Chicken Manicotti

This recipe won a blue ribbon at the State Fair of Texas a couple of years ago. It is absolutely wonderful and quite easy to prepare and even easier to eat. Chef: Ronda Porter - State Fair of Texas Blue Ribbon Winner

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) package  manicotti pasta shells
• 4  cups  cooked chicken, finely chopped
• 2 (8 ounce) containers chive & onion cream cheese
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
• 1⁄4 cup  tastefully simple dried tomato & garlic pesto sauce (I could not find this combo, so I bought Sun Dried Tomato Pesto and added minced garlic to make my o)
• 1  cup  shredded mozzarella cheese, for mixture
• 1  cup  shredded mozzarella cheese, for topping
• 2 (26 ounce) jars  pasta sauce (use 1 jar for each dish)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Set aside.
3. Mix together chicken, cream cheese, spinach, Tastefully Simple Dried Tomato & Garlic Pesto and one cup mozzarella cheese.
4. Pour 1/3 jar pasta sauce in bottom of baking dish.
5. Cut manicotti tubes down one side and spoon 1/2 cup chicken mixture into each shell.
6. Roll and place into 11 x 7 inch glass baking dish.
7. Pour remaining jar of pasta sauce over the top taking care to cover the pasta.
8. Sprinkle ½ cup cheese on top and bake for 30 minutes.
9. Makes two casseroles. Freezes well.
10. Optionally you could replace the chicken with Italian sausage.
11. I personally use beer can chicken which has a smokey flavor.