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This dump-and-bake chicken parmesan casserole is a one-dish dinner that’s healthy, easy to prepare, and incredibly family-friendly. Just combine the raw ingredients in a pan and pop it in the oven — no prep work necessary!

Overhead image of dump and bake chicken parm casserole on a green table with a side salad and bread.
Table of Contents
  1. Ingredients for Parmesan Chicken Casserole
  2. How to Make Chicken Parmesan Casserole
  3. Serving Suggestions
  4. Preparation and Storage Tips
  5. Baked Chicken Parmesan Casserole Recipe Variations
  6. Tips for the Best Chicken Parmesan Casserole Recipe
  7. Dump-and-Bake Chicken Parmesan Casserole Recipe

A chicken parmesan casserole recipe that’s easy, healthy, and kid-friendly! What’s not to love?! The lightened-up dish is a perfect example of a simple and nutritious supper that brings the family together — even on busy evenings — and keeps you out of the kitchen with very little prep work.

Instead of breading and frying cutlets in a skillet, this version takes advantage of my favorite dump-and-bake method to eliminate tedious prep work. There’s no need to boil the pasta in advance or use pre-cooked chicken. Instead, all of the ingredients mingle, share seasonings, and cook together in one big pan.

You get the familiar flavors of marinara sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese in the pan, along with crispy Panko breadcrumbs for a satisfying crunch on top. Pair it with a side salad and garlic bread for a flavorful and hearty dinner that the whole family will love!

Process shot showing how to make chicken parm casserole.

Ingredients for Parmesan Chicken Casserole

This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for an easy chicken parmesan casserole with pasta. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.

  • Penne pasta: this is the brand that I use, which has a suggested time of 11-12 minutes on the box. You can substitute with another short pasta shape, such as rigatoni, elbows, bowtie (farfalle), or rotini. You may need to increase or decrease the total baking time for your casserole if you choose a different pasta.
  • Marinara sauce: pick a high-quality jar of sauce that you love, since this lends a lot of flavor to the dish. You can even use homemade marinara!
  • Water: extra liquid for the pasta to absorb as it cooks in the oven.
  • Salt and pepper: to enhance the other flavors in the dish.
  • Chicken: I typically use boneless skinless chicken breast or chicken tenders, but you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs if you prefer the dark meat. No need to cook it first — just dice it into bite-sized pieces.
  • Mozzarella cheese: or sub with an Italian cheese blend for even more flavor.
  • Parmesan cheese: gives the dish its name! This cheese also adds bold, salty flavor to the top of the casserole.
  • Panko breadcrumbs: a crunchy, golden brown topping for the casserole, which mimics the crispy breading on a traditional fried chicken parm recipe.
Bowl of shredded cheese to put on top of casserole.

How to Make Chicken Parmesan Casserole

Busy weeknights don’t get much easier than a dump and bake chicken parm casserole for dinner! I’ve included complete cooking instructions in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, but here’s the quick version:

  • Stir together all of the raw ingredients.
  • Cover the dish and bake for 30 minutes.
  • Stir the pasta mixture, and sprinkle cheese and breadcrumbs on top.
  • Return to the oven uncovered for 10-15 more minutes, until the pasta is tender, the chicken is cooked through, and the topping is golden brown.
  • Garnish with chopped fresh herbs, if you like!
Square overhead image of dump and bake chicken parmesan casserole.

Serving Suggestions

Pair the healthy chicken parmesan casserole with any of these easy sides:

Overhead shot of a bowl of chicken parm casserole on a green table.

Preparation and Storage Tips

  • Make Ahead: You can assemble the casserole a few hours in advance, or even leave it covered in the refrigerator overnight before baking. The pasta will start to soften and absorb some of the liquid as it sits, so you may need to decrease the baking time slightly. You don’t want to overcook the casserole or you’ll end up with gummy, mushy pasta.
  • Storage: This casserole is best enjoyed immediately from the oven. Leftovers will  keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. The pasta will dry out a bit as it sits.
  • I do not recommend freezing this casserole because pasta has a tendency to get gummy and mushy when thawed.
Close overhead image of gold serving spoon in a pan of chicken parm casserole.

