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Leftover Chicken Dinner


  • Author: Mia McKenny
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings

Description

Turn leftover cooked chicken into a quick breakfast, easy dinner, healthy snack, or one of your favorite dinner ideas with this creamy baked Leftover Chicken Dinner. This easy recipe wraps tender chicken in pasta, covers it with a rich mushroom cream sauce, and bakes it until hot, bubbly, and full of cozy flavor, making it one of those food ideas and breakfast ideas for busy days when you want something comforting, simple, and satisfying.


Ingredients

2 cups cooked shredded chicken

12 cannelloni or manicotti pasta tubes

2 tablespoons butter

1 small onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Cooking spray


Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Cook the pasta tubes until just al dente if your package requires pre-cooking, then drain and let them cool enough to handle.

3. In a medium bowl, mix the shredded chicken with 1/2 cup mozzarella, 1/4 cup Parmesan, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

4. Fill each pasta tube with the chicken mixture and arrange them in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.

5. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, then cook the onion for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.

6. Add the garlic and mushrooms, then sauté until the mushrooms release their liquid and begin to brown.

7. Stir in the cream of mushroom soup, chicken broth, remaining heavy cream, Italian seasoning, remaining salt, and remaining black pepper.

8. Simmer the sauce for 3 to 5 minutes until smooth and slightly thickened.

9. Pour the sauce evenly over the filled pasta tubes.

10. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan over the top.

11. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.

12. Remove the foil and bake for 10 more minutes, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling.

13. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes if you want a more golden top.

14. Rest for 5 minutes, then sprinkle with parsley and serve warm.

Notes

Slightly undercook the pasta so it stays tender and does not fall apart while baking.

Add a splash of broth when reheating leftovers to bring back the creamy texture.

Rotisserie chicken works especially well here because it is tender, flavorful, and saves time.

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: 468
  • Sugar: 4g
  • Sodium: 820mg
  • Fat: 24g
  • Saturated Fat: 13g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 9g
  • Trans Fat: 0.5g
  • Carbohydrates: 30g
  • Fiber: 2g
  • Protein: 31g
  • Cholesterol: 96mg

Keywords: leftover chicken dinner, easy chicken pasta bake, creamy chicken pasta, baked chicken dinner, easy dinner, comfort food, leftover chicken recipe