Pesto-Chicken Manicotti

Clever steps and easy ingredients, like prepared pesto and pre-cut chicken tenders, help you make perfect stuffed pasta in less time. MORE+ LESS-

By Betty Crocker Kitchens

February 26, 2010

jar (16 oz) Alfredo pasta sauce

1 1/2

cups water

teaspoon garlic powder

package (1 1/4 lb) uncooked chicken breast tenders (not breaded) (14 tenders)

teaspoon Italian seasoning

uncooked manicotti pasta shells (8 oz)

cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz)

large tomato, chopped (1 cup)

1/3

cup basil pesto

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1

Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, mix pasta sauce, water and garlic powder. In ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish, spread about one-third (1 cup) of the pasta sauce mixture.
2

In medium bowl, sprinkle chicken tenders with Italian seasoning. Stuff chicken into uncooked manicotti shells. Place shells on pasta sauce in baking dish. Pour remaining pasta sauce mixture evenly over shells, covering completely.
3

Cover with foil. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until shells are tender. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered 2 to 4 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with tomato. Serve with pesto.

For more garlic flavor, use a garlic-flavored Alfredo sauce.
Don’t have chicken tenders? Just cut 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts into long strips to make about 14 pieces.