Comfort food season is upon us, and in celebration I am offering up this cheesy, tomatoey*, garlicky Italian casserole that’s a perfect balance of gooey and saucy with a crunchy topping. You’d never know from tasting it that each serving is only around 300 calories and 8 Weight Watchers Points+. Serve this as a main course with a side salad and some light Italian dressing and you have a family-pleasing, company-ready meal that comes together with only around 10 minutes of prep time. That’s it! Who doesn’t have ten minutes to put dinner in the oven?
Chicken Parmesan has always been a favorite of mine, and this is definitely my favorite new way to capture all the flavors with the least amount of effort. Now that is comforting.
*Merriam-Webster says it’s a word! Take that, spell-check.
Chicken Parmesan Casserole
Source: adapted from Food.com
Ingredients:
2 lbs raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ t crushed red pepper flakes (or more to taste if you want it hot)
¼ cup fresh basil, finely chopped
2 cups marinara/pasta sauce (I used Wegmans Tomato Basil)
1 ½ cups 2% reduced fat shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
2 oz Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (I used the smallest holed side of my box grater), divided
3.5 oz garlic croutons, roughly crushed, leaving some larger pieces (I used New York Texas Toast brand Garlic & Butter)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly mist 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 and basil evenly over the chicken. Spread the sauce evenly across the top. On top of the sauce layer, sprinkle ¾ cup of the Mozzarella and one ounce 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.
Yields 8 servings. WW P+: 8 per serving (P+ calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.com)
Nutrition Information per serving from myfitnesspal.com: 303 calories, 15 g carbs, 11 g fat, 37 g protein, 1 g fiber
This will be perfect for this coming weekend's dinner! It's supposed to be rainy and blah, and this, with a salad, will be absolutely amazing!
ReplyDeleteIt's perfect with a salad! Hope you loved it :)
DeleteLooks yummy! Can't wait to try! Thanks for all of your awesome recipes. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Miranda!
Deleteyum! this looks absolutely amazing! welcome comfort food season!
ReplyDeleteIndeed! Haha. Thanks Elizabeth.
DeleteI love that photo. It's a great perspective/texture shot. The circles on the place mat really draw the eye in. And, as always, the recipe seems delicious!
ReplyDeleteThanks, what a nice compliment!
DeleteMy mom is getting ready to have surgery & I told her I would make some dinners for her.
ReplyDeleteI made this for my family on Friday and there was literally none left! Shame for me, who planned on eating a leftover portion (we're a family of four) for lunch the next day. Oh, well.
ReplyDeleteMy father is a HORRIBLY critical eater when it comes to recipes because he lived next door to a gourmet chef when he grew up in the Bronx, so he is very hard to please when it comes to food. Truthfully, he could certainly stand to lose more than a few pounds, but is so picky that it's hard to get him to budge on anything that doesn't taste just like the original.
And chicken? Pfft. Get ready for a windstorm of criticism...
Except, there wasn't any. He went back for a second helping and told me for days how much he loved it. It was SO easy to make and I loved it. It really has the full effect of Chicken Parm without the guilt. The only thing I'd say is that, for anyone else who keeps thin cut chicken breasts in the house, you only need to use 1 lb, rather than the 2 lb of regular cut, because you'll never get a single layer. And that is nothing in criticism of Emily, that's just what I learned from experience. Though, I wonder if that would affect the points total? Hmm...
This was and IS an amazeballs recipe! Keep up the awesome work, girl!
I'm so glad to hear it was a hit, even with your picky father!
DeleteI would not recommend using only one pound of chicken...with 8 servings that would not be very filling and it would definitely mess up what I consider to be the perfect ratio of chicken to the other ingredients. If you cut up your 2 lbs chicken breasts into cubes they should fit in about a single layer in the dish, and if they don't all fit and you have to throw a few pieces on top that's no big deal.
For the croutons did you buy the frozen toast cook it and cut it up or is there an actual crouton that they make?
