Easy Crispy Chicken Parmesan Casserole: Your Ultimate Weeknight Comfort Meal

Imagine everything you adore about classic chicken parmesan, beautifully assembled into one incredibly satisfying casserole dish! This Crispy Chicken Parmesan Casserole is the perfect solution for busy weeknights, offering an easy yet deeply flavorful pasta dish packed with rich sauce, tender chicken, and an irresistible golden, crispy topping.

This delightful recipe is proudly sponsored by RAGÚ®. We’re thrilled to be using their premium RAGÚ Simply Traditional Sauce to craft today’s effortlessly delicious chicken parm casserole, ensuring a taste that feels homemade.

The quest for a truly weeknight-friendly chicken parmesan casserole ends here! When you hear “weeknight-friendly” in our kitchen, it translates to simplicity without sacrificing an ounce of flavor. We’re talking about a dish that requires just around 10 core ingredients, about 45 minutes of total time (including prep and cook time), and results in a gloriously saucy, cheesy, and deeply satisfying meal that the whole family will adore.

Traditional chicken parmesan is a beloved classic for good reason. It features perfectly crispy, golden-fried breaded chicken cutlets, tender on the inside, lavishly topped with marinara sauce, fresh mozzarella, and baked until bubbly and melted. Our casserole takes these iconic flavors and elevates them into an even more accessible format. We’ve thoughtfully combined all those essential components with pasta, infusing it with the robust and flavorful RAGÚ Simply Traditional Sauce. To add an extra layer of texture and taste, we pile on a generous amount of garlicky breadcrumbs, baking it all to perfection until every bite is hot, melty, and bursting with flavor.

This casserole isn’t just a simple dinner; it’s a warm embrace in a dish. It’s absolutely perfect for those bustling weeknights when time is short but the desire for a hearty, comforting meal is strong. Moreover, it makes an excellent meal to prepare and share with a loved one or a friend who could use a little extra comfort and warmth in their life.

Essential Ingredients for Your Easy Chicken Parmesan Casserole

Crafting this incredible casserole requires a selection of quality ingredients that come together harmoniously. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need and why each component is crucial for the best results:

• Pasta: The foundation of our casserole! While various shapes work beautifully, we recommend rotini, rigatoni, or penne pasta. These shapes are fantastic at capturing and holding onto the rich RAGÚ sauce in their ridges and hollows, ensuring a flavorful bite every time. Cooking the pasta al dente is key, as it will finish cooking in the oven and maintain a pleasant texture.
• Chicken Cutlets: For ultimate convenience, store-bought breaded chicken cutlets are a fantastic shortcut, drastically reducing prep time. If you prefer a homemade touch or have a little extra time, thinly sliced chicken breasts can be breaded from scratch. We’ll include specific instructions and ingredient notes for preparing your own cutlets, which truly makes this casserole extra special with a homemade crisp.
• Olive Oil: A staple in Italian cooking, a few generous glugs of good quality olive oil are essential for pan-frying the chicken cutlets until they are beautifully golden and cooked through, imparting a subtle depth of flavor.
• RAGÚ Simply Sauce: This is where much of our casserole’s vibrant flavor comes from. The RAGÚ Simply line of sauces is a true kitchen hero! Made with thoughtfully selected, quality ingredients like vine-ripened tomatoes, authentic olive oil, fragrant garlic, and a blend of classic Italian spices, these sauces deliver exceptional taste. What’s more, they contain no added sugar, no artificial colors, and no high-fructose corn syrup, making them a healthier choice. Available in four delicious varieties, RAGÚ Simply sauces offer incredible versatility and act as a perfect meal starter, lending a “from-scratch” flavor to anything you create.
• Mozzarella Cheese: For that perfect, gooey, melty top, we highly recommend purchasing a block of low-moisture mozzarella and shredding it yourself. Pre-shredded mozzarella often contains starches or anti-caking agents to prevent clumping, which can hinder its ability to melt smoothly and beautifully in the oven. While pre-shredded will still work in a pinch, fresh-shredded will give you that irresistible cheese pull.
• Butter: Melted butter is the secret ingredient for our crispy topping. We’ll toss it with the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and garlic powder to create a rich, golden, and utterly crunchy crust that is the hallmark of this casserole.
• Panko Breadcrumbs: When it comes to crunch, panko breadcrumbs are superior to traditional Italian breadcrumbs. Their larger, flakier texture ensures an exceptional crispness that adds an exciting textural contrast to the tender pasta and chicken, elevating the entire dish.
• Parmesan Cheese: What would chicken parm be without an abundance of Parmesan? We incorporate grated Parmesan cheese into the breadcrumb mixture and also sprinkle it generously on top of the casserole. This not only enhances the savory flavor but also contributes to that delightful crunchy crust as it bakes.
• Garlic Powder: A crucial flavor booster! Just a pinch of garlic powder added to our panko topping mixture infuses it with an aromatic kick, complementing the other savory ingredients beautifully.
• Fresh Parsley: More than just a garnish, a sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley adds a vibrant pop of color and a fresh, herbaceous note to the casserole when it emerges bubbly and golden from the oven, making it even more appetizing.

