Parmesan Mozzarella Chicken Bake
This Parmesan Mozzarella Chicken Bake is made with your favorite marinara or spaghetti sauce with a couple of seasonings thrown in for good measure!
“I sure am going to miss the both of you. You two take good care of yourselves ok?” My mom replied as she gave Husband Man and I a hug.
The tears I witnessed coming down her face made this day bittersweet for both of us.
I had been waiting for this day for what seemed like forever. Finally, after a little over a decade for me and at least 4 years for him, hubby and I would be leaving this dusty old military town behind us.
He received orders to his first duty station as an Airmen, which just happened to be over at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana.
I can’t even explain the multitude of feelings I had that day. I found myself excited about this new adventure but also sad.
Parmesan Mozzarella Chicken Bake
I was sad to be leaving the place where I experienced my first kiss, my first heart break, and my first paying job.
It was the place where I learned how to drive and learned all those important life lessons that teens have to face. It was the place where, after a bad day at school or work, I could come home to two loving and supportive parents.
It was my home.
And now, I was leaving it to make another home, in a place that seemed far, far away. It felt like we were trading one southern state for another, which didn’t seem right. I felt like a trader.
As we crossed the North Carolina/South Carolina border, I settled down in the passenger’s seat and took out a cookbook that I had purchased a few weeks prior. I tried to keep from crying as I turned each page, studying the details of each page.
My eyes focused on this recipe, Parmesan Mozzarella Chicken Bake. I promised myself I would make it when we arrived at Barksdale and when I did, I would think of my first home all the way in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
This recipe has been in our family since then.
How crazy it is to know that I picked this recipe out in a car ride from North Carolina to Louisiana! Every time I make it, I think of that exciting chapter in my life. I wouldn’t trade it for the world and I wouldn’t trade this recipe either!
For more delicious chicken recipes, check out the poultry index on this site!
Ingredients
- 5 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless, thinly sliced)
- 1/2 cup Italian style panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan Cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 6 Tablespoons melted butter
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 24 ounce jar of spaghetti or marinara sauce of your choice
Recommended Cookware/Bakeware:
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Spread the entire jar of spaghetti/marinara sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish.
- In a small bowl, combine the panko crumbs, Parmesan Cheese, oregano, paprika, and pepper. Mix weill.
- Dip one chicken breast into the melted butter, making sure it is fully coated.
- Dip it again in the panko crumb mixture, making sure it is fully coated.
- Place the chicken breast on top of the spaghetti sauce inside the casserole dish. Repeat steps 4 and 5 with the rest of the breasts. Sprinkle any left over panko crumbs on top of each breast in the casserole dish.
- Bake for 45 minutes.
- Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese on top of the chicken and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the chicken is tender and no longer pink inside.
This is a great recipe to make during a long, busy week. Easy to put together with no fuss involved.
Thanks for the recipe. I stuffed standard chicken breast with motzarella cheese, then followed your recipe…was fantastic!
You are very welcome Dave 😉 What a wonderful twist to it!
Libby,
I can’t wait to make your Parmesan Mozarella Chicken Bake. Here in the north, when we cover a casserole dish with sauce as the first ingredient, we say “pour the sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish or pan.” I must admit when I read your directions and it said to put it on TOP of the casserole dish, I was thrown. I read that 3 times, them kept on reading to learn that the chicken breasts go in next on top of the sauce, so I knew what you meant. It sounds yummy and I think my picky husband will love it! Thank you and CHRISTmas blessings to you and your family! Ann
Hi Ann! Thank you so much for replying and letting me know about this. It is meant to read “pour the sauce inside of the casserole dish”….or as you suggested, “pour the sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish.” I have corrected this mistake 😉 I hope you enjoy the recipe and please do come back and let us know how it went. Merry Christmas to you as well 😉
I am cooking this tonight and am double checking if you cover the dish while baking?
You can cook it covered or unconvered, whichever you prefer.
I will be cooking this tomorrow night it sounds delish my grand girl’s will like it
I hope your family enjoyed it Tracy 🙂
I want to know if I can prep this then bake later
We have never tried to do this, however, I think if you were to prep it the morning of cooking it, you should be ok.
Hi Libby,
On the ingredient list, it says: “thinly sliced” chicken breasts. Do you need to slice the chicken breasts to a certain thickness before cooking? It doesn’t say anything about that in the directions below the ingredient list. The recipe looks great. I am looking forward to cooking it.
Thanks,
Jessica
Hi Jessica. For the chicken, you can purchase thinly sliced chicken breasts at the store or if you have thick chicken breasts, you can slice them in-between lengthwise to make them thinner. Hope this helps!
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