Description
Brighten up pasta night with these zesty Lemon Chicken Manicotti tubes. Creamy, tangy, and totally irresistible.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 manicotti pasta tubes (8 oz package)
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast, finely diced (about 2 medium breasts)
- 15 oz ricotta cheese, whole milk
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded and divide
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (for sauce)
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook manicotti for 5 minutes (slightly underdone). Transfer to ice bath, drain, and lay on paper towels to dry.
- Combine chicken, ricotta, ½ cup mozzarella, Parmesan, eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, Italian seasoning, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Transfer filling to a piping bag or zip-top bag with corner snipped. Pipe filling into manicotti tubes from both ends.
- Arrange filled manicotti in a single layer in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
- In a saucepan, combine marinara sauce, heavy cream, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Heat until warmed through, about 3-4 minutes.
- Pour sauce over stuffed manicotti. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup mozzarella cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for additional 10 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil.