Chicken Manicotti

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons margarine
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 1/4 cups chicken stock
• 1 1/2 cups skim milk
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 dash cayenne pepper
• 4 ounces reduced-fat cheddar cheese, shredded
• 3/4 cup celery, chopped fairly finely
• 3/4 cup onion, chopped
• 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded
• 12 manicotti, cooked

Recipe

• 1 melt 3 t margarine in large saucepan over medium heat.
• 2 add garlic and cook until it starts to sizzle.
• 3 add the flour and stir one minute (no browning).
• 4 slowly whisk in 2 cups of chicken stock and the milk until it comes to a boil.
• 5 cook and stir one minute more.
• 6 remove all but 2 cups of the sauce and set aside.
• 7 to the remaining 2 cups of sauce add the cheese and stir over low heat until it melts; set aside.
• 8 in a skillet, saute the onion and celery in the remaining 1/4 cup chicken stock until it is soft, about 15 minutes.
• 9 combine the vegetables and chicken with the cheeseless sauce.
• 10 carefully fill each manicotti shell with 1/3 cup filling and place in a 9x13-inch baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick spray.
• 11 pour the cheese sauce evenly over the manicotti and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes til hot and bubbly.