Mexican Manicotti

Not only is this Mexican Manicotti recipe super easy to make, it's also delicious! Great comfort food!

This Mexican Manicotti recipe is a great twist on the classic Italian Manicotti dish. It makes a great weeknight dish when you are in the mood for something a little different.

If you are not familiar with manicotti noodles, they pretty much look like a 6-inch tube with a 1-inch diameter hole. They cook just like regular pasta noodles and are perfect for stuffing with your favorite filling.

💭 Recipe Tip

The easiest way I know of for filling the manicotti shells with the filling is to use a cake decorating bag. Put the cheese and spinach filling in the bag and pipe it into the shell. If you don't have a cake decorating bag you can use a zip lock bag by cutting a small piece of one of the bottom corners at an angle.

For this manicotti recipe, it will be our Mexican inspired chicken filling. Chicken with a little ricotta and a few other ingredients make this a super flavorful Mexican Manicotti.

🐓 How to Handle Raw Chicken

Leave the chicken in the fridge until ready to use.
Be careful of dripping juices. Clean up immediately.
Do not wash raw chicken (which prevents cross-contamination).
Wash all utensils and cutting boards (if applicable).
If marinating the chicken, make sure you toss the juices before you cook. Don't ever use the juice from the marinade.
Wash your hands after handling raw chicken.

For this recipe, you get to cook the chicken however you want. Personally, I like to use my Instant Pot Pressure Cooker to quickly cook up the breast. I just find it so convenient to do it this way.

For more great recipes with Ricotta Cheese, I suggest you check these recipes out:

📋 What Ingredients do I need

You will need the following ingredients to make this Mexican Manicotti recipe (see recipe card for quantities): Manicotti Shells, Chicken, Salsa, Ricotta Cheese, Black Olives, Fresh Parsley, Pimientos, Green Onions, Garlic Cloves, Tabasco Sauce and Mexican Blend Cheese.

🥣 How to make Mexican Manicotti

Cook the manicotti according to package directions. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
In a bowl, combine the chicken, ¼ cup salsa, ricotta cheese, olives, parsley, pimentos, green onion, garlic and tabasco sauce.
Drain the noodles in a colander. Let the noodles cool slightly until cool enough to handle. Fill each manicotti with the chicken mixture.
Spread ¼ cup salsa in the bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish. Place the manicotti shells on top of the salsa then top the shells with the remaining salsa.
Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with cheese and bake 5 to 10 minutes longer or until the cheese is melted and the filling is heated through.