Active Time:25 minsAdditional Time:25 minsTotal Time:50 minsServings:6Yield:6 servingsJump to Nutrition Facts
Active Time:25 minsAdditional Time:25 minsTotal Time:50 minsServings:6Yield:6 servings
Active Time:25 mins
Active Time:
25 mins
Additional Time:25 mins
Additional Time:
Total Time:50 mins
Total Time:
50 mins
Servings:6
Servings:
6
Yield:6 servings
Yield:
6 servings
Jump to Nutrition Facts
Jump to recipeWe took the best parts of the classic Italian dish, chicken Parmesan—the ooey-gooey cheese, crispy breadcrumbs and plenty of tomato sauce—and spun them into this easy, family-friendlyChicken Parmesan Casserole. It’s a dish you can feel good about since it’s packed withlean protein, fiber-rich whole-grain pasta and antioxidant-rich tomatoes. It takes less than 30 minutes to prep and after a short bake time (only 25 minutes!), dinner is served! Find the recipe, as well as helpful tips and ideas to make it your own, below.How to Make Chicken Parmesan Casserole1. Cook the Pasta Just until Al DenteIt’s important not to overcook the pasta, since it will continue to cook once it’s in the oven. For best results, cook it until it’s al dente, meaning it still has some “bite” to it. This doneness level prevents it from getting overly soft as it bakes in the casserole.2. Make the SauceInstead of using tomato sauce from a jar, we make our own using a can of crushed tomatoes flavored with onion and spices. Before adding the tomatoes, cook the onion until softened. This cooking technique is often referred to as “sweating” as it releases some of the liquid in order to soften and sweeten the onion. Once you add the tomatoes, cook everything together for 5 minutes. This will allow the sauce to thicken up and the flavors to meld together.3. Keep Tabs on Baking TimeWe add oil to the breadcrumb topping to help brown and crisp it up while it bakes. Oven temperatures vary, so keep an eye on your casserole during the last 10 minutes of baking. If you notice the topping is browning too quickly, cover it with a piece of foil to prevent it from burning.Ingredient Swaps to TryUse a different pasta shape.We use whole-wheat rotini for this recipe, but feel free to use whole-wheat fusilli, penne or any other short pasta. Be sure to cook the pasta according to the package directions.Use Italian seasoning.You can substitute 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning for the dried basil and oregano in this dish. Or swap in your favorite dried herbs, using up to 1 teaspoon total.Try a new cheese.Mozzarella is known for its melting qualities, but consider another cheese or a blend of cheeses for added flavor. Swiss, Gouda, Cheddar, Monterey Jack or an Italian cheese blend would all be delicious.Tips from the EatingWell Test KitchenThese are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too!Shred your own cheese if you can. Pre-shredded cheese is convenient, but often has ingredients added to it to prevent clumping. These can affect the cheese’s ability to melt properly, which means you may not get that delightful “stretch” that typically comes with melted cheese. Shredding your own cheese from a block will give you the best texture and is also often less expensive (albeit a bit more work) than pre-shredded versions.Add some fresh herbs if you have them. The dish already has dried versions of basil and oregano, but if you have fresh herbs lying around, feel free to add some for more flavor. Add up to 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil or 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, and stir in just before pouring into the casserole dish.Add a bit oftomato pasteto the sauce. To deepen the tomato flavor of the dish, consider adding a tablespoon of no-salt-added tomato paste right before adding the crushed tomatoes. Mix in with the onions and cook until golden-red, 2 to 3 minutes, then proceed with the recipe. Freeze extra tomato paste for another use.Nutrition NotesWhole-wheat pastais considered a whole grain—andwhole grains have numerous health benefits. From reducing the risk of heart disease to lowering inflammation in the body, the fiber and antioxidants in whole grains go to work for you.Mozzarella and Parmesancheesesadd flavor to the dish, but they’re also a delicious way to get more calcium into your diet.Calciumhelps with everything from building and maintaining bones to supporting muscle and nerve function, making it a necessary nutrient for optimal health.Tomatoesare a great food source of beta carotene, a precursor for vitamin A. Vitamin A plays a pivotal part in immune function as well vision, bone and reproductive health. Cooked tomatoes are rich in the antioxidant lycopene.Consuming tomatoesrich in lycopene can help reduce inflammation that contributes to plaque buildup in the arteries, offering protection against heart disease. We call for no-salt-added crushed tomatoes, which also helpscut back on sodium.
