Classic chicken Parmesan is made with a crispy fried chicken breast, mozzarella cheese, and marinara sauce. It's often served over pasta and is a truly delicious class Italian dish. Here, we've kept all the familiar flavors but given them a weeknight-ready upgrade. This dump and bake casserole can be assembled in just 10 minutes and cooks in just one pan.

Parmesan Chicken Casserole Ingredients

This parmesan chicken casserole recipe is as easy as tossing the ingredients into a baking dish. If you have leftover rotisserie chicken, it's a great substitute for the chicken breast.

• Pasta: You can use any type of short dried pasta in this chicken casserole. We recommend campanelle or penne pasta but rigatoni or rotini will work great.
• Sauce: Choose your favorite jarred marinara sauce. Our Test Kitchen recommends Rao's.
• Chicken: There's no need to precook chicken for this easy dinner recipe. It cooks along with the pasta to tender perfection in the oven. However, you can easily swap in pre-cooked leftover chicken.
• Panko: Our Test Kitchen found that Panko breadcrumbs created the crispiest topping and closely mimics the fried texture of classic chicken parm. If you can't find them, swap in Italian breadcrumbs.
• Cheese: Parmesan and mozzarella are the finishing touch on this chicken casserole recipe. You'll know it's ready when the cheese is melted and starting to brown.
  

How to Make Dump and Bake Chicken Parmesan

You'll need just 10 minutes to get this chicken casserole into the oven.

• Step 1: Add the "raw" ingredients to the pan. You'll start with the bite-size chicken, pasta, marinara sauce, and water.
• Step 2: Bake until the chicken is completely cooked and the pasta is al dente. The water will be absorbed during the process.
• Step 3: Stir well before adding the topping.
• Step 4: Finish with the crispy Panko topping and plenty of cheese. Return the casserole to the oven and bake until it's golden-brown and melty.

How to Serve Dump and Bake Chicken Parmesan

This dump and bake chicken casserole recipe is best served fresh and warm from the oven. It's a complete meal on its own but it's great served with crusty bread, a fresh salad, or a veggie side dish like seared broccoli or roasted carrots. It's also great with a sprinkle of crushed red pepper and Parmesan cheese.

How to Store Chicken Parmesan Casserole

This chicken Parmesan casserole is best served the day it's made but it will last for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Store it in an airtight container. Our Test Kitchen doesn't recommend freezing this chicken recipe as the textures can change once thawed.