Chicken Parmesan Pasta

5 from 4 votes

This Chicken Parmesan Casserole is loaded with crispy chicken, marinara sauce, mozzarella, and melted cheese for the ultimate comfort food dinner! It’s an easy, oven-baked twist on the Italian classic.

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Total Time40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Carrie Barnard

Cost: $20.36, $2.55 per Serving

Ingredients

1 ½ cups vegetable oil (for frying)
2 chicken breasts (cut into bite-size pieces)
1 ½ cups All Purpose Flour
2 eggs (beaten)
2 cups Italian Bread Crumbs
16 ounces penne pasta
36 ounces marinara sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Heat 1½ cups vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Place 1½ cups all-purpose flour and 2 cubed chicken breasts in a gallon-size Ziploc bag. Shake until the chicken is evenly coated.
In a medium bowl, beat 2 eggs. Remove the flour-coated chicken from the bag and place it into the beaten eggs. Toss until evenly coated.
In another medium bowl, add 2 cups Italian breadcrumbs. Transfer the chicken from the egg mixture into the breadcrumbs and coat evenly.
Carefully place the breaded chicken into the hot oil and fry for 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Work in batches if needed. Remove the chicken and place on paper towels to drain excess oil.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook 16 ounces penne pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta.
Add the cooked pasta to the prepared baking dish. Pour 18 ounces marinara sauce over the pasta and stir until evenly coated.
Top the pasta with 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese and ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese.
Arrange the fried chicken pieces evenly over the cheese layer.
Pour the remaining 18 ounces marinara sauce evenly over the chicken.
Top with the remaining 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese and remaining ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese.
Bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden.
Garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving.

Notes

Recipe Tips

Cooking Pasta - Cook pasta al dente and according to package instructions. Make sure to not overcook as the pasta will continue to cook while baking in the oven.
Chicken - Cut the chicken about the same size pieces so that the chicken cooks evenly. To ensure that the chicken cooks through, use a meat thermometer to check internal temperature. Make sure it reaches 165 degrees.
Baking Casserole - Baking time for the casserole will vary depending on your oven. We baked our casserole for about 20 minutes. For the last few minutes you can broil the casserole so that the melted cheese gets golden brown.

Variations Ideas

Extra Veggies - Add sautéed spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, or bell peppers to the pasta mixture.
Spicy Kick - Stir in crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce.
Chicken - Feel free to use leftover Rotisserie Chicken, chicken tenders or Cooked Leftover Chicken for an easy substitution.
Spices - For added flavor, add in 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder or fresh basil to the pasta sauce.

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