Chicken Parmesan Bake

This used to be such a simple go-to for me—I’m not sure why or when it fell off the rotation. It can be thrown together in 10 minutes and served with orzo or your fave pasta. Everyone in my house likes it, which is always cause for celebration. The croutons stay crunchy on top but then almost melt on the bottom, which provides such fantastic texture and taste. You can use store-bought croutons (I suggest garlic!) or make your own, using up any stale bread on hand.

CHICKEN PARM BAKE

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
Red chili flakes (a couple of shakes)
4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (just make sure they’re all around the same thickness)
1 jar of your favorite marinara or pasta sauce
~1/4 cup chopped basil
~8 ounces shredded mozzarella
~4 ounces Parmesan, grated
~2 cups croutons (enough to cover the chicken in your baking dish)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large baking dish (9x13 works fine), drizzle the olive oil. Add the garlic and chili flakes if you’re using (optional if you don’t care for the heat!). Arrange chicken breasts on top of oil. Empty entire jar of sauce on top of chicken and sprinkle with basil. Cover with half the cheese. Next, add croutons to cover entire dish. Top with the remaining cheese. Bake uncovered for about 35 minutes.

Optional: Broil for an additional minute if your cheese isn’t “toasty.” Top with fresh basil, if available.