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Chicken Nugget Casserole combines two kid-favorite meals into one! With pasta and red sauce on the bottom and a layer of chicken nuggets on top, it’s sure to be a hit!
Raise your hand if you’ve got a picky eater?! I’ll be honest, my kids are pretty good eaters most the time, but they have their days. Well, here’s what I love about this meal: it’s easy on the cook (hooray!), combines two kid favorites (spaghetti and chicken nuggets) and most of all, it’s simply delicious!!
And it’s not just for kids…think of it as a super simple chicken parmesan! What adult doesn’t like that for a weeknight meal?!
Chicken Nugget Casserole Ingredients
- Chicken Nuggets – Use your favorite brand!
- Pasta – My girls love Cellentani pasta because it looks like “pretty curls.” However, any similar-sized pasta will work, such as bowtie, penne, ziti, rotini, etc.
- Marinara Sauce – Any 24 oz jar you’ve got will work great. Original marinara, homemade roasted tomato sauce, tomato basil, veggie, etc.
- Parmesan Cheese – I used the grated parmesan but shredded would work great, too!
- Mozzarella Cheese – I always like to grate my fresh as it melts sooo beautifully, but if you’ve got bagged shredded cheese on hand, go for it!
How to Make Chicken Nugget Casserole
Start by preheating the oven and greasing your baking dish.
Cook the pasta until it’s al dente (it’ll finish cooking in the oven!). Stir together the pasta, sauce and some of the parmesan cheese.
Spread the mixture into the baking dish and top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
Arrange the chicken on top and sprinkle with the remaining parmesan cheese. Bake until the chicken registers 165F and serve warm!
What can I do with lots of Chicken Nuggets?
Do you ever look into your freezer and see like three partially-used bags of nuggets in there? Maybe it’s just me, but either way, this casserole is a great way to use up extra chicken nuggets without just having chicken nuggets and ketchup!
Other Kid-Friendly Meals
- One Dish Ground Beef Casserole – With few ingredients and very few dishes, it’s a win-win for everyone. Even the pickiest eaters seem to love this one!
- Homemade Beefaroni – This easy Homemade Beefaroni is a hearty and delicious take on the childhood classic. Made in just one pan (no boiling noodles separately!), it comes together quickly and satisfies appetites of all ages!
- One Pot Spaghetti – This recipe turns the classic into a weeknight favorite, thanks to fewer dishes, less time and more flavor!!
Chicken Nugget Casserole
Ingredients
- 8 ounce dry cellentani pasta or other similar size pasta (bowtie, penne, rotini, etc)
- 1 24-ounce jar marinara sauce
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese divided
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 16 chicken nuggets
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F and grease a square pan (8×8" or 9×9") with cooking spray.
- Cook the pasta to al dente, according to package instructions; drain and pour into a large bowl.8 ounce dry cellentani pasta
- To the pasta, add the jar of marinara sauce and 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese; stir until combined and pour into prepared pan.1 24-ounce jar marinara sauce, 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella over the pasta.1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Arrange the chicken nuggets over the cheese and sprinkle with remaining parmesan.16 chicken nuggets
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until the chicken nuggets are golden brown and the outer edges of the casserole are bubbly.
