- Egg free
- Nut free
- Peanut free
- Seafood free
- Sesame free
- Shellfish free
- Soy free
- No added sugar
- High in dietary fibre
- High in protein
If you are looking for the best chicken cannelloni recipe, this version featuring spinach and ricotta is the one for you!
- Serves4
- Cook time45 minutes
- Prep time25 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 cups finely chopped skinless barbecue chicken
- 60g pkt baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
- 100g fresh ricotta, crumbled
- 425g tub Coles Kitchen Creamy Carbonara Sauce
- 250g instant cannelloni tubes
- 425g tub Coles Tomato and Basil Sauce
- 2 cups (200g) grated pizza cheese
- Fresh basil leaves, to serve
Nutritional information
Check ingredient labels to make sure they meet your specific dietary requirements and always consult a health professional before changing your diet. View dietary information here.
Percentage Daily Intake information on our recipes is calculated using the nutrition reference values for an average Australian adult.
Method
Step 1
Preheat oven to 200ºC.
Step 2
Combine the chicken, spinach, basil and ricotta in a large bowl. Add the carbonara sauce and stir to combine. Season. Spoon or pipe the chicken mixture evenly among the cannelloni tubes.
Step 3
Spoon 1/2 cup (125ml) tomato and basil sauce into the base of an 8-cup (2L) 20cm x 26cm (base measurement) rectangular ovenproof dish. Place cannelloni over the pasta sauce. Spoon over the remaining pasta sauce. Cover with foil and bake for 30-35 mins or until the pasta is tender.
Step 4
Uncover the cannelloni and sprinkle with pizza cheese. Bake for 10-15 mins or until cheese is golden. Sprinkle with basil to serve.
Recipe tip
COOK. STORE. SAVE.
Clever storage: You can keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat the cannelloni in an oven dish covered with foil.
Smart swap: If you don’t have cannelloni tubes, you can use leftover fresh lasagne sheets. Simply roll up the filling in the sheets to make your own tubes.
Chicken cannelloni recipe
Ahhh, cannelloni! There is something so special about this fabulous pasta bake. Not wholly dissimilar to a lasagne, where it differs is its unique construction. Instead of layering pasta sheets and filling, then topping with cheese or bechamel sauce like you would for a lasagne – or mixing all ingredients together in a classic pasta bake – cannelloni differentiates itself by placing the filling inside the pasta tubes and topping with sauce and cheese before baking. As with all pasta bakes, chicken cannelloni is the perfect comfort dish, whether it's a cold winter's night or you just want something that feels like a big hug from the inside.
What is cannelloni and where did it come from?
Considering it's a pasta-based dish, you’d be correct to assume its origin is Italy. A spin-off from lasagne, cannelloni is made using tubes of pasta filled with chicken, beef or spinach and ricotta, then smothered in sauce and baked. Cannelloni is a versatile dish that works with a variety of fillings. Whether you prefer a meaty beef cannelloni, a vegetarian spinach and ricotta version or a chicken and ricotta cannelloni, there is a cannelloni combination that works for every taste.
How to fill cannelloni tubes
If you’ve ever stuffed cannelloni with chicken, you’ll know the consistency of your filling is going to greatly impact how you fill your cannelloni tubes. The simplest and cleanest way to fill tubes (if the filling allows) is to pipe the filling into the tubes. If you don’t have a piping bag, you can stand tubes on a plate and fill them by spooning the filling into tubes standing upright before laying them down in the pan.
What to serve with cannelloni chicken
Choosing what to serve alongside your cannelloni masterpiece will depend on your taste preferences and also the time of year. This dish can be enjoyed all year round, but during summer you might be more inclined to dish it up with a fresh garden salad, while in winter you may want a more robust pumpkin and fetta salad or roasted cauliflower salad. Regardless of the season, why not throw in some garlic bread for good measure!
Love this recipe?
Hungry for more cannelloni? Once you’ve mastered chicken cannelloni recipes, try tuna, ricotta and spinach cannelloni or a quick and easy ricotta and silverbeet version.
