main meals

Ingredients

• 12 shells uncooked jumbo shells
• 1 1/2 cup canned tomato sauce
• 2 medium egg white(s), lightly beaten
• 1 3/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 4 oz chicken breast, cooked, skinless, diced
• 3/4 cup chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained of excess water
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp ground oregano, or other Italian seasoning
• 3/4 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350ºF.
• Cook manicotti shells in boiling water according to the package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to prevent them from cooking further. Set aside.
• Coat a 9 x 13-inch pan with cooking spray. Spread 1/2 cup of sauce evenly over bottom of pan and set aside.
• For filling, in a large bowl, stir together egg whites, ricotta cheese, chicken, spinach, garlic powder and seasoning. Stir in 1/4 cup each of mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese.
• To assemble, spoon cheese mixture into manicotti shells and place filled shells in a single layer in baking dish. Spread remaining sauce on top. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses and bake about 30 minutes. Yields 3 shells per serving.