Shortcut Chicken Parmesan Bake

Looking for a quick and delicious weeknight dinner idea? Try this shortcut chicken parmesan bake made with frozen precooked chicken tenders for a super easy and hearty dinner.

Chicken parmesan casserole with pre-cooked chicken tenders

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Chicken parmesan is one of my family’s favorite dinners. But as much as we love this tasty dish, it can be very time-consuming to prepare from scratch. So, to be able to enjoy all the delicious flavors of classic chicken parmesan but without all the work, I decided to make it into a casserole using pre-cooked chicken tenders/strips.

Shortcut chicken parmesan bake is the perfect quick and easy weeknight dinner idea when you are short on time and need to get dinner on the table fast. 

Chicken parmesan bake in glass dish

Why You Will Love Shortcut Chicken Parmesan Bake

This shortcut chicken parmesan has quickly become one of our go-to dinners and is always on my meal plan because of how simple it is to prepare. Here are a few reasons why I think you will love this easy recipe.

  • Uses few ingredients- with only 5 ingredients it can be prepared quickly which is perfect for busy nights.
  • Family-friendly- this recipe is perfect for pleasing the whole family. My boys can’t get enough of this hearty meal.
  • Inexpensive- pasta meals are ideal for saving money on groceries. 
  • Simple to customize– although we love pre-cooked breaded chicken tenders or strips for this recipe, we have also enjoyed it with shredded rotisserie chicken. 

chicken parmesan bake in glass casserole dish

Ingredients for Shortcut Chicken Parmesan Bake

This easy shortcut chicken parmesan bake only requires a few ingredients and very little prep time. Here are the ingredients you will need for this super simple chicken casserole recipe:

  • pasta (we like ziti or penne)
  • spaghetti sauce 
  • mozzarella cheese
  • parmesan cheese
  • frozen pre-cooked breaded chicken tenders or chicken strips
  • seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasonings)

chicken parmesan casserole with frozen chicken tenders in glass dish

How to Make Shortcut Chicken Parmesan Bake

Start by preheating your oven and then bake your chicken tenders according to package instructions. Alternatively, you can cook your chicken in the air fryer if you have one.

While your chicken is baking/air frying, boil your pasta until al dente, then drain. Add, the pasta back to the pot, and combine it with a pasta sauce of your choice (save some to pour over the chicken). Add garlic powder, along with salt and pepper to taste.

Once the chicken is done, set aside. Add the pasta and pasta sauce to a greased 9×13-inch pan. Place cooked breaded chicken tenders on the pasta mixture. Top with the rest of the pasta sauce, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, and Italian seasonings.

Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the casserole is bubbly. Serve with a side salad, some green beans (or a vegetable of your choice), and enjoy!

Frozen chicken tenders on top of chicken parmesan bake in glass baking dish

How to Customize Shortcut Chicken Parmesan Bake 

Although we love this chicken casserole exactly as it is, we have also enjoyed a few other variations that I thought I would share.

  • As I mentioned, we have had success with this casserole by both cooking the chicken in the air fryer and baking it in the oven. Cooking your chicken before adding it to the casserole will keep it crispy and shorten the bake time for the casserole as you are just warming it and melting the cheese.
  • You can use a shredded chicken breast or rotisserie chicken in place of the pre-cooked chicken tenders if you are trying to make it healthier. When making the casserole this way, mix the chicken with the pasta and sauce before adding it to your casserole dish. Then just add the mozzarella and parmesan on top.
  • Alternatively, you can cut up your chicken strips or tenders and mix them in with your pasta and sauce before spreading them in your casserole dish instead of laying them on top.
  • If you would prefer to skip cooking your chicken ahead of time. I’ve also defrosted the frozen chicken tenders/strips in the microwave instead of cooking them through to save time. Then, assembled the casserole the same way but added 10-15 minutes to the cooking time and increased the temperature to 375 °.

Just keep in mind that if you decide to skip the pre-baking/air frying of the chicken it won’t be as crispy because it’s being cooked in the pasta and sauce.

Chicken parmesan bake in glass dish

Shortcut Chicken Parmesan Bake

This shortcut chicken parmesan bake uses frozen chicken tenders for a super easy weeknight casserole that everyone will enjoy.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American
Calories 537 kcal

Equipment

  • 9x13 inch Baking Dish
  • Pot
  • Mixing Bowl

Ingredients
  

  • 1 bag frozen fully cooked breaded chicken tenders or strips
  • 1 box (16-ounce) pasta penne or ziti
  • 1 jar pasta sauce divided
  • 1 package (8-ounce) mozzarella cheese shredded
  • cup parmesan cheese
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Bake or air fry frozen chicken tenders or strips according to the directions on the package. (see notes for alternate ideas)
  • Boil pasta (al dente) as directed on box, then drain.
  • Preheat oven to 350° F and grease 9x13 inch baking dish.
  • Combine the cooked pasta with about ⅔ spaghetti sauce in a mixing bowl, then add garlic powder along with the salt and pepper.
  • Add the pasta and sauce to the baking dish, spread it out so it fills the dish.
  • Place cooked chicken tenders on top of the pasta and add the remaining ⅓ of pasta sauce over the chicken
  • Sprinkle the entire bag of mozzarella over the top of the pasta and chicken.
  • Lastly, sprinkle the parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning over the top of the casserole.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the casserole is warmed through.

Notes

  • Although we like our chicken tenders/strips to lay over the top of the pasta as it feels like traditional chicken parmesan to us, you can always cut up your chicken tenders and mix them throughout your pasta before adding your cheese if you prefer.
  • This recipe also works with leftover chicken breasts or rotisserie chicken. Simply substitute the frozen pre-cooked chicken tenders with shredded chicken breasts or rotisserie chicken, mixing it with the pasta and sauce. Then, top with cheese and bake.
  • You can also skip cooking your chicken ahead of time in order to do this you will have to increase your oven to 375° and cook your casserole for 30-35 minutes. Be aware that your chicken won't be as crispy because it cooks in the pasta and sauce mixture. 
Keyword Chicken, chicken casserole, chicken parmesan, chicken parmesan bake, chicken parmesan casserole, frozen chicken tenders, parmesan chicken casserole
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