Jump to recipe
We took the best parts of the classic Italian dish, chicken Parmesan—the ooey-gooey cheese, crispy breadcrumbs and plenty of tomato sauce—and spun them into this easy, family-friendlyChicken Parmesan Casserole. It’s a dish you can feel good about since it’s packed withlean protein, fiber-rich whole-grain pasta and antioxidant-rich tomatoes. It takes less than 30 minutes to prep and after a short bake time (only 25 minutes!), dinner is served! Find the recipe, as well as helpful tips and ideas to make it your own, below.How to Make Chicken Parmesan Casserole1. Cook the Pasta Just until Al DenteIt’s important not to overcook the pasta, since it will continue to cook once it’s in the oven. For best results, cook it until it’s al dente, meaning it still has some “bite” to it. This doneness level prevents it from getting overly soft as it bakes in the casserole.2. Make the SauceInstead of using tomato sauce from a jar, we make our own using a can of crushed tomatoes flavored with onion and spices. Before adding the tomatoes, cook the onion until softened. This cooking technique is often referred to as “sweating” as it releases some of the liquid in order to soften and sweeten the onion. Once you add the tomatoes, cook everything together for 5 minutes. This will allow the sauce to thicken up and the flavors to meld together.3. Keep Tabs on Baking TimeWe add oil to the breadcrumb topping to help brown and crisp it up while it bakes. Oven temperatures vary, so keep an eye on your casserole during the last 10 minutes of baking. If you notice the topping is browning too quickly, cover it with a piece of foil to prevent it from burning.Ingredient Swaps to TryUse a different pasta shape.We use whole-wheat rotini for this recipe, but feel free to use whole-wheat fusilli, penne or any other short pasta. Be sure to cook the pasta according to the package directions.Use Italian seasoning.You can substitute 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning for the dried basil and oregano in this dish. Or swap in your favorite dried herbs, using up to 1 teaspoon total.Try a new cheese.Mozzarella is known for its melting qualities, but consider another cheese or a blend of cheeses for added flavor. Swiss, Gouda, Cheddar, Monterey Jack or an Italian cheese blend would all be delicious.Tips from the EatingWell Test KitchenThese are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too!Shred your own cheese if you can. Pre-shredded cheese is convenient, but often has ingredients added to it to prevent clumping. These can affect the cheese’s ability to melt properly, which means you may not get that delightful “stretch” that typically comes with melted cheese. Shredding your own cheese from a block will give you the best texture and is also often less expensive (albeit a bit more work) than pre-shredded versions.Add some fresh herbs if you have them. The dish already has dried versions of basil and oregano, but if you have fresh herbs lying around, feel free to add some for more flavor. Add up to 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil or 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, and stir in just before pouring into the casserole dish.Add a bit oftomato pasteto the sauce. To deepen the tomato flavor of the dish, consider adding a tablespoon of no-salt-added tomato paste right before adding the crushed tomatoes. Mix in with the onions and cook until golden-red, 2 to 3 minutes, then proceed with the recipe. Freeze extra tomato paste for another use.Nutrition NotesWhole-wheat pastais considered a whole grain—andwhole grains have numerous health benefits. From reducing the risk of heart disease to lowering inflammation in the body, the fiber and antioxidants in whole grains go to work for you.Mozzarella and Parmesancheesesadd flavor to the dish, but they’re also a delicious way to get more calcium into your diet.Calciumhelps with everything from building and maintaining bones to supporting muscle and nerve function, making it a necessary nutrient for optimal health.Tomatoesare a great food source of beta carotene, a precursor for vitamin A. Vitamin A plays a pivotal part in immune function as well vision, bone and reproductive health. Cooked tomatoes are rich in the antioxidant lycopene.Consuming tomatoesrich in lycopene can help reduce inflammation that contributes to plaque buildup in the arteries, offering protection against heart disease. We call for no-salt-added crushed tomatoes, which also helpscut back on sodium.