Baked Chicken Parmesan Casserole Recipe Variations

  • Don’t have penne pasta? You can substitute with other similar short pasta shapes such as rotini, rigatoni, or elbows. Just pick a pasta that has a similar cooking time as the penne (about 11-12 minutes recommended on the package) — otherwise you’ll need to adjust the casserole’s baking time in the oven.
  • Stir in some veggies. If your kids like peas, zucchini, sliced mushrooms, or frozen broccoli, stir that into the dish as well! If you’re using a larger vegetable with a longer cooking time (like broccoli), you may want to steam the vegetables first before adding to the dish. For something small like frozen peas, you can just add them (still frozen) straight to the baking dish towards the end of the cooking time.
  • Add more flavor to the dish by replacing some of the water with red wine.
  • Jazz up the casserole with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, crushed red pepper flakes, and/or sundried tomatoes.
  • Use chicken tenderloins or boneless skinless chicken thighs as a sub for the chicken breast.
Overhead image of dump and bake chicken parm casserole on a table with a side salad.

Tips for the Best Chicken Parmesan Casserole Recipe

  • Dice the chicken into small, bite-size pieces before adding it to the dish. It will cook faster this way, and it will be easier to eat without cutting.
  • I find that it’s easiest to cut the chicken with sharp kitchen shears.
  • Use Panko bread crumbs instead of regular breadcrumbs. They give the topping a delicious, crispy texture that’s similar to the fried coating on traditional chicken parmesan!
  • Pick a high-quality, flavorful marinara sauce. A delicious sauce will yield a delicious meal. I like Rao’s brand, but any similar variety will work.
  • Total cooking time will vary depending on the type of pan that you use, your brand of pasta, and your individual oven. Glass or ceramic baking dishes will take longer than metal pans, for instance. To know when your casserole is done, taste a bite of the pasta. The noodles should be al dente and much of the liquid should be absorbed.
  • Be careful not to overbake the casserole or the pasta will become mushy.
  • Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or fresh basil for a bright, colorful finishing touch.
Overhead shot of dump and bake chicken parm casserole in a white dish on a green table.

More Chicken Parmesan Recipes to Try

And if you’re looking for even more dump-and-bake recipes, you’ll find them all here!

Square overhead image of dump and bake chicken parmesan casserole.

Dump-and-Bake Chicken Parmesan Casserole

4.78 from 27 votes
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Total: 50 minutes
Servings 8 people
Calories 421 kcal
This easy one-dish dinner is healthy, easy to prepare, and incredibly family-friendly!

Ingredients
  

  • 1 (16 ounce) package uncooked penne pasta
  • 3 cups marinara sauce (about 1 24-ounce jar)
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 ½ lbs. raw chicken breast, diced into bite-sized pieces
  • 1-2 cups shredded mozzarella or Italian cheese blend
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
  • Optional: fresh chopped herbs such as basil or parsley for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray a 13-inch by 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  • In the prepared baking dish (or in a separate large bowl), stir together uncooked pasta, marinara sauce, water, salt, pepper, and raw chicken. Tips: See my suggestions below if you'd like to add even more flavor to the dish (like red wine, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, or crushed red pepper flakes).
    Process shot showing how to make chicken parm casserole.
  • Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Make sure that your dish is covered tightly so that none of the moisture escapes (the pasta needs to absorb the liquid as it cooks). Bake the covered dish for 30 minutes.
  • Uncover and give the pasta a good stir. At this point the pasta will still be firm and there will still be quite a bit of liquid in the dish. That’s fine!
  • Spread mozzarella over the top and sprinkle with breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered for 10-15 more minutes (or until cheese is melted, top is golden brown, pasta is tender, and chicken is cooked through).
    Bowl of shredded cheese to put on top of casserole.
  • Garnish with fresh herbs, if desired. Serve!
    Overhead image of dump and bake chicken parm casserole on a green table with a side salad and bread.

