Description
Perfect for potluck meals, family gatherings, or in a smaller batch, for a winter comfort food meal for the family. Just my take on traditional Chicken Parmesan. I came up with this for my wife’s corporate potluck lunch. She wanted Chicken Parmesan, but it was too difficult to feed 20 people the conventional way. Figured a casserole would work just as well. It did!
Ingredients
- 1 (16 ounce) package uncooked rotini pasta
- 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
- 2 cups vegetable oil for frying
- 2 cups flour
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 2 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 (16 ounce) package shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 ½ (32 ounce) jars marinara sauce
- ½ cup dry red wine (such as Sangiovese)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling
- stir in the rotini
- and return to a boil. Cook uncovered
- stirring occasionally
- until the pasta has cooked through
- but is still firm to the bite
- about 8 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.
- Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C)
- and preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Place the flour
- egg
- and bread crumbs in 3 separate bowls. Mix the garlic powder into the bread crumbs. Working in batches
- coat the chicken breast in the flour
- then dip them in the egg
- and finally coat with the bread crumbs. Carefully fry the coated chicken in the hot oil in small batches until golden brown and no longer pink in the center
- 3 to 4 minutes. Drain the fried chicken over paper towels.
- Combine cooked pasta
- fried chicken
- 1/2 package of mozzarella cheese
- and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese in a large bowl. Stir in the marinara sauce. Pour the red wine into the empty marinara sauce jar; cover and shake the jar
- and empty the contents into the bowl of pasta. Stir to combine. Spread pasta mixture in a large casserole dish
- and cover with aluminum foil.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 package of mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese. Return to the oven
- and continue baking until the cheese has melted
- about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven
- and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve hot.
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 55 mins
Servings: 10