you're making mealtime meaningful.
To know Chicken Parm is to love it. Crispy chicken, zesty marinara, and melty mozzarella… what’s not to love? Well, good news! We’ve taken that classic combo and folded it into a pasta casserole that’s just the kind of filling and easy dish that becomes a true favorite for the whole family. Want even better news? You only need five ingredients to make it. Easy, delicious comfort food that’s perfect for busy weeknights!
So how do you make a casserole (or Chicken Parm, for that matter) with just five ingredients? Simple, you use the shortcut of frozen chicken tenders. That way you don’t need to bread or fry a single thing but you still get that signature crispy chicken experience. Tenders or strips work fine here, just slice them up into more manageable pieces.
The chicken gets layered with mozzarella and rigatoni that’s been tossed in marinara and it all bakes together into bubbly goodness full of all the comforting textures you could want – chewy pasta, crunchy chicken, and plenty of cheese pulls.
A five-ingredient casserole that’s really, truly a complete meal seems too good to be true but this dish will make a believer out of you. There’s no tricky steps or techniques here – just a few simple ingredients brought together in just the right way for a dinner that always satisfies.
Chicken Parmesan Casserole
Yield(s): Serves 6
15m prep time
30m cook time
you're making mealtime meaningful.
Ingredients
- 3/4 lb rigatoni pasta
- 1 32 oz jar marinara sauce
- 3 cups mozzarella, grated and divided
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 4-6 frozen breaded chicken tenders, thawed
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook rigatoni 1 minute less than package directions call for. Drain and add back to pot.
- Add marinara sauce, 1/3 of the Parmesan cheese, and 1 cup of the mozzarella. Toss to combine. Set aside.
- Slice the thawed chicken tenders into strips.
- Add half of the rigatoni mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top with half of the chicken strips, 1/3 of the Parmesan cheese, and 1 cup of the mozzarella.
- Add remaining rigatoni. Top with remaining chicken strips and remaining Parmesan and mozzarella.
- Bake until browned and crisp on top, 25-30 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh parsley, serve, and enjoy!
Recipe adapted from The Cozy Cook.