Easy Tuscan Chicken Casserole
If you enjoy things like spinach dip, chicken Alfredo and low carb alternatives to traditional pasta meals, you'll love this easy Tuscan chicken casserole recipe that's made with less than ten ingredients.
I add double the sun dried tomatoes than most recipes would suggest to infuse every bite with a savory sweet kick. I also add asparagus to give the casserole a hearty texture that feels more substantial than spinach alone. Last but not least, I make an extra generous batch of sauce to ensure that the chicken remains plump and moist after the vegetables begin to leech the liquid away from the chicken. Freezing Leftovers for Lunches: Spoon leftover vegetables and chicken pieces into individual zip lock bags for freezing. You'll have a full week's worth of gourmet lunches! Just peel the bag away from the frozen meal and drop the ice block into a microwave safe bowl. A smaller portion should heat up within three to four minutes. A hearty portion may take about six minutes. The Perfect Office Lunch: Drop a frozen bag of Tuscan chicken casserole into your lunch bag. By noon, your meal will thaw to a point where your microwave time will be quick and easy. |
Tuscan Chicken Casserole Ingredients
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Tuscan Chicken Casserole Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Thaw tenderloins in the microwave. If you're using fresh chicken breasts, cut each breast into three strips.
- In a large covered skillet coated with olive oil, cook chicken on medium heat until it turns golden on each side. Be sure to keep the skillet covered so that the chicken doesn't dry out between flips.
- Arrange cooked chicken pieces over the bottom of a deep rectangular casserole dish.
- Sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Spread the sun dried tomatoes over the chicken. If you want the dish to be more visually appealing, you can reserve about 1/4 cup of tomatoes to arrange over the top of the casserole later. The tomatoes cooked within the casserole will become tender. The tomatoes on top will be more crisp and chewy.
- Saute the minced garlic in butter for about a minute.
- Whisk cream and chicken bouillon into the garlic. Heat until the mixture begins to simmer, stirring frequently.
- Whisk Parmesan cheese into the cream mixture, adding a little at a time. Reduce heat and simmer for about ten minutes, stirring frequently. The sauce will begin to thicken and stick to the sides of the pan.
- Pour half the sauce mixture evenly over chicken. Be sure to completely cover the chicken and tomato pieces, as these ingredients must be immersed in the liquid to become tender.
- Spread spinach and asparagus over the chicken. Cover evenly with the remaining sauce.
- Sprinkle remaining tomatoes over the top of the casserole.
- Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. If you desire browning on top, remove the lid after cooking 30 minutes and keep baking for an additional ten minutes. Pull the casserole out when it appears extra bubbly and the golden brown sides begin to pull away from the side of the casserole dish. Note that the chicken won't be visible beneath the sauce. Just before taking the photo above, I lifted the chicken with a fork to make it more visible.