Chicken Parmesan Bake Casserole

Hearty serving of chicken parmesan casserole with rotini, marinara sauce, and melted cheese, stacked on a white plate.

5 from 9 votes

Chicken Parmesan bake casserole brings together tender chicken, pasta, sauce, and cheese in one easy baked dinner. It’s warm, crispy, and full of flavor.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Chicken Dinner Ideas, Dinner, Dinner Casserole, Pasta

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings: servings

Calories: 537kcal

Author: Shauna

Ingredients

8 ounces rotini pasta
24 ounces marinara sauce
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 cups cooked chicken diced (chicken breast or rotisserie)
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese divided
1 cup grated parmesan or romano cheese divided
4 tablespoons salted butter melted
¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
2 to 3 tablespoons freshly chopped basil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cook pasta in a pot of salted water according to package instructions. Drain pasta and return to the pot.
Add the marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, chicken, 1 cup of mozzarella, and ½ cup of parmesan.
Stir the mixture together, then transfer into a 9×13 casserole dish.
Top with the remaining cheeses (1 cup mozzarella and ½ cup parmesan).
In a small bowl, mix together melted butter and breadcrumbs. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the top of the cheese in the casserole dish.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the aluminum foil and broil for 3 to 5 minutes longer to toast the breadcrumbs.
Remove from the oven and top with freshly chopped basil.

Notes

Note that 8 ounces of pasta is HALF of a standard box. If you use a whole box of pasta, it will fit in your 9×13 dish, but you do need to double the sauce, chicken, and cheese for proper balance.
This casserole cooks up quickly in the oven because the main layer is already warm (from the cooked pasta) going into the oven. You can prepare the whole casserole in advance and refrigerate it overnight. Cover and bake for 45-60 minutes until the casserole is bubbly and heated through and the cheese has melted.
The pasta will cook further while baking the casserole, so it’s best to cook it al dente beforehand if you don’t want it overly soft.
Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your casserole as the suggested cook time approaches.

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