The 4-Ingredient Chicken Dinner My Family Adores

Between the adults in my house working and the kids going to school and extracurriculars, there’s not much time left for well-planned dinners. Sometimes we eat at 4:30 p.m. and other times it’s 7:00 p.m., so I need dependable meals that don’t require a ton of prep. And let’s face it, when you’re eating dinner in between this and that, the last thing you want to do after a long day is a sink full of dishes. That’s when my shortcut chicken Parmesan comes to the rescue.

I started making this dish a few years ago, and it has quickly become one that my family (particularly my 11-year-old) asks for regularly. Any parent knows that if the whole family agrees on a meal, then you hold onto it for dear life.

We adore Tyson Panko Breaded Chicken Breast Tenderloins from Costco, but when it’s slathered in rich marinara, coated with bubbly cheese, and placed on a bed of warm noodles, it’s absolutely irresistible.

Whenever I’m at Costco, I make sure to snag a bag of panko chicken from the freeze section (or I stock up when it’s on sale!), spaghetti, a couple of jars of Rao’s marinara sauce, and mozzarella to make this shortcut chicken parm.

How To Make Costco Chicken Parmesan

I prep for eight servings of food every night (so my husband can have leftovers the next day), but feel free to adjust the amounts as needed.

• 8 pieces Tyson Panko Breaded Chicken Breast Tenderloins
• 1 (28-ounce) jar Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce
• 1 (16 to 18-ounce) package spaghetti
•  8 slices mozzarella cheese (or shredded)

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Place the chicken on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Flip and bake for an additional 7 minutes, or until the internal temperature has reached at least 165°F.

While the chicken is baking, boil a pot of water and cook the spaghetti according to package directions. To time this with the chicken being done, I usually start this about 10 minutes after I’ve started the chicken. Drain the noodles and coat them with a little olive oil if they get too sticky.

Once the chicken is done, turn on the broiler to high. Add marinara on top of the chicken by the spoonful. We like a lot of sauce at my house, so I usually go through almost the whole jar. Place a slice of mozzarella on top of each piece of chicken. You can use shredded cheese instead.

Place the chicken under the broiler and melt the cheese. Keep an eye on it! Divide the spaghetti between eight plates and, if desired, spoon more sauce over it. When the chicken is done, simply place it on top of the pasta and enjoy.

Why My Family Loves Costco’s Panko Chicken

If you haven’t had this chicken from Costco, then add it to your shopping list. It’s an item that we keep on hand at all times because it’s so versatile and easy to cook. 

The light breading makes it crispy without being greasy, and one piece is enough to fill up one or two people! Here are some other ways we love to enjoy panko chicken:

• Cut into strips and roll into a chicken wrap
• Cut into pieces and place on a BBQ chicken pizza
• In chicken noodle casserole
• In chicken piccata casserole
• In tacos, like these crispy chicken tacos with habanero salsa