ReplyDeleteThey make croutons :)
Deletegenius!! Thank you :)
DeleteAbsolutely delicious! I have told everyone about this!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteAnother big hit at our house. Both my husband and son loved it. (Me too, but I really loved how easy it was.) I've been craving a similar recipe for a few weeks, I'm so glad you published your lightened version before I caved into my cravings! I served it with parmesan noodles and Italian blend veggies. My husband said the leftovers were great, too.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy it was a hit with the whole family :)
DeleteThis looks absolutely delicious and I totally want to try it. I have one question, is the chicken cooked first or does it cook in the casserole? I have another casserole recipe and you have to cook the chicken first before adding it to all the other ingredients. thanks.
ReplyDeleteNevermind, I just reread the recipe and I see that it says raw chicken. Looking forward to trying this for dinner tonight!
DeleteI would cook the chicken before hand. I just made it tonight and thought it would have been better to eat/maybe safer to cook it before...
DeleteIt's completely safe to add it in raw and then bake it in the oven. Hope you enjoyed it!
DeleteI can't wait to make this. Newly married and with a busy work schedule I am always struggling to find things to make for me and my husband that don't take a ton of prep time. I am sort of new to real cooking (more than just pasta with some chicken thrown in) and this recipe looks like it is simple but satisfying! I'll let you know how it goes :)
ReplyDeleteI hope it was a hit!
DeleteLoved this dish. Can't wait to try other recipes such as sesame noodles. Love your site
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tony!
DeleteI made this last night and it was wonderful! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you liked it!
DeleteIf I don't have freshly grated parmesan, would this work with the pre-grated kind? If yes, would I use the same amount or less?
ReplyDeleteIf you don't want to buy a block of Parmesan and grate it then I'd suggest buying the shredded kind over the grated kind in the green plastic can.
DeleteThis is in the oven right now, I can't wait to try it!
ReplyDeleteHope you loved it!
DeleteThis was very easy and a big hit!
ReplyDeleteYay, thanks for letting me know!
DeleteThis looks amazing!! I have a yearly bucket list and on 2013's list is to cook/bake one new thing each month and I would like to make this and link up to your blog for the recipe. Would that be ok?
ReplyDeleteGina
http://itypecrazyfast.wordpress.com/
It really depends on how you're planning to post it. If you want to write about making it and then link to my blog for the recipe then that's fine!
DeleteI made this for lunch today and wow was it good! Yum! As always, TFS!
ReplyDeleteGlad you loved it!
DeleteI'm new to the weight watchers scene and i was wondering how much is in one serving whether it be one cup of it or what? it looks so good
ReplyDeleteIt makes 8 servings so I just cut it into 8 pieces and serve :)
DeleteEmily! You've done it again! I love it and so did my hubby! A simple and delicious dinner with a nice big side salad. I'm having some trouble with the recipe builder though. When I enter your stats into the calculator I get 8pp but when I put the ingredients into the recipe builder I get 9pp??? What are the stats on the marinara that you used?
ReplyDeleteThis is the sauce I used with the nutrition info: http://www.wegmans.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=718411&storeId=10052&langId=-1
DeleteHope that helps! Glad you liked it :)
I just made this for lunch today!!! It was amazing. I will definitely make it again. My three kids loved it too. Thanks so much Emily!!
ReplyDeleteYay, happy to hear it was a hit :)
DeleteThis is a completely awesome recipe. Super easy to make and very tasty. Will make again!
ReplyDeleteGlad you loved it!
DeleteJust finished making this! Tasted a little spoonfull and its delish! my only problem was when i was getting the spoonfull there was alot of water in the bottom??? has anyone else had this problem?
ReplyDeleteSame happened to me, but I assume it was from the jarred marinara. Mine thickened up as it sat. I may try mixing tomsto paste w the sauce ndxt time. My casserole seemed...flat. like, much thinner. It wasnt filling at all and im trying to figure out what went wrong! Flavor was awesome though!
