Italian chicken casserole with zucchini is a delicious family dinner that sounds a lot more complicated than it actually is. In fact, this casserole is super easy to make for any size crowd.

As is the case with most of my recipes, there is a little wiggle room with the ingredients.

If you don’t want to include the meat, you can make a delicious Italian zucchini casserole by replacing the chicken with even more zucchini.

Once you make a dish, it becomes your recipe. And that’s how so many great new recipes are created.

Flavorful Chicken Casserole with Zucchini

Your family will love the aroma as it cooks. When you call them to dinner, you won’t have to wait long for them to sit down.

Whether you’re cooking dinner for your family or bringing it to a potluck, it’s sure to quickly disappear. For that reason, make sure you have enough for everyone to have seconds.

My family loves chicken casseroles of all types. Adding zucchini delivers even more flavor and nutrition, so you can feel good about what you’re serving your family.

You can use fresh, rotisserie, or canned chicken for this recipe. This is, without a doubt, one of our favorite dishes to make with any kind of chicken.

Sometimes I fall back on one of my go-to chicken recipes when I have leftover chicken. But this time, we wanted something different.

Since the Costco rotisserie chickens are so large, I can get several meals out of one of them for my husband and me.

That’s why I’m always on the lookout for a new dish to prepare.

I just happened to have some leftover zucchini, some shredded cheese, and half a box of penne pasta on hand.

All I needed was some Italian sauce or the ingredients to make it.

At first, I thought I’d have to go to the store and buy some. But I discovered a jar of Italian sauce in the back of my pantry.

When I purchase a rotisserie chicken, I often plan several meals in advance. Another of our favorites is this chicken casserole with rice.

We also enjoy making chicken salad sandwiches. Or you can use the same recipe and put the chicken salad on a bed of lettuce.

The list of what you can do with these chickens is unlimited. In fact, almost anything you can cook with ground beef can be cooked with chicken instead.

Italian Chicken Zucchini Casserole Ingredients

Based on the name of this dish, you’ve probably figured out some of the ingredients you’ll need.

Ingredients you’ll need for this recipe:

• Chicken
• Zucchini
• Penne
• Italian red sauce
• Italian seasoning
• Chopped onions
• Diced peppers
• Cheese

Since I was in a hurry, I used jarred sauce. However, if you have time, use this delicious homemade marinara. It’s easy, but it does take a few minutes.

For exact measurements of each ingredient and full directions, go to the recipe card at the bottom of the page. You can even print out the card by using the “print” button.

Here are some optional ingredients you can add:

• Minced garlic
• Other chopped vegetables such as eggplant, broccoli, kale, cabbage or Brussels sprouts
• Mushrooms
• Black olives

If there’s something else you’d like to add, go ahead and try it. You might discover that you’re really good at taking a tried-and-true recipe and making it even better.

How to Make This Italian Chicken Casserole with Zucchini

Sauté the zucchini until it is fork tender. Don’t cook it too long, or it’ll become too soft, and the texture isn’t as appetizing.

This is when I add the Italian seasoning.

Add the onions and peppers. Sauté those until the onions are translucent.

Mix in the chopped chicken. You can also add other meat or meat substitutes if you prefer.

Pour the entire jar of Italian sauce over the mixture and stir it well. At this time, turn down the heat so it can simmer on low while you prepare the penne.

After you cook the penne according to the directions on the package, pour it into a casserole dish. Pour the chicken and zucchini mixture over it.

Top it with cheese and bake it until the cheese melts and begins to turn a light golden brown.

Serve it by itself or with a side salad and crusty bread. One of our favorite things to eat with this dish is a Greek olive and feta salad.

Healthy One-Dish Meal with Chicken

I love cooking one-dish meals that provide something from every food group, which is why I enjoy casseroles so much.

Not only are they easier to cook, but also they’re easier to clean up afterward.

This meal has chicken for the protein, zucchini for the vegetable, cheese for the dairy, and penne for the grain.

If you are vegan or dairy free, you can substitute other ingredients for the chicken and cheese.

Or if you don’t have chicken, you can also make it with shredded or ground beef or pork.

Regular or Gluten-Free Italian Chicken Zucchini Casserole

Since I have to follow a gluten-free diet, I use gluten-free pasta. Even though my husband can have the regular pasta, he says he can’t tell the difference.

I used to prepare separate dishes, but that became time-consuming. So now I make one version, and he’s fine with it. In fact, he got seconds.

Health Benefits of Zucchini

I enjoy adding zucchini to a lot of my one-dish meals because it’s so nutritious.

Here are some of the health benefits you’ll find in this delicious vegetable:

Zucchini contains vitamin C, beta-carotene, manganese, and lutein that all promote good vision.

It also has quite a bit of potassium, riboflavin, and other essential nutrients for good health.

It’s loaded with antioxidants that help slow down many of the effects of aging.

Zucchini is an excellent source of fiber, and it contains quite a bit of water. For this reason, it is excellent to include in a weight management program.

Another thing I like about zucchini is that it is super easy to grow in your backyard. I don’t currently have a vegetable garden, but when I did, I always had zucchini.

Cooking with Penne Pasta

I enjoy using penne pasta because the sauce gets inside the tubes to provide an even stronger explosion of flavor.

And if you’ve ever tasted any of the other recipes I’ve posted, such as the cheesy zucchini ham bake or the layered Mexican salad with black beans, you know I love a lot of flavor.

For Dessert

If you’re looking for a fun, simple, and delicious dessert, try the pineapple upside down cake that you can actually make in your rice cooker.

Another dessert you might enjoy is the mug cake so everyone in the family can have their flavor.

We also enjoy this yummy no-bake pineapple pie. It’s light and has just the right blend of sweet and tart flavors.

More Delicious Recipes

I’m always testing new recipes, working on improvements, and developing dishes that I think would be good. I started cooking when I was about 10 years old, which means I’ve been cooking for 55+ years.

Here are some of our most recent favorites:

Pork Chop Casserole with Tomato Gravy – This is an old family favorite. In fact, my dad taught me how to make tomato gravy to bring it all together. I’ve made a couple of changes with this, including a way to make it gluten-free. And the flavor is just as good as the original way!

Smothered Potatoes and Sausage – This is a one-pan meal that never disappoints. Try it and watch your family gobble it right up.

How to Cook Frozen Tilapia – Do you ever forget to thaw something for dinner? I decided to pull out some frozen tilapia and pop it into my air fryer. It turned out so delicious!

Mini Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie – I had to include a dessert on this list. In my mind, there’s no better way to end a meal than with a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie!

2-Ingredient Chocolate Cakes – Now that I’m cooking for just my husband and me, I’m always on the lookout for recipes that make smaller amounts. This one delivers the most delicious personal cakes! And you bake them in cute little ramekins. So yum!

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