Description
A cozy baked casserole that brings together tender chicken, saucy pasta, stretchy mozzarella, parmesan, and a crisp breadcrumb topping for a comfort-food dinner everyone loves.
Ingredients
- Chicken: 2 cups cooked chicken pieces
- Dry pasta (such as penne or rigatoni): 12 ounces
- Marinara sauce: 3 cups
- Shredded mozzarella cheese: 2 cups
- Grated parmesan cheese: 1 cup
- Breadcrumbs: 1 cup
- Olive oil: 2 tablespoons
- Garlic: 2 cloves, minced
- Onion: 1 small onion, finely chopped
- Dried oregano: 1 teaspoon
- Salt: 1 teaspoon
- Black pepper: 1/2 teaspoon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9 by 13 inch casserole dish.
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions until just tender, then drain.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, chicken, marinara sauce, onion, garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper, then mix until evenly coated.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish and spread it out evenly.
- Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan evenly over the top.
- In a small bowl, toss the breadcrumbs with the olive oil, then scatter the crumbs over the cheese layer.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and the top is golden and crisp.
- Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes, then serve warm.
Notes
- Note: Slightly undercook the pasta so it stays nicely firm after baking.
- Note: Let the casserole rest before serving so it sets and scoops cleanly.
- Note: Freshly grated parmesan gives a deeper, nuttier flavor than pre-grated.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of casserole
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 980mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 33g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
Keywords: chicken parmesan casserole, baked chicken parmesan, cheesy chicken pasta bake, marinara mozzarella casserole, weeknight casserole dinner, comfort food pasta bake