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baked healthier chicken parm in rectangular baking dish topped with melted mozzarella and spoon taking out a serving.
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5 from 1 vote

Healthier Chicken Parm (High Protein)

This Healthier Chicken Parm is everything you loved as a kid. Crispy nuggets, saucy marinara, and melty mozzarella all wrapped into one easy weeknight casserole. It’s high-protein, veggie-boosted, and skips all the messy breading steps of classic chicken parm so you can get comfort food on the table fast.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: dinner, Main Course
Servings: 6
Calories: 570kcal
Author: Courtney Paige

Equipment

  • Sauce pot
  • strainer
  • Air fryer
  • Mixing Bowl
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Rubber Spatula
  • 9x13 pan

Ingredients

  • 10 oz mastaccioli noodles penne or rotini work too
  • 20 Baked chicken nuggets
  • 24.5 oz (1 jar) Marinara sauce, divided We love Mezzetta
  • 4 oz Tomato sauce
  • ¾ cup Cottage cheese small curd
  • ¾ cup whole Ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup Fresh spinach diced
  • ¼ cup parmesan cheese grated
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
  • Fresh basil for topping

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Then start by making the noodles according to box instructions. Cook them to al dente as they will have a few more minutes in the oven later. Strain and set aside.
  • While the noodles are cooking, preheat the air fryer (if needed). Air fry the nuggets for 10-12 minutes until the outside is golden and crispy.
  • In a large mixing bowl, pour ⅔ of the marinara sauce, tomato sauce, cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, fresh spinach, grated parmesan cheese and Italian herbs. Mix until combined, then add the cooked noodles on top. Stir together.
    tomato sauce, cottage cheese, parmesan and herbs in glass mixing bowl.
  • Spray a 9x13 with cooking spray and pour in noodle mixture. Layer the chicken nuggets evenly on top.
    penne pasta with creamy tomato sauce in rectangular baking dish topped with chicken nuggets.
  • Pour the remaining marinara sauce on top and sprinkle mozzarella cheese throughout.
    healthier chicken parm bake in rectangular baking dish topped with shredded mozzarella before baking.
  • Cover with tinfoil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the tinfoil, move the casserole to the top of the oven and broil for the remaining 2-5 minutes**dependent on oven strength. Remove when they cheesy goodness looks to have a crispy crust with a nice golden brown color. Serve hot and enjoy your delicious meal!

Notes

Need to sneak in more veggies? Blanch chopped broccoli or small carrot pieces with the noodles while boiling. Easy way to bulk up the veggie content.
Let cool then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for 2–3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 570kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 24g