSEROLE
- Brown chicken breasts before putting them into the pan. It takes just a few minutes on the stove top with a bit of olive oil but the flavor it adds is very important.
- Make your own Marinara Sauce, and the fresh flavors will really make your dish a hit.
- Use high quality croutons, they taste fantastic and hold on to a little bit of moisture better than regular store croutons don’t which makes for a better topping on the casserole.
Tools Used in the making of this Chicken Parmesan Casserole:
9×13 Baking Pan: This metal baking pan with a curved bottom which helps in removing the pieces of chicken a lot easier than straight edge pans.
Croutons: These croutons are natural and have a bit of a chew still in the center which makes a for a delicious addition to this meal.
Marinara Sauce: If you don’t use homemade I highly recommend Newman’s Own Organic Marinara Sauce, it isn’t very expensive and the flavor isn’t “bottled” for lack of a better word. Add in a few fresh herbs and you’ll have a delicious meal.
HOW TO STORE CHICKEN PARMESAN CASSEROLE
- Serve: This casserole can be out at room temperature for up to 2 hours before you will need to refrigerate it.
- Store: Chicken Parmesan Casserole will stay good for up to four days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
- Freeze: Cool completely and transfer to a sealed, freezer safe container. The casserole will stay good in the freezer for up to 3 months. Before serving from frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge, then pop in the oven until heated through.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 chicken breasts , boneless, skinless
- 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
- 3 cups Marinara Sauce
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese , divided
- 2 cups Parmesan cheese , divided
- 2 cups croutons , garlic and butter flavor
- parsley , optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large skillet heat the olive oil on medium high heat and brown the chicken on both sides for 3-5 minutes on each side.
- Add the chicken to the baking dish and pour over any juices from the pan.
- Add the chili flakes and the marinara sauce over each piece of chicken.
- Add 1 cup of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses over the chicken.
- Add the croutons on top then finally top with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes or until the cheese is melted and browned and the chicken is cooked all the way through.
- Garnish with parsley, optional. Serve immediately.
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I halved the recipe. That’s it. It was absolutely DELICIOUS. My 10 year old likes nothing… does not like spaghetti sauce on anything except pizza. While this was cooking, she kept coming into the kitchen saying “what smells so good” over and over again. Once the dish was done, I gave her a taste. She ate everything on her plate. Win-Ner Big-Time!
Yay!! I love when this happens! Thanks for coming back to let me know, Christine.
I’m using thin cut breast, more tender and less grissle in the cuts, so would 20 minutes in the 350 degree oven be enough time
Yes 🙂
Really good we cut the recipe in half and it was amazing but two things 1. Could we do crushed croutons? 2. And maybe a little bit less sauce thanks for the recipe my family really enjoyed it
You could totally use croutons. Depending on what kind, they may be a little salty so just check that out first and adjust as you need!
Husbandv said it lacked something.
Yikes! Do not use thin sliced chicken breasts. After browning and then baking, the poor things wanted to get up and run down the street for help. I thought I had it all together, what with the high quality croutons and all. I blew it! I know this recipe is a winner, as I did taste around the shoe leather, and will try again!
Oh no! Glad you still are going to give it another try but yes, the thinner the chicken breasts, the less cooking time it would need.
I blew it! Even at 30 minutes, it was over done. And, instead of breasts, I mistakenly picked up tenders. I don’t know what difference it would make. Will try it again.
Oh no! Definitely try again using breasts.
What kind of noodles are pictured? Just buttered spirals? My kids aren’t crazy about veggies but love noodles!
I served along side a rotini pasta but feel free to use whatever noodles your kids prefer.
This looks so good but a lot of calories and fat how could we cut the calories and fat
I’ve never tested it but using reduced fat cheese and marinara sauce should help. Also, they make a veggie pasta that would reduce the calorie count. If you decide to try, I’d love to know how it turns out.
I made this last night – it is seriously GOOD! Frying the chicken before hand gives it extra flavor – and the croutons were an awesome addition. I had my doubts at first – but love to try new things.. this one is definitely a keeper on my dinner rotation! ?
Thank you so much for coming back to let me know how much you enjoyed it! It’s fun to step out and try new things.
Can I use planking breadcrumbs instead of croutons
No, I’m sorry. It’ll just end up a mushy mess. You really need croutons for this recipe.
How about the marinara sauce recipe for the ones that don’t have it. Thanks!
Of course! You’ll find it on the blog here: //dinnerthendessert.com/easy-marinara-sauce/
Do you use grated or shredded Parmesan?
I grated the parmesan. It has a better melt factor than bagged shredded. Enjoy!
Do you bake it before you freeze it? Looks yummy!
Yes, I do. Once you brown chicken you don’t want it to freeze it and unfreeze it again when raw in the middle. I hope you enjoy it!
I made this the other night. Oh, my! It is amazing, and I’m enjoying the leftovers tonight! Great recipe that I already can’t wait to make again!
So glad you enjoyed it!
This looks cheesy and comforting, two of my favorite things!
Me too, Brandy!
Chicken Parm is one of my absolute favorite all time meals! Love that you turned it in to a casserole!
Thanks Jessica!
I’m about to go prepare this… the amount of chicken listed is a bit confusing, but I would have made at up anyway.
Sorry about the confusion. I updated the recipe to be clearer.
this looks delish! when you add veggies, does it change the bake time at all? i think i’ll try it this weekend!!
I roast veggies on the side because I make a huge tray of them, but if you have space on the sides of the pan I wouldn’t think it would add any additional time. If you are layering it on top it would.
What an incredible meal!! YUM!
Thank you Katerina!
How did this take convincing?! Oh my. It looks seriously delicious!
I know, right?!
You’ve totally intrigued me to try this… I love using croutons in unexpected ways (like as a soup topping), and I think my family would love this!
This casserole looks fantastic! So cheesy with a bit of crunch. Love that it freezes well too!