Dump and Bake Chicken Parmesan
This is what dump and bake dinners were made for. Spaghetti broken in half, raw chicken, marinara, and mozzarella — everything goes into one dish and the oven does the rest. No boiling, no frying, no extra pans.
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Servings: 6
Notes
Ingredients
- 12 oz uncooked spaghetti, broken in half
- 1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce
- 2½ cups water
- 1 lb raw boneless skinless chicken breast, diced into bite-sized pieces
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella, divided
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Break the spaghetti in half and add to the prepared baking dish along with the marinara, water, diced chicken, garlic powder, and ½ cup of the mozzarella. Season with salt and pepper and stir everything together until combined. If needed, add a splash more water to make sure the pasta and chicken are mostly submerged.
- Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil — no gaps. Bake covered for 20 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake uncovered for another 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked all the way through.
- Scatter the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and remaining mozzarella evenly over the top.
- Return to the oven uncovered and bake for a final 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the breadcrumbs are golden brown.
- Serve straight from the dish.
- Breaking the spaghetti matters: Halving the noodles is what makes this dump and bake pasta casserole work. Full-length spaghetti tangles and bakes unevenly — broken spaghetti lies flat, absorbs liquid evenly, and cooks through properly.
- Liquid check: Before covering with foil, make sure most of the pasta is submerged. If your marinara is thick, add a little extra water. The pasta needs enough liquid to cook through.
- Pasta swap: Penne, rotini, or rigatoni all work if you don't have spaghetti — just use a pasta with a similar cooking time listed on the package. The dump and bake method works with any short pasta shape too.
- Chicken broth upgrade: Replace the water with chicken broth for a richer, deeper sauce. One of the easiest flavor upgrades in any dump and bake chicken parmesan recipe.
- Storage: Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days. Add a splash of water or broth before reheating to loosen the sauce back up.