Weeknight Chicken Veggie Casserole

Some people don't really like casseroles, and I totally understand. They can look pretty unattractive (no matter how great the lighting and angle, as you'll see in a sec), and who knows what people hide in them. However, there are some GREAT pros to casseroles.

#1. You can throw just about anything in them, and they still taste good.

#2. You can throw healthy anythings in them, and they still taste good.

#3. They're economical.

#4. They're a great use for leftovers. See #1 and #2.

This dish happens to be one of those old stand-by's that my mom used to make. Consequently, it's turned into one of those for me as well. My husband is one of those people who doesn't particularly like casseroles. He doesn't like cream based dishes, and he doesn't trust what's in it.

Except this one.

It's tomato based, so it's not overly heavy. And I throw in ingredients that he normally eats (and a couple that he doesn't... but don't tell him). He also loves it, because he figured out how cheap it is to make. I always make this casserole with leftover chicken from the night before. It doesn't really matter what kind either... grilled, lemon-pepper, roasted... it all works.

The best part is that you can make this casserole on a Sunday/Monday night, and the fam can eat off of it for several days (obviously depends on the size of your family, but you get the idea).

Enjoy!

Weeknight Chicken-Veggie Casserole

(Original recipe by my momma)

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) box rotini pasta (also works with ziti, bowtie, etc... pick a favorite and go for it). To add more nutrition, go for whole wheat.
• 2 jars marinara sauce (I recommend Newman's Own Socarooni; it has a bunch of good stuff added in it that mixes well with the rest of the ingredients).
• 2 cups Italian-style shredded cheese (or more, if you like), divided.
• 1 (16 ounce) bag of frozen mixed veggies (peas, carrots, corn, etc), thawed (Tip: get the steam-in-a-bag kind to save some time).
• 2 cups cooked chicken, cubed or torn into small pieces. (this also works well with ground beef/turkey, if you want to use that instead).
• Optional: I like to kick up the nutrition and a little ground flax seed to the mix. You can't taste it, and it's a great way to give your kids a nutrition boost without them even knowing it.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cook pasta according to package instructions and drain. In a large bowl, mix pasta, marinara sauce, 1 cup shredded cheese, veggies, chicken, and flax seed. Pour into a 9x13 casserole dish. Top with remaining shredded cheese (sprinkle a little Parmesan on top, if you like).

Bake in oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Yields 8-10 (or more) servings.