Chicken Parmesan Casserole

Everything you love about chicken parm, simplified: juicy chicken, gooey mozzarella, and a *drumroll please* crispy breadcrumb streusel!

Chicken parmesan is having a moment. And I think we can all agree it’s a classic for good reason. You’ve got juicy chicken! A crispy parmesan breadcrumb crust! Melty mozzarella! What’s not to love? But every time I make it, I’m reminded why I don’t more frequently: it’s kind of a pain. You have to dredge the chicken in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, which means three dirty dishes right off the bat. Then, you’re pan-frying your chicken in more oil than you’d probably like and transferring it to a sheet tray to finish in the oven. And that’s all before you get to any sides! 

So, I wanted to turn all the components of the dish we know and love into a low-maintenance but equally delicious chicken parmesan casserole. The chicken, pasta, sauce, and cheese were easy enough; the hard part to translate was the breadcrumb coating. I thought about using breaded frozen chicken, but that would lose its crispness when mixed with the sauce. I tried a topping of buttered breadcrumbs, which was tasty but lacked that cohesive crunch you get from breaded cutlets. Finally, it dawned on me that I could get bigger, crunchier pieces by mixing the breadcrumbs into cubed butter, creating a *savory streusel.* Yes, it’s delightful, and yes, you can put it on all your casseroles from now on. 

Now, you may look at the recipe and think that my definition of low-maintenance is very different from yours. However, you can take most of the work out of the recipe by using your favorite store-bought sauce instead of making sauce from scratch. (Or do what I usually do: make the sauce ahead of time so it’s ready when I need it.) Either way, it will be delicious!

Chicken Parmesan Casserole: What to Know

• Sauce: I prepare this casserole with my go-to tomato sauce, which is included in the recipe. But feel free to simplify and make this chicken parmesan pasta bake with jarred sauce!
• Cookware: I usually make the sauce in a 12–13” skillet (like this one) instead of a pot so that it will reduce faster. However, if you don’t have a big enough skillet, feel free to use a heavy-bottomed pot and simmer the sauce until it reaches your desired consistency. Just stir occasionally to prevent burning. 
• Breadcrumbs: I recommend using panko breadcrumbs for this recipe since they are chunky and make for a nice crisp topping. If you can’t find them or want to use up some other (dried) breadcrumbs you already have, just note that the streusel might not be quite as crispy.

Tip of the Day: Brown in Batches

If you’ve ever seen a recipe photo with beautifully browned meat and wondered why yours doesn’t take on the same color, the answer might be that you’re putting too much in the pan at once. Meat sears best when it’s dry and in direct contact with a very hot surface. But when raw meat is cooked, it releases juices. So, the more meat is in a pan, the more juices will collect and seep over to neighboring meat chunks, getting in the way of their browning. If you cook less at once, the meat will stay drier and brown better. 

In general, I try to brown about a pound of meat at a time in a large (12–13”) pan. After I’ve pre-heated the pan over medium–medium high heat, I’ll add my first batch and let it sit for a couple of minutes without touching it to build up a nice crust on one side. Then, I’ll sautée it until cooked through, usually just a few minutes more for diced or ground meat. Once the batch is cooked, I’ll remove it to a plate with a slotted spoon and repeat with the next batch (scraping off any burnt bits in the pan if needed). In the end, it only takes about five extra minutes and yields browner, more flavorful meat. Worth it in my book!

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Yield: 4–6 Servings

Chicken Parmesan Casserole (Full and Quick Versions)

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Try this easy chicken parmesan casserole with pasta two ways: go all-out with homemade sauce, or keep it simple and quick with jarred sauce and pre-cooked chicken.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes

Ingredients

Sauce

• ¼ cup olive oil
• ½ cup chopped shallot (about 1 whole shallot)
• ½ cup chopped celery (about 1 large rib)
• ½ cup chopped carrot (about 1 small carrot)
• 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2 tsp. brown sugar
• ¼ cup red wine (optional)
• Two 28-oz. cans whole tomatoes
• ½ Tbsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. black pepper
• 1 large stem basil (about ¼ cup, optional)
• 2 Tbsp. heavy cream
• ½ tsp. fish sauce

Casserole

• 1 lb. penne pasta
• 1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. salt, divided
• 1 Tbsp. neutral oil (vegetable, canola, etc.)
• 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks
• ¼ tsp. garlic powder
• ¼ tsp. onion powder
• 8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)

