Amazing 1-Dish Chicken Parmesan Casserole

Chicken Parmesan Casserole—listen to me, this is the weeknight hero you didn’t know you needed! I’m Anna, and I absolutely live for those moments when I can share simple, flavorful chicken recipes that make our busy days easier and way more joyful. I’ve spent years chasing the perfect balance between comfort food and minimal cleanup, and folks, I think I nailed it here.

Forget boiling water! Seriously, put the big pot away. This is my famous dump-and-bake method. We’re throwing everything raw—yes, raw pasta and raw chicken—into one dish, covering it up, and letting the oven do all the heavy lifting. It creates this incredibly rich, cheesy sauce that soaks right into the noodles while the chicken cooks perfectly alongside them.

It’s the ultimate shortcut to real Italian flavor without the fuss. If you’re tired of dishes that require three different pots, trust me, this Chicken Parmesan Casserole is about to become your absolute favorite go-to meal. It feeds a crowd, tastes like you slaved all afternoon, and the cleanup is just one dish. What’s not to love?

Gather Your Simple Ingredients for Chicken Parmesan Casserole

The beauty of this Chicken Parmesan Casserole is that you probably have most of this stuff in your pantry already! We aren’t messing around with complicated steps here; we are just dumping and baking for maximum flavor. Because we are cooking the pasta right in the sauce, make sure you have plenty of liquid. The ingredients list looks long, but really, it’s just pasta, chicken, sauce, cheese, and some seasoning. It’s super straightforward!

Before you grab your dish, make sure you prep your chicken properly. I’ll explain exactly how I like to cut it below. Getting these components ready takes maybe ten minutes tops, and then the oven takes over!

Essential Components for Your Chicken Parmesan Casserole

Here is everything you need to gather for this amazing, one-dish meal. Pay close attention to how the chicken needs to be cut—that makes a huge difference in how evenly it cooks with the pasta in this Chicken Parmesan Casserole recipe!

Ingredients for Chicken Parmesan Casserole

Quantity	Ingredient	Preparation Detail
1 pound	uncooked penne or rotini pasta	Do not boil!
24 ounces	marinara sauce	Use your favorite high-quality jarred sauce.
3 cups	water or low-sodium chicken broth	Broth adds more depth of flavor.
1 pound	boneless, skinless chicken breasts	Cut into uniform 1-inch cubes.
2 cups	shredded mozzarella cheese	For topping.
1/2 cup	grated Parmesan cheese	For topping.
1 teaspoon	Italian seasoning	Dried is perfect here.
1/2 teaspoon	garlic powder
1 cup	garlic croutons	Crushed coarsely for that crunchy topping.
As needed	Fresh basil	For garnishing when serving.

Equipment Needed for This Dump and Bake Chicken Parmesan Casserole

Since this is a one-dish wonder, we keep the equipment list super short. You don’t need a skillet, a saucepan, or even a mixing bowl for the main event! This is what makes the Chicken Parmesan Casserole such a lifesaver on busy nights. Just grab these few things, and you’re ready to go!

Tools to Make Your Chicken Parmesan Casserole Preparation Quick

• A sturdy 9×13 inch baking dish.
• Heavy-duty aluminum foil (this is crucial for trapping steam!).
• A large spoon or spatula for stirring everything together.
• A meat thermometer (safety first, always!).

Step-by-Step Instructions for Your Chicken Parmesan Casserole

Okay, this is where the magic happens! Seriously, watching this Chicken Parmesan Casserole come together without boiling a single noodle is my favorite part of cooking. Just follow these steps closely, especially regarding the foil, and you’ll have dinner ready without any stress.

Initial Prep and Combining Ingredients for Chicken Parmesan Casserole

First things first: crank that oven up to 425°F (220°C). Grab your 9×13 inch baking dish and give it a good spray with non-stick stuff so nothing decides to stick later. Now, dump everything but the cheeses and croutons right into that dish! That means the raw pasta, the whole jar of marinara sauce, your water or broth, those cubed chicken pieces, the Italian seasoning, and the garlic powder all go in together.

You have to stir this mixture really well. I mean it—make sure every piece of pasta is swimming in liquid and that the chicken cubes aren’t clumped up at the bottom. If the pasta is dry, it won’t cook right! Give it a good mix until everything looks evenly coated.

The Covered Bake Phase Cooking the Pasta and Chicken

This step is non-negotiable for our no-boil method! Take your aluminum foil and cover that dish tightly, making sure it’s sealed all around the edges. This traps all the steam we need to cook that pasta al dente and cook the chicken through. Pop it into your preheated oven and let it bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Don’t peek during this time!

When the timer goes off, pull it out carefully—it will be hot! Take the foil off and give the ingredients a gentle stir. You should see that most of the liquid has been absorbed, and the pasta should be tender. This is also when you should check the chicken; poke a piece with your meat thermometer to make sure it hit 165°F (74°C).

Finishing the Chicken Parmesan Casserole with Cheese and Crunch

Now we make it look like real comfort food! Sprinkle that mozzarella cheese and the grated Parmesan cheese evenly all over the top. Then, take your crushed garlic croutons and scatter them across the cheese layer. This topping is what gives the Chicken Parmesan Casserole that fantastic, crunchy crust.

