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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!
Jump to RecipeThis post is sponsored by CHEF’S CRAFT® Gourmet, but all opinions and text are my own!
Raise your hand if you’ve got a picky eater?! I’ll be honest, my girls are pretty good eaters most the time, but they have their days (don’t we all?!). 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!
CHEF’S CRAFT® chicken makes getting nutritious protein into recipes so stinkin’ simple. I love that I can grab some of their gluten-free breaded chicken breast chunk nuggets out of the freezer and be well on my way to a good meal in a jiff! Their grilled chicken chunk bites and sous vide flame grilled chicken breast fillets are perfect for adding to my favorite chicken dishes. I can’t wait to share a couple recipes I’ve got up my sleeve for you in the next few weeks!
Find fully-cooked CHEF’S CRAFT® chicken in the frozen section at Walmart throughout the country, at Food Lion in the Southeast, and at Meijer. Use this handy store locator to find all three CHEF’S CRAFT® chicken products at a store near you! Visit ChefsCraftGourmet.com to get more information on the chicken products and find delicious recipe ideas.
Chicken Nugget Casserole Ingredients
- Chicken Nuggets – I love the CHEF’S CRAFT® breaded chicken breast chunks. Why? Because they’ve got great flavor, good chicken (not all chicken nuggets are created equal!) and a crispy breading.
- 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, 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!
VIDEO: How to Make Chicken Nugget Casserole
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!!
Connect with Dance Around the Kitchen!
Follow on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook so you never miss a recipe!! And as always, thank you for following along with my blog, making my recipes, liking and sharing on social media and any other way you support Dance Around the Kitchen! -Kelsey
Chicken Nugget Casserole
Ingredients
- 8 oz dry cellentani pasta or other similar size pasta (bowtie, penne, rotini, etc)
- One 24 ounce jar marinara sauce
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese divided
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 16 CHEF’S CRAFT® Gourmet Breaded Chicken Breast Chunks
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.
- 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.
- Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella over the pasta.
- Arrange the chicken nuggets over the cheese and sprinkle with remaining parmesan.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until the chicken nuggets are golden brown and the outer edges of the casserole are bubbly.