Streusel

• 4 Tbsp. cold/room-temperature butter, cubed
• ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
• Heaping ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese (just under 1/2 oz.)
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• ¼ tsp. salt

Instructions

1. To prepare sauce: Heat olive oil in a large (about 13") non-stick skillet over medium heat until it flows easily across the pan when tilted, 2–3 minutes.
2. Add the shallot, celery, and carrot to the pan and sauté with a wooden spoon until the shallot is translucent and the vegetables are softened, about 3–4 minutes.
3. Add the tomato paste, garlic, and brown sugar and sauté until the paste gets slightly darker in color and smells sweet, about 3 minutes.
4. Stir in the red wine (if using) and let the mixture reduce for about 1 minute, until the liquid is mostly evaporated and starts to smell fruity.
5. Add the whole tomatoes, ½ Tbsp. salt, pepper, and basil to the pan and stir to combine. Carefully, break up the tomatoes with your spoon to release their juices. Don’t worry about the size of the chunks; the sauce will be blended later.
6. Bring the sauce to a simmer and let it cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. You should see small, steady bubbles as it cooks; adjust the heat as necessary if it starts to boil vigorously or splatter. When finished, it will be thick and slightly soupy.
7. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the sauce to a large bowl. Then, remove the basil and blend the sauce with an immersion blender to your desired consistency (see FAQ below for blender-free option).
8. Stir in the fish sauce and cream, and set the sauce aside to cool as you prepare the other casserole ingredients. (If making the sauce ahead, you can add it right from the fridge to the pot in step 14.)
9. To prepare casserole: Place your oven rack in the middle slot and preheat the oven to 375° F.
10. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and stir in 1 Tbsp. salt. Then, add the pasta and cook at a low boil until softened but still slightly firm, about 3 minutes less than the cook time listed on the package. Drain the noodles, leaving a little bit of water in the pot, and return the pasta to the pot off the heat.
11. Rinse out the skillet used to cook the sauce and wipe it dry (or get out a large non-stick skillet), then preheat it with the oil over medium-high heat until the oil runs easily across the surface when the pan is tilted.
12. While the pan preheats, sprinkle the diced chicken with the garlic powder, onion powder, and 1 tsp. salt and toss to coat the chicken evenly.
13. Add half of the chicken to the skillet and spread out the pieces in the pan. Let the pieces sit for 2 minutes, then sauté until opaque on all sides, about 3 minutes more. (Don’t worry if the centers are undercooked, since the chicken will continue to cook in the oven.) Remove the cooked chicken to a plate with a slotted spoon, then repeat the process with the rest of the chicken.
14. Add all of the browned chicken to the pot with the pasta and pour the sauce on top. Stir everything to combine, then pour into a 9x13” (or 3.5-quart) baking dish.
15. To make the streusel, add the butter, panko, parmesan cheese, ½ tsp. garlic powder and ¼ tsp. salt to a bowl and stir to combine. Then, use your fingers to rub the mixture together until you see small, evenly sized clumps.
16. To bake: Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella over the pasta mixture. Then, run a large spoon through the baking dish in a zigzag pattern to let some of the cheese mix into the pasta; the idea is to create pockets of gooey cheese, so you don’t need to stir thoroughly!
17. Sprinkle the streusel on top of the casserole and bake for about 20–25 minutes, until the top is browned and the sauce is bubbly. You may need to rotate the pan halfway through to avoid one side getting too dark; you can also cover the whole casserole loosely with foil if it starts to brown too fast.

Notes

Quick version: To make the casserole in half the time (or less!), skip the homemade sauce and use 48 oz./6 cups of your favorite store-bought brand. You can also use pre-cooked chicken to save even more time. However, I do recommend taking a few minutes to make the streusel; it really puts the casserole over the top!

Chicken Parmesan Casserole FAQ

1. Can I make the sauce without an immersion blender?
   Absolutely! You can either use a regular blender or skip blending altogether. To make with a regular blender, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for blending hot liquids. They will likely tell you to blend the sauce in batches, filling the blender no more than halfway each time. To make the sauce without a blender, use canned crushed tomatoes (or crush whole peeled tomatoes in a bowl with a pastry blender or your hands) and finely mince the vegetables. Then, just skip the blending step in the recipe.
2. Can I make this chicken parmesan casserole with rotisserie chicken?
   Yes—in fact, substituting pre-cooked chicken is a great way to cut down on prep time for busy evenings. Try rotisserie chicken, grilled chicken, or a heat-and-serve option from the store. I recommend avoiding breaded chicken, since the breading will not stay crispy.