Chicken Parmesan Casserole
A comforting and delicious casserole that combines rigatoni pasta, marinara sauce, crispy chicken, and gooey cheese.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 0.75 pound rigatoni pasta
- 32 oz marinara sauce
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 0.33 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 small boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 0.75 cup flour
- 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
- 0.25 teaspoon pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 1.5 cups Italian breadcrumbs
- 0.75 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 bunch fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Boil water and cook the rigatoni for 1 minute less than al dente according to the package instructions. Drain and return to the pot. Mix in the marinara sauce, 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Set aside.
- Pat the chicken breasts dry and cut them into ½ inch thick strips.
- Prepare an assembly line for breading the chicken: Combine flour, seasoned salt, and pepper in Bowl #1; whisk eggs in Bowl #2; place breadcrumbs in Bowl #3.
- Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, dip in the eggs, and coat with breadcrumbs. Gently flatten the chicken with your palms.
- Heat oil and butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Fry the chicken strips for about 4 minutes per side until golden brown. Cook in batches if needed.
- Place the cooked chicken on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil. Slice into bite-sized pieces.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13 inch casserole dish. Layer half of the rigatoni mixture, followed by half of the chicken, 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Repeat with the remaining rigatoni, chicken, Parmesan, and mozzarella.
- Bake uncovered for 25 minutes. For a crispier top, increase the oven temperature to 425°F and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with garlic bread with cheese.
Notes
For a quicker version, you can use pre-cooked chicken strips or rotisserie chicken.