Notes

    • Dice the chicken into small, bite-size pieces before adding it to the dish. It will cook faster this way, and it will be easier to eat without cutting.
    • Use Panko bread crumbs instead of regular breadcrumbs. They give the topping a delicious, crispy texture that’s similar to the fried coating on traditional chicken parmesan!
    • Pick a high-quality, flavorful marinara sauce. A delicious sauce will yield a delicious meal. I like Rao’s brand, but any similar variety will work.
    • Total cooking time will vary depending on the type of pan that you use, your brand of pasta, and your individual oven. Glass or ceramic baking dishes will take longer than metal pans, for instance. To know when your casserole is done, taste a bite of the pasta. The noodles should be al dente and much of the liquid should be absorbed.
    • Be careful not to overbake the casserole or the pasta will become mushy.
    • Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or fresh basil for a bright, colorful finishing touch.
    • Don’t have penne pasta? You can substitute with other similar short pasta shapes such as rotini, rigatoni, or elbows. Just pick a pasta that has a similar cooking time as the penne (about 11-12 minutes recommended on the package) — otherwise you’ll need to adjust the casserole’s baking time in the oven.
      Jazz up the casserole with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, crushed red pepper flakes, and/or sundried tomatoes.
    • Use chicken tenderloins or boneless skinless chicken thighs as a sub for the chicken breast.
    • Add more flavor to the dish by replacing some of the water with red wine.
    • Stir in some veggies. If your kids like peas, zucchini, sliced mushrooms, or frozen broccoli, stir that into the dish as well! If you’re using a larger vegetable with a longer cooking time (like broccoli), you may want to steam the vegetables first before adding to the dish. For something small like frozen peas, you can just add them (still frozen) straight to the baking dish towards the end of the cooking time.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/8 of the casseroleCalories: 421kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 33gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 1116mgPotassium: 779mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 545IUVitamin C: 7.4mgCalcium: 224mgIron: 2.4mg
Keyword: chicken parmesan casserole, chicken parmesan casserole with pasta, healthy chicken parmesan, parmesan chicken casserole
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Author: Blair Lonergan

This post was originally published in November, 2015. The photos were updated in June, 2023.

blair

Hey, I’m Blair!

Welcome to my farmhouse kitchen in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Inspired by local traditions and seasonal fare, you’ll find plenty of easy, comforting recipes that bring your family together around the table. It’s down-home, country-style cooking!

Read More

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Comments

  1. My husband loves chicken parmesan, so I think he would devour this in no time! I love that it’s skinny and so easy to prepare! I’ve definitely got to add this to my meal rotation! 🙂

      1. Can this be prepped as a freezer meal? Expecting my 5th and final babe in about a month and this sound delish! Bonus because my kids will eat it.

        1. Hi Ashley! Congratulations! Unfortunately, we do not recommend freezing this casserole because pasta has a tendency to get gummy and mushy when thawed.

  2. You are really speaking my language with this, Blair! I love Italian food, and I love anything that is quick and simple when it comes to cooking. I don’t mind cooking too much, but it’s not my fave thing. This dish is a life-saver!

  3. Blair, this casserole looks simply heavenly! And so easy to whip up, too! I’ve GOT to try this! Pinned! 🙂

  4. Anything with the title ‘dump and bake’ and ‘skinny’ sounds like a kick butt meal! Love those little fingers trying this amazing dish 😉

  5. Blair I LOVE you for this – I was pondering what I should make with the chicken & spinach in my fridge. I was completely lacking inspiration & then saw this. Thank you!

  6. Oh my goodness this looks amazing!! And so easy. Plus, I think my kids would actually eat this too!

  7. I made this tonight for dinner. I made a couple of changes based on the reviews and what I had on had. I heated the water before I added it to the sauce and noodles. I also added half a container of chive and onion cream cheese and frozen basil cubes. The chicken and pasta were done at 35 minutes. It turned out really yummy! Thank you!

  8. I made this for dinner and work lunches for the week. Super easy to make! Followed the directions and just added a few more spices, and it was delicious. Cook times were good for me. Used thinly sliced chicken. Turned out great, very delicious! Thanks.

  9. I made this last night and loved that neither the pasta or raw meat needed to be cooked separately in advance. When I first took the dish out after the 30 minutes, there was still a lot of liquid and I was a little worried. But after I added the cheese and breadcrumbs and put it back in the oven uncovered for 10 minutes, all of the excess liquid had absorbed. I used turkey cutlets as the meat, so they were nice and thin and cooked thoroughly. I will definitely make this again and give the recipe to my college student daughter. Thank you!

