Chicken Parmesan Baked Ziti

One day I had an epiphany. Whenever I order Chicken Parmesan from a restaurant, it comes with some sort of pasta with marinara as a side. They're two of the best types of Italian food, so of course they accompany each other on a plate. But what if they came mixed together? As a casserole. A super quick and easy and delicious casserole. Genius.

You could go the long route for this recipe and making homemade chicken cutlets and marinara sauce to use in this dish, but sometimes you just don't have the time. That's when store-bought chicken nuggets and jarred pasta sauce come into play. Baked ziti with breaded chicken in it? That's a no-brainer. This was delicious and extremely hearty. Our type of dinner! Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 15-20 frozen chicken nuggets
• 1 (12 oz.) box ziti or penne pasta
• 1 (25 oz.) jar your favorite pasta sauce
• 2 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• Basil leaves, chopped, for garnish (optional)

Cook chicken nuggets according to package directions. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Cut each nugget into thirds lengthwise and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9x13" baking dish and set aside.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and add to a large bowl.

To the bowl with the pasta, add the pasta sauce, 1 1/2 cups Mozzarella, Parmesan and cut chicken nuggets. Gently stir to combine.

Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove and sprinkle with basil, if desired. Serve immediately.

Source: SK Original