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
My Top Tips♡ For food safety and crispy chicken, you must cook and crisp the chicken tenders before assembling the casserole.Substitutions& VariationsEven 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 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 ParmesanI like to serve this chicken tenders casserole with a green salad and simple pasta, like spaghetti with olive oil and garlic. For a sweet ending, fruit desserts are always my first choice, a refreshing salad of Watermelon and Berries or creamy and easy 5 Cup Fruit Salad are my top picks to end this meal with a bit of sweetness.Make-Ahead & StorageThis dish is best when freshly made but you can store leftovers in the refrigerator in a sealed container. This dish reheats well both in the microwave for a couple of minutes, or on the stovetop in a covered skillet with just a little water.