How is this Best Chicken Parm Bake the best? Crispy bites of pan-fried, golden, savory chicken mingling and mixing with melty mozzarella and sharp parmesan is a good place to start. Beds of tender pasta in rich, sweet marinara sauce are another. Bring them both together and the results are awe-inspiring! It’s the Best Chicken Parm Bake; it really knows how to make people happy!
Ingredients
- 3/4 pound rigatoni pasta
- 32 ounces marinara sauce
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated, divided
- 3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided
- 2 small chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- 3/4 cup flour
- 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 eggs, whisked
- 1 1/2 cups Italian breadcrumbs
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil, plus more, to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter
- fresh parsley, optional, chopped, to taste, for garnish
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Step 2 –Lightly grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
Step 3 –Cook the rigatoni about 1 minute shy of al dente, according to the package directions.
Step 4 –Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
Step 5 –Toss the rigatoni with the marinara sauce, 1/3 of the parmesan, and 1 cup of the mozzarella.
Step 6 –Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Cut the chicken into 1/2-inch-thick strips.
Step 7 –Fill a shallow bowl with the flour, the seasoned salt, and the pepper.
Step 8 –Fill a second shallow bowl with the whisked eggs.
Step 9 –Fill a third bowl with the breadcrumbs.
Step 10 –Dip and dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, then in the egg mixture, then in the breadcrumbs, in that order, and making sure each piece is completely covered each time.
Step 11 –Heat 3/4 cup of the oil and the butter in a pan over medium-high heat.
Step 12 –Cooking in batches, carefully lower the chicken strips into the oil, and cook until golden-brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Make sure to add more of the extra oil as needed.
Step 13 –Drain the chicken on a paper-towel-lined plate. Slice the chicken strips into bite-sized pieces.
Step 14 –Add 1/2 of the rigatoni mixture to the prepared casserole dish.
Step 15 –Top the pasta layer with 1/2 of the chicken, 1/2 of the remaining parmesan, and 1 cup of the mozzarella.
Step 16 –Repeat the layers, using the remaining rigatoni mixture, the remaining chicken, the remaining parmesan, and the remaining mozzarella.
Step 17 –Bake, uncovered, until the pasta is tender and the bake is heated through, about 25 minutes.
Step 18 –Optionally, for a crispier top, increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F and cook for 5 minutes.
Step 19 –Garnish with the parsley and serve.
