Chicken Parmesan Casserole
The following recipe and photography were provided by local blogger Carolyn Hodges of The Dinner Shift.
Simple comfort food is the name of the dinnertime game!
This Chicken Parmesan Casserole simplifies the traditional preparation method by eliminating the need to bread and pan-fry chicken cutlets first. Instead, cooked pasta, seasoned cubed chicken and a flavorful pasta sauce are baked together in a casserole dish under a bed of shredded mozzarella and flavorful parmesan bread crumbs.
It’s everything my family loves about the original, prepared in less time and with fewer dishes!
Make the most of this simple recipe by using high quality ingredients. I recommend a very flavorful jarred pasta sauce (one of my favorite cooking shortcuts), Gerber’s CARE Certified chicken and Heinen’s Parmigiano Reggiano, which is aged 24 months and sourced from a family-owned cheesemaker in Italy.
Chicken Parmesan Casserole
Servings: 4-6
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Gerber’s CARE Certified boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tsp. Heinen’s organic Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp. Heinen’s granulated garlic
- ¾ tsp. Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- 3 Tbsp. Heinen's olive oil, divided
- 8 oz. Heinen's whole wheat penne pasta
- 24 oz. jar Carbone marinara sauce
- 1 cup Heinen’s shredded mozzarella cheese
- ⅓ cup Heinen’s plain bread crumbs
- ¼ cup Heinen’s 24-month aged Parmigiano Reggiano
- 2 Tbsp. parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 2-3 quart baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
- In a large bowl, toss the chicken in the spices, salt and pepper until evenly coated. Heat 1 Tbsp. of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and brown on all sides, about 4-5 minutes total. The chicken will not be cooked through and will finish cooking in the oven.
- In the meantime, drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook until just al dente, according to the package instructions.
- Drain the pasta well and return it to pot. Add the chicken and marinara sauce. Stir well to coat.
- Transfer the pasta to the prepared baking dish. Top with mozzarella cheese.
- In a small dish, combine the breadcrumbs, Parmigiano Reggiano, parsley and remaining 2 Tbsp. of olive oil. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the cheese.
- Transfer the pan to the oven to bake for about 25 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the top is golden brown. Allow to stand for 5 minutes before serving.
