Chicken Tenders Parmesan | Encharted Cook (2024)

Published: Feb 3, 2023 · Modified: Jun 10, 2024 by Jan Nunes

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.

Jump to Recipe

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!

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.

My Top Tips

♡ For food safety and crispy chicken, you must cook and crisp the chicken tenders before assembling the casserole.

What to Serve with Chicken Tenders Parmesan

I 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 a creamy, easy 5 Cup Fruit Salad are my top picks to end this meal with a bit of sweetness.

Make-Ahead & Storage

This dish is best when freshly made, and leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container. It reheats well in the microwave for a couple of minutes or on the stovetop in a covered skillet with just a little water.

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