Ree Drummond's Favorite Weeknight Dinner Is Our New Fall Go-To

When the lazy days of summer come to an end and fall hits, so do the busy weeknights. Whether you're running your kids around to practices, games, or playdates, or having a crazy week at work, the one thing you want is an easy dinner to throw together and get on the table quickly.

If anybody understands a busy weeknight, it's Ree Drummond. When she's not in the kitchen filming The Pioneer Woman, creating new cookware for her Walmart line, or running a magazine, the mother of five is always on-the-go around the ranch, visiting her children at college, or attending her son's football games.

Casseroles Make Easy Dinners

On nights like those, Drummond turns to a quick and easy meal: the casserole.

"I'm a big casserole fan. They always feel vintage to me … like something my grandmother would have made," she says. "But they're so great because you don't have to stand at the stove [and] it's not last-minute. You get it all together earlier in the day … and then can just decide when to bake it and dinnertime is low stress."

Drummond, who recently released a new line of snack mixes at Walmart, says her favorite types of casseroles are the ones that take a classic recipe and deconstruct it.

"I love turning regular recipes into casserole form. For instance, a chicken Parmesan casserole or one of my recent favorites is a chicken bacon ranch casserole," she explains.

But, really any extra cheesy dish is a win in the Drummond household. "Any casserole where you get a spoonful out and it leaves a big cheese pull behind is my favorite kind of casserole," she says with a laugh.

We recreated The Pioneer Woman's Chicken Parmesan Pasta Bake, and, let's just say, it's becoming a permanent fixture on our fall/winter dinner rotation — or anytime we need a little comfort food pick-me-up.

Chicken Parmesan Pasta Bake

Written by: Sara Haas
Total Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 pound ziti or penne pasta
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/4 pounds chicken breast tenders or breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara or pasta sauce
• 1/2 cup prepared pesto, divided
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella, half cut into 1/2-inch cubes and half thinly sliced
• 1 cup plain panko breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and coat a large baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta following package directions. Drain and reserve.
3. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon butter and oil in a large deep-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Once butter has melted, add chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in pasta sauce then add cooked pasta and stir. Pour half of the mixture into the prepared baking dish; scatter mozzarella cubes and spoon half of the pesto over the top of the pasta. Cover with the remaining pasta mixture and top with remaining pesto and sliced mozzarella.
4. Melt remaining tablespoon of butter. Combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in a small bowl, add the melted butter and stir to combine. Distribute evenly over the top of the pasta.
5. Bake, uncovered until cheese is melted and breadcrumbs are golden, about 20 to 25 minutes.
6. Cool 10 minutes, then garnish with basil just before serving.