  10. 5 stars
    I just made this for dinner and it turned out perfect. The extra liquid I observed after the first half hour of cooking had disappeared after I added the cheese and bread crumbs. Such an easy meal to put together … And delicious too!

  11. First of all, this casserole made the house smell *divine*. I needed something quick, simple and delicious, and this worked perfectly.

    I cut the recipe in half and used provolone slices instead of grated mots, because that’s all I had. Still. Delicious. I let it set ten minutes after it came out of the oven, my husband and I circling like a pair of vultures around the kitchen island as we waited. It was delicious. Neither of us loves Italian food, but we tore this up!

    You’re a genius, Blaire.

    Also, to anyone making this who is iffy about the flavor, iiiit’s probably your pasta sauce. Choose a more robust sauce next time and I promise it’ll knock your socks all the way off.

    1. Thanks so much, Nessa! I’m glad that you loved the meal as much as we do! I totally agree — the sauce makes the dish (since that’s the major flavor component), so it’s key to pick one that you like. 🙂

    2. 5 stars
      “Iffy about the flavor” comment:If you don’t like Italian food,obviously you and your family have a strange palette,why would you offer your uneducated opinion about Italian food.The sauce as described is perfect.

  12. 5 stars
    Hi, I just made this for dinner and it’s delicious! So easy to prepare, no pots to wash, my 6y/o loves it and it’s WW friendly! I followed the recipe exactly except I seasoned everything with my own Italian favorites.

    Thank you for posting this recipe! I look forward to trying out your other “dump and bake” recipes!

    Fondly, Karen

  13. 5 stars
    This was really good! I read the other reviews adding garlic powder and oregano, baked according to the directions and it was perfect. Will definitely be making again and trying your other recipes. This was so simple and quick to put together! I really like recipes which are easy to make.

  14. Made this tonight. I added a little bit of Italian seasoning and garlic powder to the pasta mixture. Baked for the 30mins covered I was worried because there was still quite a bit of liquid. But I followed the rest of the instructions and it came out perfect. It was delicious although next time I would probably decrease bread crumbs a little as they seemed a bit much. Thanks

  15. I just found your site today and made this recipe tonight. I made some small changes: cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and seasoned them (salt, pepper, oregano) before adding to the pasta and used crushed garlic croutons instead of bread crumbs. I also used regular pasta instead of whole wheat – yes, I know the whole wheat pasta makes it healthier, but my husband absolutely will not eat it (I’ve tried blind taste tests – he can tell the difference). For anyone who has the same problem, I used 14 oz of pasta and 20 oz of water, plus about 25 oz of sauce. I also mixed a little basil paste into the cheese, and used shredded rather than grated parm. The casserole turned out really well – I’m sure it would have been fabulous without these changes, too. Thanks for a great recipe!

    1. Hi, Mia! Awesome! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it, and I appreciate your tips for the different modifications. Sounds great!

  16. This was delicious, and quite filling! It did cost me 10 freestyle smartpoints, but that’s to be expected with a pasta dish, and since my breakfast and lunch points are so small, it really doesn’t hurt. I love how it comes together quickly. I think I got this together and in the oven in about 5 minutes or less. Perfect busy night meal, or when you just don’t feel like cooking, without the compromise of eating fast food. I did use Barilla Protein Plus for the pasta, just because we like it better. That may or may not effect the Freestyle points. So keep that in mind if you’re a Weight Watcher. Calculate it with your ingredients. But seriously, Blair, this dish is as delicious as it looks! Love it love it! I will be making this again and again. Since it’s so fast to put together, I’m thinking I might make a couple of them and freeze them for later.

    1. Hi, Ann! Yes, I think it would work well as a freezer meal. I would freeze it BEFORE baking, and then when you’re ready to cook it, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight. 🙂

  17. 5 stars
    saw this Monday on pinterest ordered ingredients and made it for dinner Monday night! I did add some extra seasoning per my taste. Cooked 15 minutes more after I added the cheese and bread crumbs to allow the chicken to fully cooked. Family LOVED it. Shared the recipe with all of my coworkers and friends. Thanks for such a quick and delicious recipe! Look forward to cooking more of your recipes!