DeleteKris
Hi ladies! If you're having problem with excess liquid you may want to partially bake the chicken layer first and then drain it, add the other ingredients and continue baking like I did in my Spinach & Artichoke Chicken recipe: http://www.emilybites.com/2013/01/skinny-spinach-artichoke-chicken.html
DeleteHope that helps!
Awesome!!!! Rachel, I had the same with the liquid...I used defrosted frozen chicken and think that's where it comes from. Wasn't enough to be a problem and my husband LOVES it. I served mine over some fresh sauteed zucchini. Great recipe, thank you!
ReplyDeleteMmm, I love zucchini. Perfect side for this!
DeleteIf you're having problem with excess liquid you may want to partially bake the chicken layer first and then drain it, add the other ingredients and continue baking like I did in my Spinach & Artichoke Chicken recipe: http://www.emilybites.com/2013/01/skinny-spinach-artichoke-chicken.html
Hope that helps!
I made this the other night for my fiance and I, it was delicious! I accidentally cut it into 6 servings (10pp per serving instead of 8), but it was definitely worth the extra points. Leftovers were gone by the next day. Will definitely be making this one again!
ReplyDeleteI'm thrilled it was a hit! :)
DeleteI made it tonight with a couple substitutions.. it's still in the oven..hope it's delicious! I used Texas toast instead of croutons, did not add pepper flakes, used Italian seasoning instead of basil, and used Colby jack cheese on my first cheese level and mozzarella cheese on top.
ReplyDeleteI have to give the update ..it honestly wasn't my favorite but I have to say maybe the basil and what nots woulda made it a lil better (worked with what I had in the kitchen) but it was good.. thanks for the post.
DeleteInteresting substitutions! Sorry you didn't love it but I definitely recommend trying with the croutons.
DeleteI just made this for my husband and parents. My mother is a very picky eater and everyone ended up loving it. Three out of the four of us are following weight watchers so we split it pretty much into the 8 servings as best as we could. I'm stuffed from my serving. Your recipes are so easy and so yummy at the same time. I look forward to making each new concoction of yours and thank you for taking the time to put in the WW PPV. You're awesome!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Elizabeth! I'm so happy you loved this. Good luck on your weight loss journey!
DeleteI've got this in the oven now & it smells uh-may-zing! Super easy for someone like me (who most would say does not belong IN or NEAR a kitchen!) ;) ...I'm trying though! Made your shredded buffalo chicken burgers last weekend. Yum! My boyfriend & I both loved them & I want to thank you for your easy (even for the kitchen-challenged!) (WW friendly) meals! Off to check on my casserole I go! Have a great night Emily! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Karen! I am so glad you're having success with my recipes. Thanks for letting me know! :)
DeleteDoes this get baked covered or uncovered?
ReplyDeleteI baked it uncovered
DeleteMade this tonight and it was not a big hit for my family. It tasted delicious, but didn't feel like a complete meal. I prefer casseroles which are one dish meals. A small amount of pasta added would have fixed that and may be tried in the future. However, we all agreed that this would make an INCREDIBLE chicken parm sub. I will be tracking down some sort of multi-grain crusty roll to swap for the croutons. Any suggestions on brands?
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you didn't like it! I ate this as a main course with a side salad. You could certainly bulk it up with veggies or something else to make it a complete meal.
DeleteI served it with spaghetti squash to make it more meal-like to me, but without adding points.
DeleteJust made this - family approved. 8 thumbs up!
ReplyDeleteSo glad to hear it!
DeleteThis was great - thanks for the recipe. Even the kids ate it!
ReplyDeleteYay! Great to hear it's a kid-friendly recipe :)
DeleteThis is wonderful. We decided that we could easily have it as a "company coming over" meal. I halved it for our little family and it worked great.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Stacie! Happy to hear it was a hit :)
DeleteI just made this and it was 3 skinless breast cut up. Iput it in a 9X9 pan and it fit perfectly. I cant imagine this feeding eight people with 3 breast. Its just my hubby and i so we shall see.
