Chicken Parmesan Casserole (Printable version)

Crispy-topped chicken casserole with marinara and three cheeses feeds six

# 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 dish.

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

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

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 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly.

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

01 -

It transforms humble leftovers into something that tastes like it came from an Italian American nonnas kitchen
The crispy breadcrumb topping against the melted cheese creates that perfect texture contrast everyone craves
Its forgiving enough to make on busy weeknights but impressive enough for company

02 -

The standing time is not optional, I learned this the hard way at a dinner party where the casserole turned into a delicious but unappealing puddle
Getting your panko evenly buttered makes the difference between a crispy topping and soggy spots
Prepping this the night before actually improves the flavors as everything melds together

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