Chicken-Stuffed Manicotti

This recipe is a variation of one my mom shared with me - she makes the BEST chicken-stuffed shells. I didn't have shells on hand, so I tried the same recipe with manicotti. Tastes the same, but I think I prefer stuffing shells over manicotti noodles.


Ingredients:

• 12-ounce box of jumbo shells or manicotti
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 12-oz box StoveTop low-sodium chicken-flavored stuffing
• 2 10.75-oz cans Campbell's Healthy Choice cream of chicken soup (or 1 chicken and 1 mushroom or celery)
  
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  
• 3-4 tbsp fat-free mayo (try 3 tbsp, if mixture is too dry, add a 4th)
• Seasonings of choice (I use seasoning salt, black pepper, garlic powder and oregano)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
   
2. In a medium pot, boil chicken breasts (I cut them into smaller pieces to help them cook through faster).
3. Prepare stuffing according to box directions (I omit the margarine and use chicken broth instead of water).
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine broth and cream soups (I use a whisk). Season to taste. Layer a 9x13" casserole dish with about a ladle-full of the soup mixture.
5. Prepare shells/manicotti according to directions on box. Drain and lay out on foil or parchment, so that they are cool to the touch.
   
6. Once chicken is done boiling, cut into small pieces (if not done already) and throw into a food processor or chopper. You want very tiny pieces - smaller than just shredding by hand (see picture).
7. Combine chopped chicken with prepared stuffing in a large bowl. Add mayo until you get a moist consistency (if you plan to have leftovers, add a little extra mayo - the mixture tends to dry easily after being in the fridge).
8. With this mixture, stuff the shells/manicotti. Line in one layer along the casserole dish.
9. Cover with soup mixture (I like to add a few sprinkles of fresh Parmesan to the top).
10. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes, or until soup mixture is bubbling and sides are brown.

**Hint for boiling chicken**

A friend of my mom's recently gave me this hint: Place a wooden spoon across the top of the pot while boiling your chicken. The chicken/fat will NOT boil over with the wooden spoon in place!! The fat will rise and wrap around the spoon but it won't spill over onto your stove. It gives you time to lower the heat if things are boiling too rapidly.

This is great for when I'm multitasking and can't watch the pot constantly.