Recently I was reading a review copy of a soon-to-be-released Hayley Powell Mystery, Death of a Wedding Cake Baker, the eleventh in the series of fun culinary mysteries which includes recipes. Hayley, the protagonist, was feeding friends a chicken parmesan casserole and they were raving about it. Unfortunately, the novel didn’t include that particular recipe, and it was a bit disappointing. However, after searching the internet and finding several recipes, I experimented a little and came up with a delicious version of Easy Chicken Parmesan Bake which is most likely similar to the one mentioned in the novel. It can be put together quickly, and uses leftover chicken. If you don’t have leftover chicken, you can cook some quickly – an easy favorite Seasoned Chicken Breasts is cooked in the Instant Pot and requires only five minutes cooking time. These chicken breasts are easy enough to make ahead and store in the freezer so chicken dishes can be assembled quickly. You can also substitute chunks of turkey breast if you happen to have some leftovers.

Other essential ingredients for this easy dish are bottled or canned spaghetti sauce, pre-grated Parmesan cheese, panko bread crumbs, and pre-grated mozzarella cheese. You can serve this with pasta, rice, gnocchi, or on its own with a fresh salad or a vegetable. This is one that you’ll make over and over.


8 Servings


1 1/2 pounds cooked seasoned chicken breast, cut into 1" chunks
1 26 oz. jar spaghetti or marinara sauce
1 3/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Spread the chicken chunks over the bottom of an 8" x 11" shallow glass baking dish.
3. Pour the spaghetti sauce over and stir.
4. Sprinkle evenly with the mozzarella cheese, then the Parmesan cheese.
5. Mix the breadcrumbs and olive oil; sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the cheese.
6. Bake 30-40 minutes or until the casserole is bubbly and the breadcrumbs are brown and crisp.
7. Remove from the oven, let sit 10 minutes, then serve.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 381 Calories from Fat 181
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 47% Protein 32% Carb. 20%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 20 g
Saturated Fat 7 g
Cholesterol 82 mg
Sodium 930 mg
Total Carbohydrate 19 g
Dietary Fiber 1 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 31 g

Vitamin A 24% Vitamin C 20% Calcium 0% Iron 12%