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Chicken Parmesan Bake

Servings 6
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Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb whole wheat pasta
  • 3 cups water
  • 24 oz tomato sauce
  • 5 oz spinach, fresh
  • 1½ lb chicken tenderloins, raw
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • salt & pepper
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ cup parmesan cheese
  • 1 Tbsp oil
  • ¼ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 9x13 inch pan with oil.
    Add uncooked pasta, water, tomato sauce & spinach to the pan. Carefully stir. Place uncooked chicken on top. Sprinkle chicken with garlic powder and a little salt & pepper.
  • Cover dish with foil. Cook for 40-50 minutes. The shape of the pasta will alter your cook time. Whole wheat rotini & rigatoni took 45 minutes. Spaghetti may take less time.
  • While baking, combine panko, Italian seasoning, salt, oil & Parmesan cheese in a bowl. When chicken is cooked through to 165 degrees & pasta is al dente, remove from oven. Uncover.
  • Sprinkle panko mixture evenly over the pan. Top with mozzarella cheese
    Return to oven. Bake for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Notes

Tips:
Don't use bean-based pasta. They need to be rinsed after cooking and will not work in this.
If you use white pasta, uncover at 30 minutes. Bake for 10 more minutes uncovered before topping with the panko mixture. 
You can portion them into leftover containers and keep them in the fridge or freeze them for up to 2 months. 
Alternate Recipe - Meat Sauce:
If you prefer meat sauce, cook 1# of bison, lean ground beef, or turkey. Add the water, sauce, pasta, spinach, and meat sauce to the 9x13-inch pan. Cover with foil and cook for 30 minutes (white pasta) or 40 - 50 minutes (whole wheat pasta). Remove foil and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, parmesan cheese, and mozzarella cheese. <skip the panko part> Bake for another 10 - 20 minutes or until pasta is cooked through and liquid is absorbed. 
How to Use:
For athletes: Fuel it up with this meal for dinner! You may need more than 1 serving depending on your training.
For healthy eating: Pair a serving of this delicious dinner with a big side of veggies. 
For kids: In my house, kids love anything that you can sprinkle parmesan cheese over!