Cooktop Cove: Spice up your weeknight chicken and pasta with chicken and spinach manicotti!
By Audrey Michels
If you're tired of the same old chicken and pasta, why not spice things up with this decadent chicken and spinach manicotti? It’s the perfect example of a few ingredients combining to create tons of flavor; quick enough to make on the busiest weeknight, and tasty enough to compete with your favorite Italian takeout!
Everything cooks together in one pan, which means fewer dishes; plus the combination of chicken, pasta, cheese, and spinach makes this the perfect stand-alone dinner for a busy weeknight!
Chicken and spinach manicotti
4
15 minutes
25 minutes
40 minutes
½ 15-ounce container ricotta cheese, drained
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded and separated
2 cup fresh baby spinach, cooked and drained
½ teaspoon tarragon (dried)
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg
1 26-ounce jar tomato sauce
½ 8-ounce package manicotti shells, cooked, drained and cooled
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, spinach, half of the mozzarella, the seasonings, and the egg.
Spread out a thin, even layer of the tomato sauce along the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Stuff the manicotti shells with the cheese mixture by scooping it into a plastic bag, cutting off the corner, and piping the mixture into the shells.
Lay the shells out across the baking dish, leaving enough space for the chicken breasts to sit between them. Top the shells and chicken breasts with the remaining tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese.
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken breasts have cooked through. Allow to cool slightly before serving.