We took the best parts of the classic Italian dish, chicken Parmesan—the ooey-gooey cheese, crispy breadcrumbs and plenty of tomato sauce—and spun them into this easy, family-friendlyChicken Parmesan Casserole. It’s a dish you can feel good about since it’s packed withlean protein, fiber-rich whole-grain pasta and antioxidant-rich tomatoes. It takes less than 30 minutes to prep and after a short bake time (only 25 minutes!), dinner is served! Find the recipe, as well as helpful tips and ideas to make it your own, below.
How to Make Chicken Parmesan Casserole
1. Cook the Pasta Just until Al Dente
It’s important not to overcook the pasta, since it will continue to cook once it’s in the oven. For best results, cook it until it’s al dente, meaning it still has some “bite” to it. This doneness level prevents it from getting overly soft as it bakes in the casserole.
2. Make the Sauce
Instead of using tomato sauce from a jar, we make our own using a can of crushed tomatoes flavored with onion and spices. Before adding the tomatoes, cook the onion until softened. This cooking technique is often referred to as “sweating” as it releases some of the liquid in order to soften and sweeten the onion. Once you add the tomatoes, cook everything together for 5 minutes. This will allow the sauce to thicken up and the flavors to meld together.
3. Keep Tabs on Baking Time
We add oil to the breadcrumb topping to help brown and crisp it up while it bakes. Oven temperatures vary, so keep an eye on your casserole during the last 10 minutes of baking. If you notice the topping is browning too quickly, cover it with a piece of foil to prevent it from burning.
Ingredient Swaps to Try
Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen
These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too!
Nutrition Notes
Cook Mode(Keep screen awake)Ingredients8ounceswhole-wheat rotini4tablespoonsextra-virgin olive oil, divided1cupchopped onion1(28 ounce) canno-salt-added crushed tomatoes1teaspoongarlic powder½teaspoondried basil½teaspoondried oregano½teaspoonsalt¼teaspooncrushed red pepper2cupsshredded cooked chicken1cupshredded mozzarella cheese½cuppanko breadcrumbs¼cupgrated Parmesan cheese2tablespoonschopped parsley
Cook Mode(Keep screen awake)
Ingredients
8ounceswhole-wheat rotini
4tablespoonsextra-virgin olive oil, divided
1cupchopped onion
1(28 ounce) canno-salt-added crushed tomatoes
1teaspoongarlic powder
½teaspoondried basil
½teaspoondried oregano
½teaspoonsalt
¼teaspooncrushed red pepper
2cupsshredded cooked chicken
1cupshredded mozzarella cheese
½cuppanko breadcrumbs
¼cupgrated Parmesan cheese
2tablespoonschopped parsley
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly coat an 8-inch-square baking dish with cooking spray.
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add rotini and cook according to package directions. Drain.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, garlic powder, basil, oregano, salt and crushed red pepper; bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in chicken and the cooked rotini. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and top with mozzarella.
Stir panko, Parmesan, parsley and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil together in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the casserole. Bake until hot and the topping is golden, 25 to 30 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! If you don’t have a 8-inch-square pan, another casserole dish of a similar size or larger will work. For reference, an 8-inch-square pan will hold about 8 cups. If you use a larger pan, you may have to cook the casserole for less time since the ingredients will be spread out over a larger surface.
Equipment8-inch-square baking dish, large saucepan
Equipment
8-inch-square baking dish, large saucepan
EatingWell.com, September 2020
Rate ItPrint
Nutrition Facts(per serving)442Calories17gFat50gCarbs26gProtein
Nutrition Facts(per serving)
- Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.
