Name: Dump-and-Bake Chicken Parm Casserole
Ingredients: 1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized chunks (frozen works too – just thaw first!); 1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce (get the good stuff, or whatever’s on sale – I won’t judge); 2 cups uncooked penne or ziti (about half a box – whole wheat works fine if you’re being healthy); 1½ cups chicken broth (or water + a bouillon cube if you’re in a pinch); ½ cup white wine (optional – or just drink it while cooking and add more broth instead); 3 cloves garlic, minced (or a hefty spoonful from the jar, because life’s too short); 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (the jar that has all the herbs mixed together); ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (leave out if spicy food makes you sad); 1 teaspoon salt (more if you’re using low-sodium broth); ½ teaspoon black pepper; 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided (pre-shredded is fine – this is about EASY); ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (the real stuff if possible, not the sawdust in the green can); ½ cup Italian-style breadcrumbs (the secret to that chicken parm vibe without breading); Fresh basil for garnish (totally optional – who am I kidding, I usually forget this part)

Description

So you know those nights when you want chicken parm but the thought of breading and frying chicken makes you want to order takeout instead? Yeah, me too. That’s why I came up with this lazy genius version that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen but actually takes like 10 minutes of effort. You literally dump everything in a dish, stick it in the oven, and boom – chicken parm magic without the mess or stress. It’s got all the cheesy, tomato-y, herby flavors of the classic, but in a form that won’t have you cleaning breadcrumb dust off your counters for days.

Ingredients

Scale

1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized chunks (frozen works too – just thaw first!)
1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce (get the good stuff, or whatever’s on sale – I won’t judge)
2 cups uncooked penne or ziti (about half a box – whole wheat works fine if you’re being healthy)
1½ cups chicken broth (or water + a bouillon cube if you’re in a pinch)
½ cup white wine (optional – or just drink it while cooking and add more broth instead)
3 cloves garlic, minced (or a hefty spoonful from the jar, because life’s too short)
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (the jar that has all the herbs mixed together)
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (leave out if spicy food makes you sad)
1 teaspoon salt (more if you’re using low-sodium broth)
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided (pre-shredded is fine – this is about EASY)
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (the real stuff if possible, not the sawdust in the green can)
½ cup Italian-style breadcrumbs (the secret to that chicken parm vibe without breading)
Fresh basil for garnish (totally optional – who am I kidding, I usually forget this part)