Chicken Parmesan Casserole (Printable View)

Classic flavors in casserole form: shredded chicken, marinara, mozzarella, and crispy Parmesan breadcrumbs.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 3 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or cubed

→ Sauce & Base

02 - 2 cups marinara sauce
03 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs

→ Cheese

04 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
05 - 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Topping

06 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
08 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

→ For Baking

09 - Cooking spray or oil for greasing

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or oil.
02 - Spread the cooked chicken evenly in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
03 - Pour marinara sauce evenly over the chicken. Sprinkle with dried Italian herbs if using.
04 - Layer mozzarella cheese and half of the Parmesan cheese over the sauce.
05 - In a small bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs with melted butter until evenly moistened. Stir in chopped parsley if using.
06 - Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture evenly over the cheese layer. Top with remaining Parmesan cheese.
07 - Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, or until topping is golden and cheese is bubbly.
08 - Let casserole stand for 5-10 minutes before serving to allow layers to set.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Using cooked chicken means this comes together in under fifteen minutes of prep
  • The breadcrumb topping gets perfectly crispy without any messy stovetop frying
  • Lets you feed a crowd without individually portioning or frying anything
02 -
  • Skip the foil cover entirely for the crispiest breadcrumb topping imaginable
  • Assembling this ahead of time actually improves the flavor as everything melds together
  • Letting it rest before serving is the difference between neat squares and a messy scoop situation
03 -
  • Mix garlic powder or red pepper flakes into your sauce for an extra kick
  • Use low moisture mozzarella to prevent any unwanted wateriness

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