Chicken Manicotti With Red Pepper Cream Sauce

Delicious stuffed manicotti shells with the most amazing red pepper cream sauce! This recipe serves six, but may be doubled easily if desired.

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 12  large  manicotti
• 1 -2  tablespoon  oil
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, cut up (reduced fat is okay)
• 3⁄4 cup half-and-half cream or 3⁄4 cup  whole milk
• 1⁄2 cup  roasted sweet red pepper, chopped, more if desired
• 1 (4 ounce) jar diced pimentos, drained (optional)
• 4  tablespoons  grated parmesan cheese
• 2  cups  diced  cooked chicken or 2  cups  diced  cooked turkey
• 1 (10 ounce) package  frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and well drained
• 2 -3  tablespoons  thinly sliced onions
•  salt and pepper

Directions

1. Set oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease a 3-quart baking dish.
3. Cook the pasta until tender; drain and rinse under cold water, toss with 1-2 Tbsp oil so the pasta won't stick together; set aside.
4. Meanwhile, for the sauce, in a heavy-bottomed small saucepan, stir the cream cheese and 1/4 cup half and half over med-low heat until smooth.
5. Stir in remaining half and half cream.
6. Stir in the sweet peppers OR pimiento (if using), and Parmesan cheese; heat through, and mix.
7. For the filling, in a large bowl, stir together 3/4 cup of the sauce (set the remaining sauce aside), the cooked chicken, broccoli, onion, salt and pepper.
8. Using a small spoon, stuff each manicotti with about 1/4 cup of the filling.
9. Place in the prepared baking dish.
10. Bake, covered for 20-30 minutes, or until heated through.
11. Place 2 manicotti on each serving plate, spoon sauce over the shells.
12. NOTE:If desired, fresh minced garlic may be added to the cream sauce.