The recipe takes advantage of frozen pre-breaded and cooked chicken fingers to take the mess and hassle out of frying chicken and turns the classic dish into a delicious casserole your family will devour. My family absolutely adored this and they’ve been constantly asking to have it again. Y’all just have to try it. It’s saucy, cheesy goodness for real.
The other thing I want to share with you is these GelPro Elite comfort mats. As someone who spends a lot of time in the kitchen, I can tell you that it can be rough on your feet, legs, knees, hips, and back. When I was writing my cookbook and on my feet constantly testing recipes, I went out to a big box store and bought some mats to give me a little relief. And while they did offer comfort, I had no idea what I was missing out on. That is, until, the folks with Gel Pro reached out a few months ago and asked if they could send me a mat to try out.
Lisa McMahan and her husband founded the company right in their home in 2004 after she had had enough with foot, leg, and back pain after being in the kitchen. Today, they’ve sold more than 3 million comfort mats that are manufactured right in Waco, Texas.
With a variety of colors and sizes, I found one on their website that would best fit my kitchen and they sent it right to me. I now have 3 of these babies. Seriously. Right out of the box, I could tell these these mat were superior to the ones I had. They had some weight to them and that combined with their slip-resistant bottom means they didn’t get kicked around the kitchen like the old ones. Plus the cool gel layer made the mat extra comfortable while the foam core gave me lots of support. Despite the fact that I am usually barefoot at home, I had gotten in the habit of wearing shoes in the kitchen to give me the support and cushion I need – even with my old mats. Well, GelPro got those shoes off again – and I couldn’t be happier! But I wasn’t the only person in our house to fall in love… these mats are both of our dogs new favorite place to lay. We often have to compete for space on the mats.
Like many of the things in our kitchens, they’re an investment. But one that’s well worth it, in my opinion. Plus, they have a 5-year warranty. It’s one of the few things that you’ll use every single day in your kitchen. You can grab them in thousands of patterns and colors on their website at GelPro.com or find them at retailers like Amazon or Bed Bath and Beyond. They even offer a foam only Designer Comfort line right at your local Walmart.
Recipe Card
Chicken Parmesan Bake
Ingredients
- 1 lb (6 to 8 strips) frozen fully cooked breaded chicken tenders (I used Tyson Crispy Chicken Strips)
- 1 (16-ounce) box penne pasta
- 1 (24-ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 (8-ounce) package shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Cook the chicken and pasta according the directions on the packages.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9x13 casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Mix the cooked and drained pasta with the spaghetti sauce and tomato sauce. Pour it into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese. Chop the cooked chicken into 1-inch pieces and sprinkle over the pasta. Cover with the mozzarella cheese and bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until heated through and the cheese has melted.
Please note:
If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
This was AMAZING! So simple to make yet…soooooo unbelievably good – I love your recipes – they are what recipes should be, simple with immense flavor, enjoyment while eating and, the memories they evoke. Foo, foo food has it’s place somewhere but, you show that everyday food doesn’t have to be complicated to be delicious, Your recipes are for everyday living. So glad that you are here to give us these amazing recipes !!!!
Thank you so much, Gail! This comment put a huge smile on my face today!
Am trying this receipe tonight. Used 2 jars of sauce and fully cooked chicken breast fillets because they were on sale. Then I found this receipe, so I decided I would try it.
Hope it turns out great for you!!
I have been making this quite often since you first posted this recipe. I split the recipe in half and it makes several meals for me.
I recently discovered Ragu’s “Mama’s Special Garden Sauce“. This stuff is so good I can eat it straight out of the jar! In this recipe it is fantastic! A good green salad and some garlic bread….yum!
I’ve not seen that sauce but you can bet I’ll be looking for it! Glad to hear you’ve gotten some use out of this one!
I have my husband and 3 BIG teenage boys at home, and last night also had my grown son and a young man who works with my husband at the house for dinner. Both of those boys are big too. I made this for them, but used 2 whole rotisserie chickens cut up into bite sized pieces rather than the breaded chicken strips. My 9×13 pan is extra deep, so I figured as filling as all of the protein and pasta is, I’d have a bit left over. NOPE! I served this dish with a fresh salad, sauteed asparagus and some fresh garlic toast and had not one drop left. One of my sons who never goes back for seconds (and I’m a good cook!) went back for seconds, another did go back for seconds, and 3 of the boys went back for thirds. This dish was simple to make, didn’t take alot of time, was delicious and really went a long way. I added some Italian seasoning/basil to the pasta and sauce for a bit of added flavor. Great meal for my busy family of boys and the guests we always have at our dinner table! This would freeze well too, which I love. Thank you for the recipe! I’ve added it to my repertoire. 🙂
Thanks so much, Kass! Comments like this are exactly why I love doing what I do. So glad y’all enjoyed it and that I could help!
Stacey,
Just received your cookbook from Amazon! I could NOT put it down. I got so hungry I had to have a snack. I love that your recipes are straight forward with regular ingredients (not foo-foo stuff)! I also enjoy your comments throughout the book. I will make many of these dishes. I love your short cuts too.
Thanks SO much, Joan! I so appreciate you taking the time to leave me a comment. And I’m just tickled you’re enjoying the book. There’s so much of my heart in that thing! Enjoy!
Thanks for the chance
you better believe this is being made ASAP
Sure you you enjoy it, Deidre!
Looks so good!
Thanks!