Chicken Parmesan Casserole (Printable version)

Layers of shredded chicken, marinara, and gooey mozzarella topped with golden crispy parmesan breadcrumbs.

# What you need:

→ Chicken

01 - 3 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or cubed

→ Sauce & Base

02 - 2 cups marinara sauce
03 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs

→ Cheese

04 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
05 - 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Topping

06 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
08 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

→ For Baking

09 - Cooking spray or oil for greasing

# How To:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or oil.
02 - Spread the cooked chicken evenly in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
03 - Pour marinara sauce evenly over the chicken. Sprinkle with dried Italian herbs if desired for extra flavor.
04 - Layer mozzarella cheese and half of the Parmesan cheese over the sauce, ensuring even coverage.
05 - In a small bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs with melted butter until evenly moistened. Stir in chopped parsley if using.
06 - Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture evenly over the cheese layer. Top with remaining Parmesan cheese for extra flavor.
07 - Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.
08 - Let the casserole stand for 5-10 minutes before serving to allow the layers to set for easier serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You get that crispy-crunchy topping without standing over a hot stove splattering oil everywhere
  • The whole thing comes together in about ten minutes of actual prep time
  • Leftover rotisserie chicken works perfectly, so it's practically a convenience meal
  • The cheese-to-sauce ratio is absolutely perfect every single time
02 -
  • I learned the hard way that wet breadcrumbs equal soggy toppings. Make sure that butter gets evenly distributed through every single panko crumb.
  • Letting the casserole rest might feel like torture when it smells this good, but cutting into it too early makes everything slide apart.
03 -
  • Room temperature cheese melts more evenly, so take it out of the fridge while you prep everything else
  • If your panko starts browning too quickly, loosely tent with foil for the last 10 minutes

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