Parm-Style Chicken Spaghetti Casserole Recipe
In our opinion, nothing is more comforting than a casserole. Recipe developer Deniz Vergara brings us this recipe for parm-style chicken spaghetti casserole. With spaghetti noodles, mozzarella cheese, chicken, and marinara sauce, this is the kind of dish that will please the entire family. The best part — it comes together in less than 45 minutes.
Vergara says, "I like to make this dish when I want a comforting filling meal that is reminiscent of chicken Parmesan, but without all the fuss." While we love chicken Parmesan, we happen to agree it can be rather involved. Skip the hassle by throwing all of the ingredients together in a single casserole dish.
You can absolutely eat this on its own, but it is probably a good idea to include a side dish. Vergara notes, "The only thing this dish doesn't include are veggies, so I like to serve this with a big green salad, or roasted broccoli."
Gather your ingredients for parm-style chicken spaghetti
To make this parm-style chicken spaghetti casserole, you can start by gathering your ingredients. For this recipe, you will need panko breadcrumbs, dried spaghetti, chicken, salt, Italian seasoning, olive oil, jarred marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, and fresh parsley.
Cook the pasta and chicken
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Add the panko breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, and 1 teaspoon of salt into a small bowl. Stir these ingredients together to create seasoned breadcrumbs, and set aside. Next, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Then, season the chicken with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet, and once it is hot, add the seasoned chicken. Sear the chicken for 1 to 2 minutes on each side. You do not have to cook it fully, since it will continue to cook in the oven.
Assemble the casserole
Next, cut the chicken into 1-inch chunks. In a large bowl, add the marinara sauce, remaining 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning, cubed chicken, 3 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese, and grated Parmesan cheese. Give this mixture a good stir, before adding in the cooked pasta, then stir again. Pour this into a large, lightly-oiled 9-x13-inch baking dish.
Bake, and serve the spaghetti casserole
Sprinkle the top of the casserole with the remaining 2 cups of shredded mozzarella. Then, top with the reserved seasoned breadcrumbs, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cover the baking dish with foil, and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Once the time is up, remove the dish from the oven, and top with chopped parsley. Allow to cool, before slicing and enjoying.
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 4 teaspoons Italian seasoning, divided
- 2 teaspoons salt, divided
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 32 ounces marinara sauce
- 5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Cook the spaghetti 2 minutes less than stated by the package instructions, drain, and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs with 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and 1 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
- Season the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning.
- In a large pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and cook the chicken for 1 to 2 minutes on each side. You do not have to cook it fully, since it will continue to cook in the oven. Set aside, and cut it into 1-inch chunks.
- In a large bowl, mix together the marinara sauce, remaining 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, cooked chicken, 3 cups mozzarella cheese, grated Parmesan, and cooked pasta.
- Place the spaghetti mixture into a lightly-oiled 9-x13-inch casserole dish, and sprinkle with the remaining 2 cups of mozzarella cheese.
- Top with the seasoned panko breadcrumbs, and remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cover with foil, and bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley, and serve immediately.
| Calories per Serving | 946 |
| Total Fat | 50.1 g |
| Saturated Fat | 28.0 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.0 g |
| Cholesterol | 194.5 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 61.0 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4.4 g |
| Total Sugars | 9.7 g |
| Sodium | 1,798.5 mg |
| Protein | 61.0 g |
