Chicken Tenders Parmesan is made with your favorite chicken tenders, smothered in marinara sauce, and lots of gooey melted cheese.
Want an easy Italian dinner night? Then you need to make this Chicken Tenders Parmesan, which has simple ingredients and comes together quickly.
This is a simple dish that makes up quickly and pleases even finicky eaters. Better yet this dish scales and adapts to any baking dish or any number of servings!
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About this Recipe
This Chicken Tenders casserole starts with your favorite brand of breaded chicken tenders. You fit them into a baking dish and bake them until they are hot and crispy.
The chicken is then topped with your favorite red tomato pasta sauce. I like to use my hearty marinara sauce, which has chunks of flavorful onions and tomatoes, but you can use your favorite jar sauce.
Last but not least, everything gets a topping of two kinds of cheese, parmesan and mozzarella, with a little chopped basil over everything.
Overall, this dish is family-friendly, has just a few ingredients, and doesn't require a lot of prep. Doesn't this sound easy? Great!!
So, let's cook!
Ingredient Notes
Here's what you need to make Chicken Tenders Parmesan:
- Chicken Tenders - Frozen breaded chicken tenders make it super convenient to make this dish.
- Marinara Sauce - I prefer my Hearty Marinara Sauce but you can use your favorite jar sauce if that is more convenient.
- Mozzarella Cheese - Shredded works great but you can also use sliced mozzarella cheese.
- Parmesan Cheese - Freshly shredded will be more flavorful, but you can also use pre-shredded cheese.
- Fresh Basil - Fresh basil gives a lovely aroma and small pops of color on top of the parmesan chicken.
Please see the recipe card for the exact quantities.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Chicken Tenders Parmesan
Preheat the oven temperature to 425°F/204°C and lightly grease or spray the bottom of a 13” x 9” baking dish with cooking spray.
Lay the chicken tenders in the prepared dish. Bake for 25 minutes or until the tenders are hot and crispy.
As the tenders bake warm the marinara sauce in the microwave or in a saucepan.
Spoon the marinara sauce evenly over the hot and crispy chicken tenders.
Sprinkle the top with shredded parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, and chopped basil.
Bake for another 15 to 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly and the cheese is melted.
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How to Scale This Recipe
This recipe is intuitive in that each piece of chicken gets smothered in sauce and cheese which means you can easily scale this recipe. Consider 2 large chicken tenders per serving. For each 4 to 5-inch tender you will need ¼ cup of marinara sauce, 2 tablespoons of shredded Parmesan cheese, and ½ ounce of mozzarella cheese.
Additionally, you can use many other sizes of baking dishes like a 9 x 9" square, 11 x 7 rectangle, or large-rimmed sheet pans. These dishes can be made of glass, ceramic, or metal. If using a metal pan, line it with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easier cleanup.
My Top Tip
♡ For food safety and crispy chicken, you must cook and crisp the chicken tenders before assembling the casserole.
Substitutions & Variations
Even with just 3 basic ingredients, chicken tenders, marinara sauce, and cheese, you can still change up this Chicken Tenders Parmesan recipe to suit your taste. Here are some great options:
- SUBSTITUTE ANY TOMATO PASTA SAUCE - instead of marinara sauce you can use any tomato-based pasta sauce and it will work in this recipe.
- SUBSTITUTE ANY CHEESE - I've made this chicken tenders parm with cheddar jack, Mexican 5 cheese, and plain cheddar cheese and it is always delicious. So, you can use many kinds of cheese you might have on hand.
- Substitute Morningstar Chik'n Tenders - Make this dish vegetarian by substituting a vegan "chicken tender". We've tried the Morningstar tenders and they are really good.
What to Serve with Chicken Tenders Parmesan
I like to serve this chicken tenders casserole with a green salad with a vinaigrette dressing and simple pasta, like spaghetti with olive oil and garlic. For a sweet ending, fruit desserts are always my first choice. A refreshing fruit salad of Watermelon and Berries or a creamy, easy 5 Cup Fruit Salad are my top picks to end this meal with a bit of sweetness.
Make-Ahead, Storage, & Reheating
- Make-Ahead & Storage: This dish is best when freshly made, and leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container.
- Reheating: The tenders reheat well in the microwave for a couple of minutes or on the stovetop in a covered skillet with just a little water.
♡ Did you love this Chicken Tenders Parmesan recipe? Please leave a star rating and a comment below!
📖 Recipe
Chicken Tenders Parmesan
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Ingredients
- 8 Chicken Tenders, Breaded
- 2 Cups Marinara Sauce
- ⅓ Cup Freshly Shredded Parmesan Cheese
- 4 Ounces Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- 2 Teaspoons Freshly Chopped Basil or Parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven temperature to 425°F/204°C and lightly grease or spray the bottom of a 13” x 9”baking dish with cooking spray.
- Lay the chicken tenders in the prepared dish. Bake for 25 minutes or until the tenders are hot and crispy.8 Chicken Tenders
- As the tenders bake warm the marinara sauce in the microwave or in a saucepan.2 Cups Marinara Sauce
- Spoon the marinara sauce evenly over the hot and crispy chicken tenders.
- Sprinkle the top with shredded parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, and chopped basil.⅓ Cup Freshly Shredded Parmesan Cheese, 4 Ounces Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, 2 Teaspoons Freshly Chopped Basil or Parsley
- Bake for another 15 to 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly and the cheese is melted.
Notes
Nutrition
Per 1 serving. All nutritional information on this site is an estimate. Your results may vary.
Encharted Cook™ or Jan Nunes shall not be liable for adverse reactions or any other outcome resulting from the use of recipes or recommendations on this website or actions you take as a result.
© 2018-2024 Encharted Cook, Jan Nunes. All rights reserved.
Kathy says
You've done it again! What a delicious looking recipe. I can't wait to try it!!! 😋
Jan Nunes says
Hi Kathy,
Thank you for your comment and I hope you enjoy this recipe. It is one of my most popular! 😊
Have a wonderful day! ~Jan
T Mitch says
This was an amazing dish! My family loved it! I just mixed real butter with the olive oil and garlic for a creamier taste with my pasta noodles. I also added a little marinara to my spaghetti noodles! A must try!
Jan Nunes says
Hi T Mitch, Thank you for your comment! I'm glad your family enjoys this recipe and I love your idea of adding butter and olive oil to your pasta. That sounds very delicious!
Have a wonderful day! ~Jan