MANICOTTI WITH CHICKEN & SPINACH

MANICOTTI WITH CHICKEN & SPINACH image

Yield 4 servings (2 ea)

Number Of Ingredients 10

Olive Oil
1/2 lb ground (or minced) white chicken or turkey meat
1/2 cut yellow onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups nonfat small-curd cottage cheese
1 teaspoon dried thyme or basil
1 egg
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
2 1/2 cups tomato sauce
8 dried manicott tubes

Steps:

In a frying pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the chicken and onion and cook, breaking up the meat with a spatula until the meat is opaque throughout, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool for 10 minutes. Put the spinach in a fine mesh sieve, press against it with the back of a spoon to remove any liquid. Add to the chicken along iwth the cottage cheese, thyme, egg, Parmesan, 1/2t sale and 1/4 t pepper. Use a wooden spoon to blend. Preheat the oven to 325F. Spread 1/3 c of the tomato sauce over the bottom of an 8X12" baking dish. Bring a large pot 3/4 full of salted water to a boil. Add the manicotti tubes and cook until almost al dente (8 min). Drain & rinse under cold water. Drain. Stuff each tube with about 1/3c of the filling. Arrange in a single layer in the baking dish and spoon the remaining sauce over the top. Cover with al foil & bake until suace bubbles around the edges of the dish and the filling is heated through. 40 minutes. Let stand, uncovered, for 5 minutes.