Description
A cozy, family-friendly chicken Parmesan casserole made with frozen chicken nuggets, marinara, pasta, and plenty of melty cheese for the ultimate low-effort comfort meal.
Ingredients
Cooking spray
Kosher salt
3/4 lb rigatoni or other short pasta
2 (24-oz) jars marinara sauce, divided
2 (1-lb) bags frozen chicken nuggets, divided
4 cups shredded mozzarella (about 1 lb), divided
6 tbsp finely grated Parmesan, divided
Chopped fresh basil, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and grease an 11×8-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Cook pasta in salted boiling water until very al dente (2–3 minutes less than package). Drain and toss with one jar of marinara.
- Spread half of the sauced pasta in the baking dish. Top with 2 cups chicken nuggets, half of the remaining marinara, 2 cups mozzarella, and 3 tbsp Parmesan.
- Add the remaining pasta on top, followed by 2 more cups of chicken nuggets.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 40–45 minutes until heated through.
- Remove foil and top with remaining marinara, 2 cups mozzarella, and 3 tbsp Parmesan. Bake 10–15 minutes more until cheese is melted and golden.
- Garnish with fresh basil before serving.
Notes
Mix ricotta into pasta for a creamier casserole.
Add Italian seasoning or garlic powder for extra flavor.
Use spicy nuggets or add veggies like spinach or mushrooms.
Broil briefly at the end for an extra golden top.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 640
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 1180mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 67g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 34g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
