Chicken Parmesan Casserole (Printable)

Layers of shredded chicken, marinara, and melted cheese under crispy breadcrumb topping

# What You'll Need:

01 - 3 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or cubed

02 - 2 cups marinara sauce

03 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs

04 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

05 - 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

06 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs

07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

08 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

09 - Cooking spray or oil for greasing

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or oil.

02 - Spread the cooked chicken evenly in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.

03 - Pour marinara sauce evenly over the chicken. Sprinkle dried Italian herbs over the sauce if desired.

04 - Layer mozzarella cheese and half of the Parmesan cheese over the sauce layer.

05 - In a small bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs with melted butter until evenly moistened. Stir in chopped parsley if using.

06 - Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture evenly over the cheese layer. Top with remaining Parmesan cheese.

07 - Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly.

08 - Let casserole stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving to allow layers to set.

01 -

The whole thing comes together in under an hour but tastes like it simmered all afternoon
It's the perfect excuse to buy a rotisserie chicken and call it cooking
The leftovers somehow taste even better the next day, if they last that long

02 -

I once skipped letting it rest and ended up with a runny mess on my plate, lesson learned
The panko needs to be thoroughly mixed with butter or you'll get dry spots instead of golden crunch
Don't be afraid to let it go an extra 5 minutes if you want those deep brown edges

03 -

Buy an extra rotisserie chicken and shred the rest for salads or tacos during the week
Room temperature cheese melts more evenly, so take it out of the fridge while you prep