  18. Hi Blair!

    I think this will be the next one of your recipes I will try. Just wondering if you can substitute the water with chicken broth. Would this make the dish more flavorful or better in any way? I’ve seen in a few of your other red sauce based dishes that you use stock instead of water so I was just curious what the difference is. I will definitely let you know if I end up making this and how it turns out!

    1. Hi, Alyssa! Yes, you can definitely use the chicken broth if you’d like to add a little bit more flavor to the dish. Totally up to you — it will be delicious either way! 🙂

    1. Hi, Bailey! The shape doesn’t matter as much as the cooking time. The penne pasta that I used has a cooking time of about 11 minutes (called for on the box). If you use a different shape pasta, just make sure that the instructions on the box call for 11-12 minutes, too. Otherwise, you’ll just need to adjust the amount of time that your casserole is in the oven. 🙂

  19. 4 stars
    Thank you, Blair! Made this for dinner last night. Just as quick and easy as the title states. Added zucchini and crushed red pepper. The hubby loved it, which made me very happy as he is picky. Also, there was enough for two lunches for each of us left over. I will definitely be trying more of your recipes!

  20. 5 stars
    I made this last night I made two changes I used spaghetti sauce instead of what you used and added a can of Italian tomatoes. It was very very very tasty I will be making it again. Were having leftovers tonight.

    Thanks so much.

  21. 5 stars
    Hubby loved it! I used previously frozen homemade sauce that I forgot had italian sausage in it, so that was a pleasant addition! I halved the recipe since it’s just the two of us. I used rotini, which has the similar cooking time Blair has mentioned. The next time I make it, I will add a little more sauce, or serve some on the side, as I like my pasta a little saucier. This one is definitley a keeper!

    1. Wonderful! Thank you — I’m so glad to hear that it was a hit! 🙂 I bet that added Italian sausage was delicious!

  22. 5 stars
    I made this tonight and the family really liked it. I had slightly frozen chicken, so I cut the pieces very small. The pasta was cooked perfectly. From prep to the table in less than an hour. Great recipe!

  23. 4 stars
    I made this last night and it is just as easy as the recipe seems. The only complaints I had was that in my opinion, the noodles were slightly gummy, so next time i make it (and there will certainly be a next time), I may pre cook the noodles JUST A SMIDGE. Also, since there’s no other seasonings, which i think you could also add if you wanted to, make sure you don’t skimp on the marinara sauce. Get the REALLY GOOD marinara sauce!

  24. 5 stars
    Made it tonight Excellent recipe,, followed it almost exactly.. I used ziti, 1 can herb/garlic pasta sauce (2cup) and 1can tomato sauce to fill out the 3cups sauce,, mozzarella cheese on top of that and 3/4 cup of panko & parm cheese each.. 40 min enitial cook time and 12 min final cook time.. liquid was not that much and finally just enough to keep the dish moist not dry.. My family DOESN’T like cassaroles so I didn’t mention it and they loved it. Sneaky but I know better ????

  25. 5 stars
    This was a hit! I didnt have any fresh basil so I added some dried to the sauce and water mixture. I also added a bit of marjoram and garlic powder. I used tricolor rotini because that’s what I had on hand. I upped the chicken to 2 lbs. since I was feeding a big family. Everyone loved it. Even my picky eaters 🙂

  26. Somethng went wrong with this dish. I followed the directions but the pasta came out very starchy and pasty. Mayit have been that I used pasta sauce instead of marinara sauce? Everything else was as called for. I did add some garlic poweder, salt and pepper to the chicken before puttng in the pan and added more garlic powder and dried basil on top of mozz, parm and panko. It tasted good but like I said the pasta was not right.

    1. Sounds like maybe the pasta was cooked too long so it had that gummy texture? It might just be a matter of pulling it out of the oven sooner. Sorry about that, Laurie!

  27. 5 stars
    Fantastic! I made the complete recipe for my mom and niece; then I eliminated the pastas and added 2 cups of broccoli and spinach for me as I’m cutting my carbs. Do you have a Chicken & Rice casserole?

  28. 5 stars
    Excellent! As a mom with very little time who love’s to cook. (and Italian) each bite of this tastes like chicken Parmesan w/Rao’s sauce of course and very little effort! Thank you so much for this

  29. LOVE this recipe. We make it every 2 weeks !Has anyone substituted Eggplant for Chicken? I am looking for a skinny and delicious Eggplant Parm recipe!!

