By Becky Hardin
Updated Oct 6, 2025
Chicken marinara is a simple dinner that’s often on my list. It’s made with just 5 ingredients, and I can whip it together in no time at all! Topped with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, this gooey baked chicken marinara is such a great weeknight meal.
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5-Star Review
“This was amazing and super easy! I recently cut my hand, which required stitches so I’ve been cooking minimal cutting recipes and this was bomb! Hubs approved. Thanks!” -Nancy Rocks
Easy Chicken Marinara Recipe
I love these juicy chicken tenders smothered in rich marinara sauce and melted cheese—it’s one of my go-to comfort meals. Savory, saucy, and loaded with gooey cheese, it’s always a dish I can’t wait to dig into.
What makes this chicken marinara so simple is how I bake it. By sandwiching the chicken tenders between layers of marinara sauce, I keep them nice and moist. And what makes it a quick and easy meal is that I can boil the pasta while the chicken bakes, and then all I have to do is add the cheeses and broil. So simple, yet so delicious!
Tips for Beginners
- Use similarly sized chicken tenders/breasts . This ensures they cook at the same pace. If some are larger, cut them in half.
- Add your preferred amount of sauce. Make it saucy, or keep it light.
- Use whole milk mozzarella cheese . I prefer using whole milk mozzarella cheese on top of the chicken, but you could also use a fresh mozzarella or fontina.
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 32 oz. marinara sauce divided (1 jar)
- ▢ 12 boneless, skinless chicken tenders
- ▢ 16 oz. dry spaghetti (1 box), or any long shaped pasta
- ▢ 2-3 cups freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
- ▢ ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus more, for garnish
- ▢ chopped fresh basil leaves optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position, and preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place 1 cup of marinara sauce in the bottom of the casserole dish and set the chicken, evenly, on top. 32 oz. marinara sauce, 12 boneless, skinless chicken tenders
- Pour the remaining sauce over the chicken.
- Bake the chicken at 350°F for 30-45 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 155°F. The baking time will depend on the size of the chicken breasts.
- While the chicken bakes, boil the spaghetti per package directions and drain. 16 oz. dry spaghetti
- Remove the chicken from the oven and set the oven to Broil.
- Place a small mound of Mozzarella cheese over each piece of chicken and sprinkle the Mozzarella with Parmesan. Return the chicken to the oven. Broil the chicken (watch closely) just until the cheese has melted and the internal temperature of the chicken registers 160-165°F with a meat thermometer. 2-3 cups freshly shredded mozzarella cheese, ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Transfer the chicken to a cooling rack and let rest 5 minutes before serving.
- Serve the chicken and sauce over a bed of cooked spaghetti. Sprinkle with chopped fresh basil and serve with extra grated Parmesan. chopped fresh basil leaves
Equipment
- 9×13 Baking Pan
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Chicken Marinara Step by Step
Get the oven ready and prepare a casserole dish: Adjust one oven rack to the middle position, and preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Prepare the chicken marinara: Place 1 cup of marinara sauce in the bottom of the casserole dish and evenly place the chicken on top. Pour the remaining sauce over the chicken.
Bake the chicken and marinara sauce at 350°F for 30-45 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 155°F. The baking time will depend on the thickness of the chicken breasts, so use a meat thermometer to verify.
Prepare the pasta: While the chicken bakes, boil 16 oz. of spaghetti per package directions and drain.
Change the oven to broil : Remove the chicken from the oven and set the oven to Broil.
Add the cheese : Place a small mound of mozzarella cheese over each piece of chicken and then sprinkle the mozzarella with Parmesan cheese. Place the casserole dish back in the oven.
Watching closely, broil the chicken just until the cheese has melted and the internal temperature of the chicken registers 160-165°F with a meat thermometer.
Let the chicken rest: Transfer the chicken to a cooling rack and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Serve: Serve the baked chicken and sauce over the cooked spaghetti. Sprinkle with chopped fresh basil and serve with extra grated Parmesan.
How to Store
Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating covered in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes, or until warmed through. I recommend making fresh pasta each time, but leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Serving Suggestions
This baked chicken marinara is a full meal all by itself. All you need is some sliced garlic bread and maybe a nice garden salad to go with it. I love preparing this chopped Caprese salad or some air fryer asparagus for a well-balanced meal.
More Italian Chicken Recipes to Try!
Creamy Tuscan Chicken
Chicken Alfredo Recipe with Jar Sauce
Chicken Alfredo Lasagna Roll Ups
Chicken Parmesan Pasta
Chicken Marinara Recipe
Equipment
- 9x13 Baking Pan
Ingredients
- 32 oz. marinara sauce divided (1 jar)
- 12 boneless, skinless chicken tenders
- 16 oz. dry spaghetti (1 box), or any long shaped pasta
- 2-3 cups freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus more, for garnish
- chopped fresh basil leaves optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position, and preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x13-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place 1 cup of marinara sauce in the bottom of the casserole dish and set the chicken, evenly, on top. 32 oz. marinara sauce, 12 boneless, skinless chicken tenders
- Pour the remaining sauce over the chicken.
- Bake the chicken at 350°F for 30-45 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 155°F. The baking time will depend on the size of the chicken breasts.
- While the chicken bakes, boil the spaghetti per package directions and drain. 16 oz. dry spaghetti
- Remove the chicken from the oven and set the oven to Broil.
- Place a small mound of Mozzarella cheese over each piece of chicken and sprinkle the Mozzarella with Parmesan. Return the chicken to the oven. Broil the chicken (watch closely) just until the cheese has melted and the internal temperature of the chicken registers 160-165°F with a meat thermometer. 2-3 cups freshly shredded mozzarella cheese, ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Transfer the chicken to a cooling rack and let rest 5 minutes before serving.
- Serve the chicken and sauce over a bed of cooked spaghetti. Sprinkle with chopped fresh basil and serve with extra grated Parmesan. chopped fresh basil leaves
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