ReplyDeleteTwo pounds of chicken was only 3 breasts? Those suckers must be HUGE! Haha. The recommended serving size for chicken breasts is 3 oz cooked (about the size of a deck of cards). Each portion in my recipe gets 4 oz raw weight, which is usually around 3 oz cooked.
DeleteI'm also surprised you got 2 lbs of chicken to lay in a single layer in a 9x9 pan, but whatever works for you!
this is a main dish, so you can feel free to serve it with salad or vegetables or whatever other side dishes you like. Enjoy!
Sounds delish! Thinking about trying it using my crockpot.
ReplyDeleteThis was absolutely delicious! I cut the recipe in half since there are just two of us and baked in an 8x8 pan. I also pre-cooked the chicken just for a few minutes, drained, and then finished the recipe. Not really sure I needed to do that in hindsight. This one will definitely go into the rotation.
ReplyDeleteI would like to make this the night before and take to a family member the following day. How would it be reheated? Would the croutons become mushy?
ReplyDeleteMade this tonight for the first time - it was really good! Followed the directions exactly except for cutting it in half to make 4 portions. Couldn't be easier! Saving half for another dinner (there are just 2 of us) and I'm confident it will reheat well. Thanks Emily!
ReplyDeleteMade this tonight for the first time and it was FANTASTIC. My husband is a picky eater and was unsure of the idea of a chicken parm casserole, but he loved it too. Only problem...we ate too much of it :-) I made it in 6 portions instead of 8 and used part-skim mozzarella. It came to 12 points a piece. Delish. Thanks! Allyson
ReplyDeleteFound this on Pinterest and it is on my menu for next week (Maybe even for my mother-in-law's birthday party on Friday)! So funny, but where are you from that you used Wegmans sauce? Obviously the best store ever! And I use Wegmans Smooth Marinara all the time for pizza sauce, how do you beat $.99?! Thanks for such a yummy-looking recipe, I'll definitely be browsing the whole blog!
ReplyDeleteAny suggestions on making this ahead of time (in the morning) and then sticking it in the oven (when I get home from work)? Would it get soggy while waiting? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteIn the oven right now, smells DELISH!!! I love all of the cheese in this recipe :)
ReplyDeleteMade this recipe tonight for myself, my boyfriend, and my roommate. With the addition of buttered rotini for a bit of starch (roommate needs it as an EMT), it was a huge hit here! Thank you for this recipe, we shall use it again!
ReplyDeleteHave you ever frozen this? I want to stock up my freezer before my baby arrives and this looks delish!
ReplyDeleteHave you ever frozen this? I want to stock up my freezer before my baby arrives and this looks delish!
ReplyDeleteMade this tonight and it was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.!!!
ReplyDeleteMade this for dinner tonight! It was delicious! The husband and son loved it!
ReplyDeleteWould this be ok to serve at a wedding?
ReplyDeleteWe loved this!! So glad we have leftovers! Thanks for such a delicious recipe!
ReplyDeleteMade this for my family last night and it was absolutely delicious!! My picky little four year old even ate it. Great recipe!
ReplyDeleteMade this tonight with 250cal per serving and it was a hit! We all loved it and it was incredibly filling. Wonderful recipe, thank you!
ReplyDeleteThis looks delicious! Have you ever frozen it before cooking it? Then deforsted it and topped it with croutons? Just curious because I am a part of a once a month cooking club and this looks, yummy, and fast to assemble.
ReplyDeleteMade this tonight...it was soooooo good!!!!
ReplyDeleteThis was delicious! I actually made half with chicken and half with eggplant and it was an instant family favorite!
ReplyDeleteThis was amazing. Instant hit and a requested do over :) !!!!!! Even better that it was easy and calorie friendly.
ReplyDelete