Description
Pioneer Woman chicken parmesan casserole delivers classic Italian-American comfort with rich marinara and melted cheese layers. Home cooks appreciate this hearty dinner that simplifies traditional chicken parmesan into an easy, crowd-pleasing one-pan meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 lb (454 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 12 oz (340 g) fontina cheese, freshly grated
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 1 lb (454 g) whole wheat rotini
- 1 jar (24 oz/680 g) marinara sauce
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups seasoned panko bread crumbs
- ½ cup seasoned fine breadcrumbs
- 3 tbsps vegetable or canola oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp dried basil
Instructions
- Preparation Setup: Activate oven to 375°F and generously coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Pasta Preparation: Boil water and cook rotini pasta slightly under package time for al dente texture, then drain and reserve.
- Chicken Coating Process: Create three-stage breading station with flour seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder; whisked eggs; and combined panko and traditional breadcrumbs. Thoroughly coat chicken thighs by dredging through each station, ensuring complete coverage.
- Crispy Chicken Technique: Sear chicken pieces in hot olive oil until achieving a rich golden-brown exterior, approximately 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil.
- Sauce Foundation: Spread marinara sauce across baking dish’s bottom, incorporating minced garlic and dried basil for enhanced flavor profile. Fold cooked pasta into sauce, distributing evenly and sprinkling half the fontina cheese throughout.
- Casserole Assembly: Layer crispy chicken atop pasta mixture, drizzle remaining marinara, and generously cover with residual fontina and all Parmesan cheese for complete coverage.
- Baking Finale: Roast in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until cheese melts into a bubbling, golden-brown crust with crispy perimeter. Allow 10-minute resting period after removing from oven to stabilize dish and facilitate clean serving.
Notes
- Pasta Perfection: Cook pasta 2-3 minutes less than package instructions to maintain a slightly firm texture, preventing mushy results in the final casserole.
- Chicken Coating Technique: Pat chicken thighs completely dry before dredging to ensure the breading adheres perfectly and creates a crispy, golden exterior.
- Cheese Melting Magic: Use freshly grated fontina and Parmesan for the best melting quality and most flavorful cheese layer that creates a beautiful golden-brown top.
- Resting Ritual: Allow the casserole to rest for 10 minutes after baking, which helps the dish set and makes cutting and serving much easier without falling apart.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 605
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 1090 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 70 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 215 mg