CHICKEN PARMESAN BAKE

Chicken Parmesan Bake

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
hot red pepper flakes, to taste
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used 5, but they were huge!)
2 cups marinara sauce
1/4 cup chopped basil
8 oz mozzarella, shredded
4 oz Parmesan, grated
1 (5-oz) package garlic croutons

Directions: spread olive oil in a 13 x9 baking dish, add minced garlic, sprinkle red pepper flakes (optional) mix around until the bottom is coated. Place Chicken breast on top of garlic, oil and pepper flakes, pour 2 cups of marina sauce on top of the chicken. then add chopped fresh basil, place 1/2 of the grated cheese on top of the sauce 4oz  grated mozzarella and 2 oz of grated parmesan. then add 5oz package of croutons, ( secret ingredient) the secret to this dish and why there is no frying involved, and why it is so easy, is that is going to make this incredibly crunch on the top chewy on the bottom crust. then add 4 more oz of grated mozzarella and 2 more oz of parmesan. BTW parmesan is in chicken parmesan, so feel free to sprinkle parmesan on top. Bake at 350 degree for 35 min. Here is the genius of this dish, the top of the crouton with the cheese on top gets beautifully brown and crunchy. And the underneath of the crouton soaks up the sauce and the chicken juice and the basil and garlic flavor. This is an easy wonderful dish, and the best part is there is no frying, splattering, or real mess. You just bake it in the oven and serve it over your favorite pasta and pair it with a salad and some garlic bread.