Chicken Parmesan Casserole combines all the wonderful flavors of a classic chicken parmesan in one, simple dish! Pasta is tossed together with marinara sauce, then topped with crispy chicken tenders and mozzarella cheese. Baked until perfectly bubbly, this casserole comes to the table for an easy-serve, delicious dinner!

This post and recipe is sponsored by Smart Chicken. All words and photographs are my own. Thank you so much for supporting the brands that make KJ & Company possible!

What Sets Smart Chicken Apart

Ok, listen up, if you’re purchasing chicken, it needs to be Smart Chicken! And that’s something that I don’t even have to be paid to say! My family and I have been using and cooking with Smart Chicken for YEARS. Literally: it’s all my Grandma and Mom will use, and now me! We can even go as far as saying that we have family friends who were farmers for Smart Chicken. I can remember watching my Mom in the kitchen unwrap the chicken with the classic blue packaging growing up, or my Grandma sharing with all of us when she found a grocery store when it went on sale. To say it’s a family favorite is an understatement.

So, what does set Smart Chicken apart? Let me tell you!

Air Chilled:

Did you know that all other chicken companies submerge the chicken in water bath solution to chill the meat? And that the meat absorbs 8-12% of that liquid? No thank you! Smart Chicken goes above and beyond to pay extra attention to detail by using a 100% Air-Chilled Process. That means the end result is a pure product that has exceptional taste, texture and quality without any yucky stuff added. You can read more about their process here!

No Antibiotics:

Want to know what else is great? NO antibiotics are ever added! Here’s what they have to say about the matter:

“Smart Chicken® has never changed its position on antibiotics; the company does not administer antibiotics to chickens that become Smart Chicken and never has. Antibiotics are simply not part of our equation for producing wholesome, high-quality chicken and, in line with that philosophy, all Smart Chicken products are USDA Process Verified no antibiotics ever.”

How great is that?! They have a wealth of knowledge if you want to read more about their commitments to creating the highest-quality products that they can.

All in all, Smart Chicken is the only way to go!

What Kind of Chicken to Use

Recently released, Smart Chicken Panko Breaded Chicken Breast Tenders set this dish apart! Not only are they easy to use, but are oh-so perfectly breaded and crispy! They bake up beautifully to a golden brown color that can’t be beat.

Pull a bag straight from the freezer and layer the strips directly on top of the prepared pasta casserole. Talk about convenience and ease! No worrying about laying out meat to defrost for dinner time.

Smart Chicken Panko Breaded Chicken Breast Nuggets can also be used for this recipe.

Find them at your local retailer! Don’t see them? Consider asking the meat manager to start carrying them.

Let’s Talk Pasta

When it comes to choosing which pasta shape to use for this recipe, there are many options! Have fun with it, or choose your favorite pasta shape. Keep in mind that a pasta that is able to hold sauce works best. Here are some options:

Rigatoni
Shells
Penne
Ziti
Elbows

Boil the pasta until just before al dente. Meaning, we don’t want the pasta cooked all the way through. The reason being for this is that the pasta will also be baked in the marinara sauce. Over-boiling the pasta and then baking it will result in a mushy outcome. Nobody wants that! Folding the pasta into a marinara sauce keeps it nice and moist while it bakes.

Diving a serving spoon into all the different layers of this casserole is just dreamy. First, the gooey, melted mozzarella cheese, then the crispy chicken tenders down to the saucy noodles.

Serve this recipe for a scrumptious weeknight meal, to feed a crowd, or for a twist on a comforting classic.

Looking for other recipes to use Smart Chicken? Check these out!

Chicken Alfredo

Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken

Slow Cooker Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

Print