This recipe for chicken, spinach and ricotta cannelloni is adapted from a recipe I found on a blog called Diethood. I've included ingredients and instructions for making your own tomato sauce and have also changed the measurements and some ingredients to suit the UK.
I haven't made cannelloni very often, but wanted to make one using chicken instead of the traditional meat mixture. Spinach and ricotta is such a familiar and delicious combination, I decided this was the recipe I wanted to try.
The end result is a chicken, spinach and ricotta cannelloni that is so full of flavour and absolutely delicious. The filling and both sauces go so well together. It's a great dish that can be made ahead if you're entertaining guests.
Tips
- Only 225g of the tomato sauce is needed for the recipe. The ingredients will make more than is needed, however, this can be frozen and used another time, or use it on pizza.
- To cook the chicken, I like to poach it in stock – it makes it juicy and tender. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper then add to a saucepan on a high heat along with a chicken stock cube or pot and 500ml of cold water. When the water begins to boil, lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 16 minutes (turning once, halfway through cooking). Remove the chicken and set aside to cool on a plate before finely chopping it. The chicken stock can be used in a large selection of our other recipes.
- You might find that after you’ve boiled the cannelloni tubes that some of them will split open, don’t worry, they can easily be filled and rolled up for placing into the baking dish.
- The recipe is easily adapted if you’re cooking for less or more people.
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Ingredients
For the tomato sauce (see Tips):
- 1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 25ml extra virgin olive oil
- 400g can chopped tomatoes
- 0.5 tsp sugar
- 0.25 tsp salt, to taste
- 5 fresh basil leaves
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the cannelloni:
- 12 cannelloni tubes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 500g chicken breasts, cooked and finely chopped (see Tips)
- 120ml semi skimmed milk
- 250g ricotta cheese
- 250g baby spinach
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- basil leaves, to garnish
For the creamy sauce:
- 200g double cream - we use Elmlea to reduce the calories
- 160g semi skimmed milk
- 60g grated parmesan cheese
- 0.5 tsp dried basil
- 0.25 tsp dried oregano
- 0.125 tsp ground nutmeg
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
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Instructions
For the tomato sauce:
- Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a sauce pan over a medium heat, add the garlic and onions and sauté for 5 minutes.
- Add the can of tomatoes, salt, sugar, basil, and a few grinds of black pepper and simmer for 20 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Set aside until ready for assembling the cannelloni.
For the cannelloni:
- While the tomato sauce is simmering, cook the cannelloni tubes for 5 minutes in boiling water. Drain in a large colander, then rinse in cold water and set aside to cool for a few minutes, or just until cool enough to handle.
- Preheat the oven to 180C.
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan or skillet over medium to high heat.
- Add the onions and sauté for 2 minutes, then stir in the garlic and chicken and continue to cook for 4 minutes.
- Add the milk and simmer for 2 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the ricotta cheese until well combined. Then add the spinach and cook for 2 minutes, or until wilted. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
- Remove from the heat and set aside for a few minutes until it’s cool enough to handle.
- Spoon 225g of the tomato sauce on the bottom of a large baking dish (approx. 23cm x 32cm) and set aside.
- Using a spoon, your hands, or even a piping bag, stuff the prepared chicken mixture into the cannelloni tubes.
- Arrange the cannelloni in a single layer in the baking dish, on top of the tomato sauce and set aside.
For the creamy sauce:
- In a mixing bowl add the cream, milk, parmesan, basil, oregano, nutmeg, salt, and freshly ground black pepper, whisk until thoroughly combined.
- Pour the creamy sauce over the cannelloni.
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and it’s hot through.
- Remove from the oven and let it stand for 5 minutes, or until the sauce has slightly thickened.
- Stir the creamy sauce together with the tomato sauce and spoon it over the cannelloni, garnish with torn basil leaves and serve with some salad on the side (optional).
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Chicken, Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni
Ingredients
For the tomato sauce (see Notes):
- 1 small garlic clove finely chopped
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 25ml extra virgin olive oil
- 400g can chopped tomatoes
- 0.5 tsp sugar
- 0.25 tsp salt to taste
- 5 fresh basil leaves
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the cannelloni:
- 12 cannelloni tubes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 500g chicken breasts cooked and finely chopped (see Notes)
- 120ml semi skimmed milk
- 250g ricotta cheese
- 250g baby spinach
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- basil leaves to garnish
For the creamy sauce:
- 200g double cream we use Elmlea to reduce the calories
- 160g semi skimmed milk
- 60g grated parmesan cheese
- 0.5 tsp dried basil
- 0.25 tsp dried oregano
- 0.125 tsp ground nutmeg
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
For the tomato sauce:
- Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a sauce pan over a medium heat, add the garlic and onions and sauté for 5 minutes.
- Add the can of tomatoes, salt, sugar, basil, and a few grinds of black pepper and simmer for 20 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Set aside until ready for assembling the cannelloni.
For the cannelloni:
- While the tomato sauce is simmering, cook the cannelloni tubes for 5 minutes in boiling water. Drain in a large colander, then rinse in cold water and set aside to cool for a few minutes, or just until cool enough to handle (see Notes).
- Preheat the oven to 180C.
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan or skillet over medium to high heat.
- Add the onions and sauté for 2 minutes, then stir in the garlic and chicken and continue to cook for 4 minutes.
- Add the milk and simmer for 2 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the ricotta cheese until well combined. Then add the spinach and cook for 2 minutes, or until wilted. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
- Remove from the heat and set aside for a few minutes until it’s cool enough to handle.
- Spoon 225g of the tomato sauce on the bottom of a large baking dish (approx. 23cm x 32cm) and set aside.
- Using a spoon, your hands, or even a piping bag, stuff the prepared chicken mixture into the cannelloni tubes.
- Arrange the cannelloni in a single layer in the baking dish, on top of the tomato sauce and set aside.
For the creamy sauce:
- In a mixing bowl add the cream, milk, parmesan, basil, oregano, nutmeg, salt, and freshly ground black pepper, whisk until thoroughly combined.
- Pour the creamy sauce over the cannelloni.
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and it's hot through.
- Remove from the oven and let it stand for 5 minutes, or until the sauce has slightly thickened.
- Stir the creamy sauce together with the tomato sauce and spoon it over the cannelloni, garnish with torn basil leaves and serve with some salad on the side (optional).
Notes
- Only 225g of the tomato sauce is needed for the recipe. The ingredients will make more than is needed, however, this can be frozen and used another time, or use it on pizza.
- To cook the chicken, I like to poach it in stock – it makes it juicy and tender. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper then add to a saucepan on a high heat along with a chicken stock cube or pot and 500ml of cold water. When the water begins to boil, lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 16 minutes (turning once, halfway through cooking). Remove the chicken and set aside to cool on a plate before finely chopping it. The chicken stock can be used in a large selection of our other recipes.
- You might find that after you’ve boiled the cannelloni tubes that some of them will split open, don’t worry, they can easily be filled and rolled up for placing into the baking dish.
- The recipe is easily adapted if you’re cooking for less or more people.
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