  30. 5 stars
    I made this last night and it was very tasty. In place of the bread crumbs I used garlic croutons that I crushed. (tip from Chef John at Food Wishes). I happened to see the Lucini Marinara at the store and used that as it was shown in your recipe. It was a little pricey but on a whole the dinner itself was budget friendly and would feed I think 6-7 people easy. This will be printed and put in our recipe box labeled “Budget friendly and yummy”.

  31. 5 stars
    Ok, I can’t believe how simple and tasty this was. I used homemade marinara sauce, regular pasta, and some homemade flax breadcrumbs (since it was what I had), and it was so delicious and easy. I also halved the recipe and cooked it in a smaller dish, and it made four hearty servings. Thank you!

    1. That’s awesome, Tori! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it and made it work with the ingredients you had on hand. 🙂

  32. 5 stars
    This is in my bi-weekly rotation! I LOVE it! I follow the recipe and and some garlic seasoning and Italian seasoning. It’s SO good, and so easy! Thank you!

    1. That’s wonderful to hear, Kaitlyn! I’m so glad that you like it, and I appreciate you letting me know. 🙂

  33. 5 stars
    My husband made this for me tonight. It was pretty good, although I’m not a fan of melty cheese – I like stringy cheese, and I think gruyere or something along those lines would have been fabulous on this; it tends to stay stringy and gooey with reheating (unlike cheddar and mozzarella, which always form a rock upon reheating). But overall, this was good. I think this is nice and simple and should be in every new cook’s cookbook. My husband is learning how to cook and this was a perfect starter dish for him.

  34. 5 stars
    Looks great; going to try it, but wanted to make one as a gift for someone… can you freeze it without the bread crumbs and thaw & bake later?

    1. Hi, Nancy! I honestly don’t know — I haven’t tried freezing the dish with the uncooked pasta and all of that liquid before baking. It might work, but it kind of makes me nervous. It will definitely be best if you assemble all of the ingredients in individual bags or containers, and give your friend instructions for stirring the ingredients together and baking right away. You can even give the individual a disposable foil 9 x 13-inch dish to bake it in. Kind of like a meal kit! 🙂

  35. 5 stars
    My family loves this. I do add some extra Italian Seasoning and a bit more oregano. Just that makes it really flavorful!

    1. Hi Lauren! We haven’t tested it but recommend sticking with regular or whole grain pasta if possible as chickpea and lentil varieties can tend to become a bit mushy when baked.

  36. This sounds wonderful and it’s on the menu for this week. It’s just me and husband, so I want to make this into 2 or 3 smaller freezer meals. Should I freeze them before or after cooking? I’ve never frozen a recipe using uncooked chicken. Thank you in advance for the advise.

    1. Hi, Reema! It depends on how soft you like your broccoli. If you prefer it really soft and well done, you can add it at the beginning (while it’s still frozen). If you prefer it more crisp-tender and firm, you can let it thaw at room temp (frozen broccoli is fairly soft once it thaws), and then just stir it into the dish to warm through and cook a little towards the end — before you put the mozzarella and breadcrumbs on top. Hope that helps!

  37. 5 stars
    Easy to make, delicious meal with a few leftover dishes as well! Thank you for the recipe suggestion!!

  38. Hi Blair,

    For the panko topping, it says sprinkle with panko and Parmesan.

    Are you mixing the two together, then sprinkling? Or first putting on the panko, then topping with the Parmesan? Thx.

    1. Hi, Renee! You can do it either way, and it will be great! Combine them first if you like (but you don’t need to). I typically sprinkle the panko on and then the Parmesan. Again, either way is fine — as long as you get both on top! Hope you enjoy. 🙂

  39. 5 stars
    I cut the recipe in half and used a square baking dish – My husband is a tough critic and he and I both loved this recipe! It was so incredibly easy to throw together. Cooked covered for 30 min and then uncovered for 10 min. Perfection!! This is definitely going into the rotation. You could easily turn this into a freezer meal and just add the pasta right before cooking. I also marinated the cut chicken in a heaping tablespoon of garlic for about 10 min.

    1. We’re so happy to hear this, Keli! Thank you for trying it out and taking the time to leave such a nice review.