Print

Chicken Cannelloni

Chicken cannelloni baked in a creamy herb sauce in a white baking dish
Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Tender cannelloni tubes stuffed with a creamy mixture of chicken, ricotta, and spinach, baked in a golden herb cream sauce. An easy and satisfying family dinner with 41 grams of protein per serving.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 cannelloni tubes
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 cooked chicken breasts, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
  • 8–10 oz baby spinach
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup pasta sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Cook cannelloni tubes in boiling salted water for 5 minutes only. Drain, rinse with cool water, and set aside until cool enough to handle.
  2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
  3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and saute for 2 minutes until translucent. Stir in minced garlic and chopped chicken and cook for 4 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Pour in the milk and simmer for 2 minutes until most liquid evaporates. Stir in ricotta cheese until smooth and well blended.
  5. Add baby spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes until wilted and bright green. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.
  6. Spoon pasta sauce evenly over the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.
  7. Fill each cannelloni tube with the chicken mixture using a spoon or piping bag. Arrange in a single layer over the pasta sauce.
  8. Whisk together half-and-half, Parmesan, basil, oregano, nutmeg, salt, and pepper until fully combined. Pour evenly over the cannelloni.
  9. Bake uncovered for 18-20 minutes until the top is golden brown and the cream has reduced. Cover loosely with foil if the top browns too quickly.
  10. Let rest for 3-5 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken before spooning over the cannelloni and serving.

Notes

  • Use rotisserie chicken to save prep time without sacrificing flavor.
  • Par-cook the tubes for only 5 minutes to keep them firm enough to stuff. They finish cooking in the oven.
  • A piping bag makes stuffing the cannelloni much faster and cleaner than a spoon.
  • Let the dish rest after baking so the sauce thickens to the perfect consistency before serving.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.benefitiany.com/chicken-cannelloni/