Preheat your oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Season it generously with salt to add flavor to the pasta while it cooks.
While waiting for the water to boil, season the chicken tenders with kosher salt and ground black pepper on both sides.
On a small plate, mix together the breadcrumbs and ¼ cup of grated Parmesan cheese. On another plate, add the flour. Crack the egg into a bowl, whisk it with one tablespoon of water, and set this mixture aside.
Dredge each seasoned chicken tender first in the flour, then in the egg, letting any excess drip off, and finally coat it with the breadcrumb mixture.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil and butter. Once the butter has melted completely, add the breaded chicken tenders. Cook until the chicken is golden brown on both sides and cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.
Once cooked, remove the chicken from the pan and let it cool slightly. After a few minutes, cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
While the chicken is cooking, drop the ziti into the boiling pasta water. Cook it until it’s just under al dente according to the package instructions.
Return the drained pasta to the empty pot. Add the jarred marinara sauce along with the reserved pasta water.
Begin layering your Chicken Parmesan Baked Ziti: Spoon half of the ziti mixture into the bottom of the greased baking dish.
Top this layer with half of the diced chicken and sprinkle with half of the mozzarella cheese.
Cover with the remaining pasta and sauce, followed by the remaining chicken, then the rest of the mozzarella, and finally sprinkle on the remainder of the grated Parmesan cheese.
Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake until everything is hot and bubbly, about 25 to 30 minutes.
Serve your Chicken Parmesan Baked Ziti right away and enjoy the smiles on everyone’s faces as they take their first bites!
