Chicken Manicotti

If you love chicken Alfredo, or other cheesy chicken pasta dishes, you’ll love this pasta bake. Rich chicken manicotti are stuffed with a creamy chicken, mushroom and onion filling, then baked blanketed in cheesy bechamel sauce similar to the ones in our most beloved mac-and-cheese recipes. Though the step of filling manicotti can be a little tedious, this is otherwise a quick and easy recipe that can be made largely out of fridge and pantry staples, but it’s flexible enough to accommodate any extra flavors or ingredients you’d like to add to the filling to make your own riff.

Serve these cheesy chicken manicotti alongside a crunchy salad with vinaigrette and a hunk of garlic bread for mopping up the sauce.

Ingredients for Chicken Manicotti

• Cream cheese and sour cream: Two rich, creamy elements create a tangy base for the chicken and mushroom manicotti filling.
• Parsley: Finely chopped parsley peppers the chicken manicotti filling with cheerful green flecks and adds a pleasant freshness to complement its richness.
• Chicken: This cheesy chicken manicotti recipe makes use of cooked and cubed chicken. You can use leftover roasted chicken, store-bought rotisserie chicken or even canned chicken.
• Onion: Sauteed onion in a little butter establishes a savory flavor base for the creamy chicken filling.
• Mushrooms: We call for canned mushroom pieces, but you can also use chopped button or cremini mushrooms instead. Saute them first to give the filling the best flavor and drive off any extra moisture, lest they make the chicken manicotti soggy.
• Butter, all-purpose flour and milk: These three ingredients are the foundation of a bechamel sauce, one of the five mother sauces of French cuisine. Whisking butter and flour together over heat begins the sauce with a roux, then the milk is slowly whisked in. The mixture thickens and then acts as a base for melted cheese in this recipe.
• Manicotti: Think of manicotti as an extra large version of penne. They are a large type of tube-shaped pasta.
• Cheese: A combination of cheeses—Parmesan plus your choice of Monterey Jack or cheddar—flavors the bechamel sauce. Extra sprinkled on top of the chicken manicotti melts into gooey strands in the oven.

Directions 

Step 1: Start the manicotti filling

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In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in the sour cream, parsley, salt and pepper until blended, then stir in the chicken.

Step 2: Cook the onion and mushrooms

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In a small skillet, cook the onion and mushrooms in butter until they’re tender, then add them to the chicken mixture.

Step 3: Stuff the manicotti shells

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Stuff the filling into the cooked manicotti shells.

Step 4: Make the cheese sauce

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In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and salt until smooth. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring it to a boil, then cook and stir for two minutes, or until thickened. Stir in 2-1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, just until melted.

Step 5: Assemble the manicotti

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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread about 1/2 cup of cheese sauce in each of two greased 11×7-inch baking dishes. Top it with the stuffed shells and remaining sauce.

Step 6: Bake the manicotti

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Cover and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with the remaining cheeses, then bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted.

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Chicken Manicotti Variations 

• Add vegetables: Add finely diced, sauteed broccoli, zucchini or yellow squash, or greens cooked with garlic, to the chicken filling.
• Swap out the sauce: Replace the creamy bechamel-based cheese sauce with a marinara sauce or a creamy pesto sauce instead.
• Take a sauce shortcut: Use a jarred Alfredo sauce in place of the cheese sauce. Sprinkle cheese on top as directed.
• Add garlic: Add a few cloves of chopped fresh garlic to the onion and mushroom mixture when you saute it, or fold roasted garlic cloves into either the filling or the sauce. Yum.

How to Store Chicken Manicotti

Store leftover chicken manicotti in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Can you make chicken-stuffed manicotti ahead of time?

Yes, you can make manicotti ahead of time! This recipe can be assembled and refrigerated for up to three days; just remove it from the fridge 30 minutes before baking as directed.

Can you freeze chicken manicotti?

You can. Transfer individual portions of cooled manicotti to freezer containers before freezing. When you’re ready to eat, partially thaw the portions in the refrigerator overnight, then transfer them to a microwave-safe dish and microwave on high.

Manicotti can also be assembled and frozen before baking, for up to two months. When you’re ready to eat it, partially thaw it in the refrigerator overnight. Remove it from the fridge 30 minutes before baking, and bake as directed, increasing the time as needed until a thermometer inserted in the center reads 165°.

Chicken Manicotti Tips

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Do you need to boil the manicotti before filling them?

Though some recipes call for stuffing the manicotti noodles without cooking them first, this chicken manicotti recipe is not one of them. We recommend you cook the noodles ahead of time in salted water, just as you would any pasta. Once they’re cooked to al dente, drain them and fill them with the chicken filling.

What is the easiest way to stuff manicotti?

Stuffing cooked manicotti noodles can be challenging. The easiest way we’ve found is to use a pastry bag without a tip. Once the filling is cool, spoon it into the bag, then squeeze it into the cooked pasta tubes. You can also use a zip-top plastic bag, with a corner snipped off, in the same way.

What pasta can you substitute for manicotti?