Light Chicken Parmesan Casserole

Is anyone else sick of the cold weather? We finally got a joyous reprieve from the cold in DC yesterday, but I know not to trust that it's here to stay - especially since we still have snow piles from Monday's snowstorm! I decided to take advantage of the cold weather and a snow day last week, though, and try out a casserole recipe that I've had my eye on for awhile.

This chicken parmesan casserole met my basic requirements for a good recipe - few steps, little preparation time, one dish, and lots of cheese! I also knew that I have a busy couple of weeks coming up, so I wanted to load up my freezer with some easy-to-reheat dishes, and I love casseroles for that purpose.

The original recipe seemed a little weak on the flavor front, so I thought it would be good to add some additional Italian spices to the dish. I was suspicious about how the croutons would taste, but they added a nice, buttery crunch to complement the dish! I served the casserole with a side salad, which made for a delicious meal. I look forward to having these leftovers soon!

Light Chicken Parmesan Casserole
adapted from Emily Bites

Ingredients:

2 lbs raw chicken breasts, cubed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
2 cups marinara sauce 
1 1/2 cups 2% reduced fat shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
3 1/2 oz garlic croutons (such as New York Texas Toast brand Garlic & Butter), roughly crushed

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Lay the cubed chicken pieces on a lightly sprayed 13x9 inch pan, so that they fully cover the bottom of the pan in one, even layer.
3. Spread the minced garlic, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, and basil evenly over top the chicken. Pour the marinara sauce evenly across the chicken and seasonings. Then add half of the mozzarella cheese and half of the Parmesan cheese over the casserole. Top with an even coating of croutons, and finish the casserole with the rest of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
4. Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Take the casserole out of the oven, remove the foil, and bake for another 10-15 minutes.
5. Let cool for 5 minutes, and enjoy!

*Serves 8