Ready to make one of the easiest Italian dishes of all time? Unbeatable Chicken Manicotti is extremely simple to whip up and even easier to enjoy! Tender, yummy manicotti (fun fact: that means “little sleeves” in Italian) noodles, get packed to the brim with a creamy, savory, cheesy chicken filling. The flavor gets even better thanks to a rich, buttery Alfredo sauce that’s tasty enough you’ll want a breadstick around to make sure you enjoy every last drop of its goodness. Unbeatable Chicken Manicotti is just more delicious, satisfying proof that simple cooking does not have to be boring!
Ingredients
For the filling:
- 1 (8-ounce) package manicotti
- 3 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
- 1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, defrosted and drained
- 2 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
- 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, shredded and divided
- 3/4 cup parmesan, freshly grated and divided
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- kosher salt, to taste
- ground black pepper, to taste
- red pepper flakes, to taste
For the Alfredo sauce:
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup parmesan, freshly grated
- juice of 1/2 a lemon
- 2 tablespoons parsley, plus more for garnish, freshly chopped
- kosher salt, to taste
- ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Step 2 –In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the manicotti until al dente according to the package directions. Drain.
Step 3 –While the pasta is cooking, in a large bowl, stir the chicken, the spinach, the ricotta, 1 cup of the mozzarella, 1/2 cup of the parmesan, and the Italian seasoning together.
Step 4 –Season the filling with the salt, the pepper, and the red pepper flakes to taste.
Step 5 –In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter.
Step 6 –Add the garlic to the melted butter and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 7 –Whisk the flour into the butter mixture and cook for 1 minute.
Step 8 –Pour the milk into the flour mixture, whisking constantly, and bring to a simmer.
Step 9 –Stir 1/2 cup of the parmesan into the sauce mixture until it thickens, about 2-3 minutes.
Step 10 –Add the lemon juice and the parsley to the sauce mixture and season with the salt and the pepper.
Step 11 –In the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish, evenly spoon a couple scoops of the sauce.
Step 12 –Spoon the ricotta mixture into the cooked manicotti and place them into the baking dish.
Step 13 –Top the pasta mixture with the remaining sauce and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and the remaining parmesan.
Step 14 –Cover and bake until the cheese is melty, about 15-20 minutes.
Step 15 –Garnish with the parsley and serve.
