Tender rigatoni pasta, robust marinara sauce, perfectly breaded and fried chicken, and plenty of cheese bake together to create the most incredible Chicken Parmesan Casserole. This family-friendly weeknight dinner recipe is a guaranteed hit!

Lasagna in a baking dish with cheese and parmesan.

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Why We Love This Chicken Parmesan Casserole Recipe

This homemade casserole is everything we love about classic chicken parmesan, baked into one satisfying dish. Easy enough for weeknights but fancy enough for Sunday night dinners, everyone loves this layered baked pasta.

Variations on Parmesan Chicken Casserole

Pasta: Instead of rigatoni any kind of smaller pasta like bowtie, penne, ziti, or fusilli works great.

Chicken: Using cooked chicken (leftover or rotisserie) is a wonderful shortcut. Instead of coating and frying chicken strips, use 3 cups of shredded (or cubed) cooked chicken. Skip frying the chicken and add the cooked chicken in step 8. The chicken won’t be crispy but it will still be delicious!

Marinara Sauce: Use 23 ounces of your favorite kind of store-bought or homemade marinara sauce.

A plate with pasta and sauce on it.
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How to Store and Reheat

Store leftover chicken parmesan casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 20-30 minutes, or until warmed through.

How to Freeze

Freeze chicken parmesan casserole tightly wrapped in 2 layers of plastic wrap and 1 layer of aluminum foil for up to 2 months. Reheat directly from frozen (remove the plastic wrap but keep it wrapped in foil) in a 350°F oven for about 1 hour.

Serving Suggestions

I love serving this chicken Parmesan casserole with veggie sides like baked tomatoes, classic Caesar salad, oven roasted asparagus, and chopped caprese salad.

What is the difference between chicken parmesan and chicken parmigiana?

There is no difference! These are two names for the same dish.

Can I use frozen chicken?

If using frozen chicken, let it thaw completely before using in the recipe.

Can I make this casserole without chicken?

Definitely! For a vegetarian version, simply omit the chicken from this recipe or try my recipe for easy baked ziti.

Why is my chicken parmesan tough?

If your chicken is tough, it’s likely that it was overcooked. Properly cooked chicken should register 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.

Can you leave chicken parmesan out overnight?

Absolutely not! This casserole should not be left out of refrigeration for more than 2 hours.

Is it better to freeze chicken parm cooked or uncooked?

Because all of the components of this casserole are already cooked, you can pop it in the freezer for a ready-to-eat meal. Just warm it up (directly from frozen) in the oven!

A plate of chicken parmigiana on a wooden table.

More Chicken Parmesan Recipes To Try

5-Star Review

“I made this last night and it was the moistest chicken we’ve ever had. A bit of crispy and the flavor was wonderful. I didn’t have buttermilk and did add lemon juice to 1% milk. I am making it again today. Thank you for this recipe.” – Dawn

Recipe Card

Chicken Parmesan Casserole Recipe

4.72 from 32 votes
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 20 minutes
Total: 1 hour
Servings: 6
Author: Becky Hardin
Lasagna in a baking dish with cheese and parmesan.
Loaded with pasta, sauce, and crispy fried chicken, this Italian-inspired baked pasta dish is one of the best weeknight dinners ever!
Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.
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Equipment

  • 9×13 Baking Pan

Ingredients 

  • 8 ounces dry rigatoni pasta (½ box)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¼ cup milk
  • cups Panko breadcrumbs
  • pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 23 ounces marinara sauce (1 jar)
  • 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese divided
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese divided

