I love a freezer meal that doesn’t feel like a quick, cheap meal. For some reason, when I make this meal it seems a bit more sophisticated than some of the other freezer meals I make.
I’ll even go so far as to say it tastes more sophisticated. Which is to say it tastes awesome. Holy taste buds explosion!
Freezer Meal – Chicken and Spinach Stuffed Manicotti
Description
I love a freezer meal that doesn’t feel like a quick, cheap meal. For some reason, when I make this meal it seems a bit more sophisticated than some of the other freezer meals I make. I’ll even go so far as to say it tastes more sophisticated. Which is to say it tastes awesome.
Ingredients
1 lb shredded chicken {I shred it like THIS}
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 {24 oz} jar of spaghetti sauce or 3 1/2 cups homemade tomato sauce
2 cups cooked spinach leaves
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 {1 lb} tub cottage cheese {you could use ricotta if you’d rather}
2 tbsp parsley
9 manicotti noodles, cooked then placed in cold water to cool
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese {I sometimes bump this up to 2 cups}
Instructions
In large skillet, mix onions, salt and garlic powder {I add a dash of olive oil} and cook until onions are translucent. Set aside to cool. Combine spinach, cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese and parsley in a separate bowl. Mix until combined and then add onions and chicken.
Next up, you’ll stuff the shells. I try to divide my chicken mixture out into 9 parts in the bowl to get a feel for how much should go into each shell. Then I gently stuff each shell and place into the bottom of a disposable 9×13 pan {I always coat the bottom of my pan with a bit of spaghetti sauce to keep the noodles from sticking}. Once all 9 shells are stuffed and arranged, pour sauce over shells and sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top. Recipe makes one freezer meal.
Notes
To Cook: Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until cooked through.
To Freeze: Cover with foil and place pan on a cookie sheet so it freezes flat. When ready to use cook from frozen for 60 -75 minutes at 350 degrees.
Looking for more easy freezer meal ideas? See the full list of freezer meals HERE. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Roadside Sliders Recipe
- Easy Freezer Meal Meatballs
- Peach Crisp Recipe
- Cilantro Lime Chicken
- Chicken Cacciatore
- Chicken Casserole with Mashed Potato Topping
Links to freezer pans I commonly use:
- Aluminum Foil Pan Containers with Lids 8.5″ x 6″ x 3″
- Aluminum Foil Deep Pans 9″ x 13″
- Round 9 Inch Aluminum Foil Pans with lids
Find More of My Freezer Meal Recipes
Tara says
I’m new to freezing meals ahead — Do you bake the dish fully first and then freeze? Or just prep everything with cooked meat, and then freeze?
Mavis Butterfield says
Prep everything with cooked meat, and then freeze.
Zana Kelly says
This looks amazing, could you use an Alfredo sauce ? If you could, would a jar sauce or homemade hold up frozen better?
Thanks!
Kristin says
I have never been able to get potatoes to freeze without them turning brown and gross.
Jessica says
Could I freeze this in a gallon bag instead of a pan? I have limited space in my freezer and I already will be having a couple pans of lasagna taking up space! Thanks!
Les Jordan says
Hi! Im leaving town for a week and I’m not sure how well cooking from frozen will go……LOL Is it possible to go ahead and cook them, then freeze them so they can just be warmed up when the boys are ready to eat?
Thanks so much!
Jaye says
Hi, Did you use frozen spinach? Or cook down spinach in the bag?
Thanks!
Mavis Butterfield says
2 cups cooked spinach leaves.
Jaye says
I get the cooked thing but did you get spinach in a bag? or thaw out frozen?
Mavis Butterfield says
Hi Jaye,
We made this recipe 6 years ago and I have no idea if we used fresh spinach and cooked it down first, or used frozen spinach. I do know you need 2 cups of cooked spinach to make this recipe though. So whether you get a big bag of spinach and cook it down and fill up 2 measuring cups with cooked spinach or you thaw and drain 2 cups of cooked spinach it’s all the same amount in the end. I hope that helps.
Sarah says
I used two boxes of frozen spinach defrosted and squeezed of access moisture, it was more then enough spinach
Elizabeth O'Sullivan says
Found this recipe but had a bunch of tomato heavy meals frozen already. I mixed a jar of pesto and a jar of alfredo sauce with some water in place of the tomato sauce.
I also used a brick of frozen chopped spinach I had in the freezer, defrosted and drained it.
It came out so good!
Sally says
Can I prep this and leave in fridge overnight for cooking the next day or should it still be frozen?