How to Prepare Your Crispy Chicken Parmesan Casserole: Step-by-Step Recipe

Making this incredible casserole is straightforward, even for busy weeknights. Follow these simple steps for a truly delicious result:

1. Prep Everything First: Start by getting your oven preheated to 400°F (200°C) and bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil for your pasta. While the water heats, begin cooking your chicken cutlets. Heat a skillet over medium heat with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Fry the chicken cutlets until they are beautifully golden brown on the outside and thoroughly cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). This usually takes about 3-5 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Remove the cooked chicken to a cutting board and let it cool slightly before slicing or dicing it into small, bite-sized pieces. This step is crucial for even distribution throughout the casserole.
2. Boil the Pasta and Toss with RAGÚ Sauce: Once your water is boiling vigorously, add your chosen pasta (penne, rotini, or rigatoni). Cook the pasta for two minutes less than the minimum time specified on the package directions. We want it to be significantly al dente, as it will continue to cook in the oven and absorb more sauce. Cooking it too much now will result in mushy pasta later. Drain the pasta thoroughly (do not rinse!) and return it to the same pot. Pour in all but 2 tablespoons of the RAGÚ Simply Traditional Sauce and toss gently until every strand of pasta is coated in the rich, vibrant sauce.
3. Layer the Casserole and Bake Until Golden: Lightly spray a 2.5-quart baking dish with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Spread the reserved 2 tablespoons of RAGÚ Simply sauce evenly across the bottom of the dish – this prevents the pasta from sticking and adds an extra layer of flavor. Next, arrange half of the sauced pasta in the dish, followed by half of your diced chicken and half of the shredded mozzarella cheese. Repeat these layers with the remaining pasta, chicken, and mozzarella. Now, prepare your crispy topping: in a small, microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. Add the panko breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, and garlic powder to the melted butter. Stir thoroughly until the panko breadcrumbs have absorbed all the butter and are evenly coated. Sprinkle this irresistible mixture generously over the top of the casserole using a spoon or your hands, ensuring an even layer for maximum crunch. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, carefully remove the foil and continue baking for another 10-15 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and wonderfully crunchy, and the cheese is bubbly and melted. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve hot!

FAQs About Your Crispy Chicken Parm Casserole

We’ve gathered some common questions to help you master this delicious dish and tailor it to your needs:

1. Can I use rotisserie chicken instead of chicken cutlets? Absolutely! This is a fantastic time-saving hack. Simply shred the cooked rotisserie chicken and toss it directly with the RAGÚ sauce and pasta before you begin layering the casserole with cheese. This variation works beautifully and adds another layer of convenience.
2. Can I use leftover breaded chicken from another recipe? Yes, indeed! If you have leftover breaded chicken (e.g., from a previous dinner), it’s perfect for this casserole. Just slice or dice the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces and incorporate it into the casserole layers as described in the recipe. Ensure it’s heated through with the casserole.
3. Can I use spaghetti instead of the other pasta shapes mentioned? While almost any pasta shape can theoretically work, we generally prefer short-cut pasta like penne, rigatoni, or rotini for this recipe. Their size and shape tend to match the diced chicken pieces, making each forkful a balanced and satisfying experience. However, if spaghetti is what you have on hand, it will certainly work! Just be mindful that longer, thinner noodles might bake a little faster or have a slightly different texture, so keep a closer eye on doneness.
4. If I wanted to make scratch cutlets, could I do that a day in advance? Yes, absolutely! Preparing your own breaded chicken cutlets in advance is a great way to break up the cooking process. You can bread the raw cutlets a day ahead, cover them tightly, and refrigerate them. Alternatively, you can even fry them completely the day before, let them cool, then reheat them to room temperature on a baking sheet in the oven for a few minutes before slicing or dicing and continuing with the casserole recipe. This flexibility makes homemade cutlets much more manageable.
5. Can I use a different RAGÚ red sauce for this recipe? Of course! While we love the RAGÚ Simply Traditional Sauce for its pure flavor, other varieties of RAGÚ red sauce will also work wonderfully in this recipe, allowing you to customize the flavor profile to your liking. Each RAGÚ sauce offers its unique characteristics, so feel free to experiment with your favorites. Click here to explore the full range of sauces in the RAGÚ Simply line up and discover your next favorite!
6. How should I store and reheat leftovers? Leftovers of this chicken parmesan casserole are delicious! Store any remaining casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, you can either warm individual portions in the microwave until heated through, or for a crispier result, cover the casserole dish with foil and reheat in an oven preheated to 350°F (175°C) for 20-30 minutes, removing the foil for the last 5-10 minutes to re-crisp the topping.
7. Can I freeze this casserole? Yes! This casserole freezes quite well. Assemble the casserole completely, but do not bake it. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap, then with aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 2-3 months. When ready to bake, thaw the casserole overnight in the refrigerator, then bake as directed, potentially adding an extra 10-15 minutes to the covered baking time to ensure it heats through. If baking from frozen, it will take considerably longer (about 60-90 minutes covered, then uncovered).

A heartfelt thank you to our wonderful friends over at RAGÚ for generously sponsoring this post. We are passionate about collaborating with companies that share our commitment to producing delicious, wholesome foods that make cooking easier and more enjoyable for everyone!