Put the dish back into the oven, but this time, leave the foil off. Bake it for another 10 to 15 minutes. You are looking for the cheese to be completely melted, bubbly, and maybe showing just a little bit of golden brown color around the edges.

Resting and Serving Your Delicious Chicken Parmesan Casserole

Resist the urge to dig in immediately! This final step is crucial for the texture of your Chicken Parmesan Casserole. Let the dish stand right on the counter for 5 to 10 minutes. This resting time allows the sauce to thicken up beautifully and prevents it from being soupy when you serve it.

Once it’s set, grab some fresh basil—if you have it—and chop it up to sprinkle over the top for a pop of color and fresh flavor. Then, scoop out those cheesy portions and enjoy the easiest dinner ever! If you are looking for more easy weeknight meals, check out this guide on delicious one-pan dinner ideas.

Tips for Achieving Perfect Results in Your Chicken Parmesan Casserole

I’ve made this Chicken Parmesan Casserole enough times to know exactly what makes it go from good to absolutely legendary. Trust me, these little tricks I picked up over trial and error save you from any potential dinner disasters. We aren’t just following steps; we are making smart cooking choices! If you want to see how this compares to a traditional version, check out the best chicken parmesan recipe.

The success of this no-boil dish hinges on steam and good ingredients. If you follow these tips, you’ll get that perfect, bubbly, cheesy result every single time without fail. You deserve a win after a long day! For more inspiration on easy chicken dishes, take a look at this easy creamy oven baked chicken thighs recipe.

Ensuring Pasta Cooks Through in Your No Boil Chicken Parmesan Casserole

That first bake step, covered with foil, is doing some serious work trapping steam to cook that pasta. Make absolutely sure your foil seals tightly all around the rim of the baking dish. If steam escapes, your pasta stays crunchy. If you pull the foil off and the sauce seems a little thinner than you like, don’t panic! Just give everything a good stir and let it rest for the full 5 to 10 minutes after the final bake. The starch from the pasta continues to thicken the sauce as it cools down slightly.

Selecting Quality Ingredients for the Best Chicken Parmesan Casserole Flavor

Since this recipe uses so few ingredients, the quality really shines through, especially with the sauce. I always tell people: use the best jarred marinara sauce you can afford. A bland sauce makes a bland Chicken Parmesan Casserole, so splurge a little there! Also, remember to cut your raw chicken breasts into uniform 1-inch cubes. If you have big chunks and tiny bits, the tiny bits will dry out before the big chunks reach that safe 165°F internal temperature.

Storage and Reheating Instructions for Leftover Chicken Parmesan Casserole

I hope you have leftovers, because this Chicken Parmesan Casserole tastes even better the next day! Seriously, the flavors meld together overnight, and it’s so easy to pack up for lunch. You can find more great storage tips on our social channels, like Pinterest.

Don’t leave leftovers sitting out too long, though. Get them into the fridge quickly so we can keep things safe and delicious for later enjoyment.

Storing Your Chicken Parmesan Casserole Properly

You can keep this casserole safely in the refrigerator for up to four days. Make sure you cover the dish tightly with a lid or plastic wrap before putting it away. If you’re using a glass dish, a tight layer of plastic wrap works great.

Storage and Reheating Guide

Storage Location	Duration	Reheating Method
Refrigerator	Up to 4 days	Cover loosely with foil and reheat at 350°F (175°C) until hot throughout, about 15-20 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions About Chicken Parmesan Casserole

I get so many questions about this recipe because everyone wants it to turn out perfectly the first time! It’s easy to adapt, but I want to make sure you know the secrets to success when tackling this Chicken Parmesan Casserole for the first time. Here are the things I hear most often from folks trying out the dump-and-bake method.

Can I make this Chicken Parmesan Casserole Vegetarian

Absolutely, you totally can skip the chicken and make this vegetarian! If you want to keep that satisfying texture, I suggest swapping the pound of chicken out for about 10 ounces of sliced mushrooms, or maybe some chopped zucchini or fresh spinach. Just toss those veggies in with the pasta and sauce during the initial mix. They cook up beautifully right in the steam!

What kind of pasta works best in the Chicken Parmesan Casserole

The recipe calls for penne or rotini, and I stick to those because they hold the sauce so well. The key thing isn’t the exact shape, but that you use an uncooked, medium-sized tube or spiral pasta. Thin pasta like angel hair gets too mushy, and giant shells don’t cook all the way through evenly in this liquid ratio. Stick to those sturdy shapes! For other great chicken ideas, see this white chicken chili recipe.

Why is the sauce runny after the first bake of the Chicken Parmesan Casserole

Don’t worry if you pull the foil off and the sauce looks a little soupy—that’s normal when cooking pasta directly in the liquid! The starch released by the pasta needs time to thicken everything up. That mandatory 5 to 10-minute rest after the final bake is super important. Stir it gently right before serving, and you’ll see that sauce tighten up into a perfect coating for your Chicken Parmesan Casserole.

Sharing Your Easy Chicken Parmesan Casserole Experience

I really hope this recipe makes your weeknight cooking just a little bit brighter and easier! If you tried this dump-and-bake wonder, please come back and let me know how it went. Drop a rating below or share a picture of your cheesy, bubbly Chicken Parmesan Casserole on social media. I love seeing your successes! If you are looking for more comfort food inspiration, check out this Dolly’s Chicken and Stuffing Casserole.

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