Instructions 

  • Cook the pasta to al dente according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
    8 ounces dry rigatoni pasta
  • Prepare a dredging station. In one shallow bowl, mix the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper together. In another shallow bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together. Pour the bread crumbs into a third shallow bowl.
    1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 large eggs, ¼ cup milk, 1½ cups Panko breadcrumbs
    Flour in a blue bowl on a marble surface.
  • Dredge each slice of chicken in the flour, dip into the egg mixture, and coat in bread crumbs. Repeat until all chicken slices are fully coated.
    1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
    A white bowl filled with granulated sugar.
  • Heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium heat until it reaches 280°F. Once the oil is hot, work in batches to fry the chicken. Fry 2-3 pieces of chicken at a time for 3-4 minutes, flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer cooked chicken onto a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Repeat until all chicken is cooked.
    1 cup vegetable oil
    Fried fish fillets in a frying pan.
  • While the chicken cools, preheat oven to 375°F.
  • Add the cooked pasta to a 9×13-inch baking dish. Stir in half of the marinara sauce and half of the cheeses, tossing to combine.
    23 ounces marinara sauce, 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese, ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
    Penne pasta with tomato sauce in a pan.
  • Slice the chicken into ½-inch pieces and place on top of the casserole.
    Fried chicken in a baking pan on a white background.
  • Pour the remaining sauce on top and sprinkle with the remaining cheeses.
    Enchiladas in a baking dish with cheese on top.
  • Bake for 20 minutes or until the casserole is warmed through and the cheese is bubbly. Serve and enjoy.

Video

Becky’s Tips

  • I don’t recommend subbing chicken thighs for breasts in this recipe.
  • Keep the oil right at 280°F – it’s the perfect temperature for cooking these thin pieces of chicken.
  • Try not to overcrowd the pan when frying the chicken. If needed, fry the chicken in batches.
Storage: Store casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Calories: 611kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 49gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 165mgSodium: 1591mgPotassium: 1004mgFiber: 4gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 934IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 369mgIron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave a comment!

How to Make Chicken Parmesan Casserole Step by Step

Cook the Pasta: Cook 8 ounces of rigatoni pasta to al dente according to package instructions. While the pasta cooks, prepare a dredging station. In one shallow bowl, mix 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of onion powder, 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper together. In another shallow bowl, whisk the 2 large eggs and ¼ cup of milk together. Pour 1½ cups of Panko breadcrumbs into a third shallow bowl.

Flour in a blue bowl on a marble surface.

Dredge the Chicken: Dredge each slice of 1½ pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the flour, dip into the egg mixture, and coat in bread crumbs. Repeat until all chicken slices are fully coated.

A white bowl filled with granulated sugar.

Fry the Chicken: Heat 1 cup of vegetable oil in a large skillet set over medium heat until it reaches 280°F. Once the oil is hot, work in batches to fry the chicken. Fry 2-3 pieces of chicken at a time for 3-4 minutes, flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer cooked chicken onto a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Repeat until all chicken is cooked.

Fried fish fillets in a frying pan.

Assemble the Casserole: While the chicken cools, preheat the oven to 375°F. Add the cooked pasta to a 9×13-inch baking dish. Stir 11.5 ounces of marinara sauce, 4 ounces of shredded mozzarella cheese, and ¼ cup of Parmesan cheese, tossing to combine.

Penne pasta with tomato sauce in a pan.

Add the Chicken: Slice the chicken into ½-inch pieces and place on top of the casserole.

Fried chicken in a baking pan on a white background.

Bake the Casserole: Pour the remaining 11.5 ounces of sauce on top and sprinkle with the remaining 4 ounces of mozzarella and ¼ cup of Parmesan cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until the casserole is warmed through and the cheese is bubbly. Serve and enjoy.

Enchiladas in a baking dish with cheese on top.

Meet Becky Hardin

Becky Hardin is a wife and mother living in Saint Louis Missouri. She founded The Cookie Rookie in 2012 as a creative way to share recipes. Now, she is a trusted resource for easy cooking around the world, being featured in Taste of Home, The Kitchn, ABC’s Home and Family, and more. Here at The Cookie Rookie she is the editor in chief of all recipes and continues to enjoy sharing her passion for cooking for busy families. She has since founded two additional food blogs, Easy Chicken Recipes and Easy Dessert Recipes.

4.72 from 32 votes (31 ratings without comment)
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Jacquelyn Fessler
Jacquelyn Fessler
January 8, 2024 9:29 am

How do you test your cooking oil temperature? I’d like to make this recipe but am concerned with keeping the cooking oil at 280°. Thanks!5 stars

Samantha Marceau
January 9, 2024 8:41 am

Hi Jacquelyn! We recommend an instant-read thermometer! As long as the temp stays between 270-290°F throughout the cook time, you should be good!