Chicken & Vegetable Casseroles

Personal-sized casseroles are a nice change from the usual sheet pan or big baking dish. Sliced zucchini, tomato wedges, onion rings, sliced black olives, parsley, and basil get tossed together and divided between two individual baking dishes. A chicken breast half goes on top of each vegetable bed, dotted with margarine and seasoned simply with salt and pepper.

The chicken bakes right on top of the vegetables, so as it cooks, the juices drip down into the zucchini and tomato mixture below, flavoring everything without adding any stock or sauce. Forty minutes covered in the oven and the chicken is cooked through while the vegetables underneath have gone tender and saucy from their own released juices.

This is a light, clean dinner that doesn’t rely on cream, cheese, or heavy sauces. The olives and basil give it a Mediterranean character that pairs well with a side of crusty bread or a simple green salad.

Kitchen Tips

• Use individual casserole dishes or au gratin dishes so each serving bakes and serves in its own dish
• Halve any large zucchini slices so they cook evenly with the smaller pieces
• Cover tightly during baking. The steam trapped inside is what cooks the chicken through and softens the vegetables
• Fresh basil makes a noticeable difference over dried here, but either works

Variations

• Add a sprinkle of feta cheese over the chicken in the last 10 minutes for a Greek-style finish
• Swap zucchini for eggplant slices for a heartier, more substantial base
• Squeeze fresh lemon juice over each casserole right before serving for brightness