This Chicken Parmesan Baked Ziti is a quick and easy meal to whip up on a busy weeknight, and still classy enough for Sunday dinner. This chicken casserole has all the flavors of classic chicken parmesan mixed with pasta and baked for a warm and hearty one pan meal.
Pasta is my weakness, and I have tons of delicious pasta recipe in my recipe box. This chicken parmesan baked ziti is among other favorites like Creamy Homemade Alfredo Sauce and Bruschetta Chicken Pasta.
Chicken Parmesan Baked Ziti
If food is love then this pasta is the Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson of the food world. Tender pasta, flavorful chicken, sweet basil and tangy Parmesan, all married together in a delicious casserole type dish that will have your family screaming for more.
I love when all you really have to do to make dinner is cook up some pasta and chicken in the most basic of ways and toss it in a casserole dish with some cheese and sauce and it comes out as this. Easy is my favorite kind of food.
My favorite things about Chicken Parmesan Baked Ziti
- It’s pretty easy to whip up, requiring just a handful of ingredients that you probably already have on hand.
- It’s everything I love about Italian food – pasta, lots of cheese and a delicious marinara sauce.
- This recipe makes a ton and freezes really well. Plus the leftovers are just as delicious. My kids took the leftovers to school for two days since we had so much leftover. They were actually sad when our Chicken Parmesan Baked Ziti was all gone and were immediately asking me to make it again!
How to make Chicken Parm Baked Ziti
Cook up some pasta, ziti (penne) to be exact and cook up some chicken by broiling, boiling or slow cooking. You could even take the super easy route and cut up about half of a rotisserie chicken. Toss that with a jar of your favorite marinara or spaghetti sauce and layer it in a casserole dish with some Mozzarella, Parmesan and fresh basil. That’s right, it’s just 6 ingredients, too!
My Chicken Parm Baked Ziti Casserole is crazy simple and the perfect go-to weeknight dinner.
Can I make this recipe in advance?
Absolutely! Just throw everything together in the casserole dish and cover tightly with foil. Store in the fridge and bake within 24 hours.
You can freeze it, too! Just cover with the foil nice and tight – I’d recommend at least two layers of foil – and pop it in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and bake as directed. Let it sit out for 15 minutes or so first to take the chill off.
Serving Suggestions
We love to serve big Italian dishes like this baked ziti with a big green salad and some cheesy garlic bread. It’s also great with some steamed broccoli or spinach. Making this for guests? Be sure to make some Garlic & Herb Olive Oil Bread Dip for them to munch on while they wait.
What to do with leftovers
If you have leftover chicken parm baked ziti, and like I said it does make a ton, cover tightly or place in an airtight container and pop it into the fridge. It will stay fresh 4-5 days.
For more easy dinner recipes try these:
- Easy Weeknight Bolognese
- Creamy Four Cheese Spaghetti
- Italian Chicken and Vegetables
- One Pan Tomato and Basil Chicken Linguine
For all dinner recipes go HERE and for the Recipe Index go HERE.
Chicken Parmesan Baked Ziti
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast 2 small breasts
- 16 ounces Ziti or Penne pasta
- 24 ounce jar of Marinara or spaghetti sauce
- 1 1/2 cups fresh grated Mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
- 8-10 leaves fresh basil roughly chopped
Instructions
- Spray a large 13-inch rectangle baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil. Cook chicken, turning once, until browned and no longer pink inside. Cut chicken into even smaller pieces, if desired. Stir in pasta and sauce.
- In the baking dish, spoon half of the pasta mixture, evenly covering the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle half of the cheeses over the pasta, then half of the chopped basil. Spoon the remaining pasta mixture into the dish evenly. Top with remaining Mozzarella cheese (reserve the remaining Parmesan and basil for later).
- Bake in a 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until cheeses are melted and golden. Remove from the oven and sprinkle Parmesan and basil on top.
- Serve warm.
Nutrition
You did not say how much for the ingredients listed in step 5?