This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.
Easy Chicken Parmesan Pasta takes all the work out of traditional Chicken Parmesan and turns it into an easy casserole type dish. This is simple enough for busy weeknights but so tasty that you will want to serve it for company.
My family loves the classic chicken parmesan recipe but this chicken parmesan pasta has become a new family favorite. It is a easy casserole recipe that i can easily prepare for a crowd or a weeknight meal.
Making casseroles saves me time and money. If your family loves them as much as mine, I bet they would love this Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake.
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
This recipe consists of layers of pasta, chicken, sauce and cheese. All you need is a few ingredients and dinner is done. If you are craving comfort food, make this casserole recipe.
We enjoy this chicken casserole all year long. We love to serve with garlic bread and green beans for a complete meal idea. The next time you need a simple recipe that has tons of flavor, make this casserole.
Ingredients
- Vegetable Oil
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
- All Purpose Flour
- Eggs
- Italian Bread Crumbs – Or Panko Breadcrumbs
- Penne Pasta
- Marinara Sauce – Or Tomato Sauce
- Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
- Fresh Parsley
Scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe and ingredients.
Variations Ideas
- Change Chicken – We used skinless chicken breasts in this recipe but you can also use chicken cutlets, boneless chicken thighs or chicken tenders. It would even work great if you have leftover cooked chicken or a rotisserie chicken.
- Spices – Feel free to change the spices to what you prefer. Italian seasoning blend, fresh basil, garlic powder, or onion powder are all great additions.
- Pasta – Feel free to make this casserole with different types of pasta. Try it with spaghetti, rigatoni, or bowtie pasta.
Step by Step Instructions
- Step 1 – Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Step 2 – In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil.
Step 3 – Place flour and cubed chicken in a gallon size ziploc bag and shake to coat.
Step 4 – In a medium size bowl, beat eggs well. Remove flour coated chicken from the bag and place in the egg mixture. Lightly turn chicken cubes till evenly coated.
Step 5 – In another medium sized bowl add the breadcrumbs. Transfer the chicken from the egg mixture to the breadcrumbs and coat evenly.
Step 6 – Next place chicken into hot oil and fry for 4-5 minutes per side until browned. Work in batches if needed and set aside on a paper towel to drain the excess oil.
Step 7 – Heat water for pasta in a large pot and cook al dente per package instructions over medium high heat. Drain and set aside.
Step 8 – Pour drained pasta in a baking dish and pour ½ of Marinara sauce on top. Stir with a large spoon till sauce is evenly distributed through pasta.
Step 9 – Top pasta with ½ of the Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
Step 10 – Place a layer of fried chicken on top of cheese.
Step 11 – Pour the rest of the marinara sauce evenly over the chicken.
Step 12 – Top with remaining cheese.
- Step 13 – Bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Top with freshly chopped parsley and enjoy.
Recipe Tips
- Pasta – Boil the pasta al dente before layering in the casserole dish. We like to put a little extra virgin olive oil while cooking the pasta to prevent it from sticking.
- Chicken – Fry the chicken in hot oil after it has been seasoned. Cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side. We recommend cutting the chicken in about the same size pieces so that it cooks evenly.
- Baking Dish – We used a 9×13 casserole dish to make this casserole. You can also make it is 9×9 baking dish if you are feeding a smaller crowd. Make sure to adjust ingredients if using a smaller baking dish.
Serving Suggestions
This casserole is best served with a side salad and homemade breadsticks. You can also make roast asparagus or make air fryer broccoli for another easy side dish recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This is a great recipe to meal prep for the week.
Reheat the leftovers in a microwave or in the oven depending on how much you have leftover.
Yes, you can freeze this chicken parm recipe. Store in a freezer safe container for up to 2 months. When ready to serve, thaw the pasta dish in the refrigerator overnight.
Try these other best chicken pasta recipes
- Crock Pot Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta
- Crock Pot Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta Recipe
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
- Easy Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Pasta Recipe
Find more Chicken Parmesan Recipes
- Crockpot Parmesan Chicken Pasta
- Chicken Parmesan Recipe
- Crock Pot Chicken Parmesan Sliders
- Crock Pot Chicken Parmesan Recipe
- Crockpot Creamy Chicken Parmesan Soup
We love to hear from you. If you make this chicken parmesan pasta recipe, please leave us a comment or star review.
Chicken Parmesan Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil (for frying)
- 2 chicken breasts (cut into bite-size pieces)
- 1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
- 2 eggs (beaten)
- 2 cups Italian Bread Crumbs
- 16 ounces penne pasta
- 36 ounces marinara sauce
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil.
- Place flour and cubed chicken in a gallon size Ziploc bag and shake to coat.
- In a medium size bowl, beat eggs well. Remove flour coated chicken from the bag and place in the egg mixture. Lightly turn chicken cubes till evenly coated.
- In another medium sized bowl add the breadcrumbs. Transfer the chicken from the egg mixture to the breadcrumbs and coat evenly.
- Next place chicken into hot oil and fry for 4-5 minutes per side until browned. Work in batches if needed and set aside on a paper towel to drain the excess oil.
- Heat water for pasta in a large pot and cook al dente per package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Pour drained pasta in a baking dish and pour ½ of Marinara sauce on top. Stir with a large spoon till sauce is evenly distributed through pasta.
- Top pasta with ½ of the shredded mozzarella cheese and shredded parmesan cheese.
- Place a layer of fried chicken on top of cheese.
- Pour the rest of the marinara sauce evenly over the chicken. Top with remaining cheese.
- Bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Top with freshly chopped parsley and enjoy!
I have removed the word again as it is confusing. It just means coat the chicken evenly again. The first time with the egg mixture and the second time with the breadcrumb mixture.
In the directions (#5) it says to dip in bread crumbs (again)? Does this mean flour, egg, breadcrumbs, egg and again in breadcrumbs? Very confusing. Thanks