Chicken Parmesan Casserole

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper ( or more to taste if you want it hotter)
1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
2 cups marinara/pasta sauce (any kind you want. I used Parmesan & Romano flavor)
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
2 oz. Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, divided
3.5 oz garlic croutons, roughly crushed, leaving some larger pieces ( I used New York Texas Toast Garlic & Butter)




1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.

2) Spread the cubed pieces of chicken across the bottom of the baking dish in a single layer. Sprinkle the minced garlic, red pepper flakes & basil evenly over chicken. Spread the sauce evenly across the top. On top of the sauce layer, sprinkle 3/4 cup of the mozzarella and 1 oz of the parmesan evenly across the dish. Sprinkle the crushed croutons across the top and follow with the remaining cheese.

3) Bake for 40-45 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

makes 8 servings