Chicken Parmesean and Gnocchi Casserole

I adapated this recipe for mysteryloverskitchen.com. I made a few tweaks and added some whole wheat gnocchi pasta to the mix! This is my boyfriend's favorite dinner!! Hope you all enjoy! :-)

 

Ingredients:

*5-ouncepackage of garlic croutons
*2 tablespoons olive oil
*2 cloves garlic (minced)
*½ teaspoon dried oregano
*Salt and pepper
*2 pounds chicken tenders (or breasts cut into strips)
*5-6 fresh basil leaves
*1 jar of tomato sauce
*2 cups shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
*I package shredded Parmesan cheese (2.5 cups)

*1package whole wheat gnocchi



DIRECTIONS:

Preheat your oven to 350° F. Place garlic croutons in a plastic bag and beatwith a meat hammer or heavy object until they’ve been crushed into smallerpieces. Do not beat into breadcrumbs. But do break down any large, chunkypieces into smaller bits. Set aside.

In a 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish, drizzle the olive oil. Add the chickentenders, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper, and stir well to coat the chickenpieces with the oil and spices. Spread the fresh basil on top of the chicken.

Pour ¾ of the jar of the tomato sauce on top of the chicken,distributing evenly. Slide into a pre-heated 350º F. oven for 30 minutes.Remove. Do not turn off oven!

**Boil Gnocchi while chicken is pre-baking. Gnocchi only takes afew minutes to cook. As soon as they float to the top, take them out and rununder cool water to stop them from cooking.

Pour gnocchi on top of chicken. Spread half of the mozzarella andParmesan evenly over the sauce. Next sprinkle all of the crushed croutons ontothe sauce. Finish with the remainder of the two cheeses.

Return the pan to your 350 degree F. oven for another 25 to 30minutes. Casserole is done when all of the cheese is well melted.