This post was written in a paid partnership with Manitoba Chicken Producers. As always, all opinions are my own and I only promote products and services that I use and love.
Spring break is just around the corner and that means kids are home from school and will at some point be a) hungry and b) bored. These Chicken Ricotta Lasagna Rolls are a great way to get the kids in the kitchen to keep them busy AND feed them.
60-Second Recipe
As I mentioned in How to prep Chicken – One Pan Chicken Souvlaki, Manitoba Chicken Producers has 60-Second Recipe videos on manitobachicken.ca to teach you how to make over 50 of their recipes. There is a video for these Chicken and Ricotta Lasagna Rolls too, so if you have older kids who are independent in the kitchen, you can set them up with the groceries and the link and let them have fun cooking dinner.
Bake One, Freeze One
This recipe is a great one to double and freeze for another meal. You can divide it in portions that are suitable for you. I like to use foil containers to freeze these, so that I don’t have to freeze my everyday baking dishes.
Versatile & Adaptable
Chicken & Ricotta Lasagna Rolls are adaptable, and you can tweak the flavors based on ingredients you already have on hand. For my take on this recipe, I substituted the swiss chard with sundried tomatoes and the thyme for my Three Herb Pesto. You could also use spinach, shredded zucchini, or mushrooms instead of the swiss chard. If using zucchini or mushrooms, be sure to sauté them first, to release some of the moisture.
Since I doubled the recipe, I made half with the cream sauce, as stated in the original recipe, and used marinara sauce for the other half. You can also use different pasta shapes for these Chicken & Ricotta Lasagna Rolls. I tested this recipe using fresh lasagna sheets and oven-ready cannelloni shells. You could also use jumbo shell pasta or regular lasagna noodles (be sure to cook them and cool them before filling).
Tips for Assembling Chicken & Ricotta Lasagna Rolls
This recipe is so easy to prepare. Younger children can help mix the ingredients and dollop the filling on to the lasagna sheets. When I was using the oven-ready cannelloni, I used a piping bag to fill the tubes. This technique might be tricky (but fun!) for tiny hands but will make filling them a breeze for a teen or an adult.
Also, be sure to cover the rolls completely with whichever sauce you choose to use. I made the mistake of leaving some of the edges uncovered and they got a bit crispy.
Tips for Freezing and Storing Chicken & Ricotta Lasagna Rolls
There are two important food safety tips you need to know for making and freezing these lasagna rolls. First, when you bring the ground chicken home from the store, be sure to use it within two days. Second, when freezing the lasagna rolls, they will keep in the freezer for up to three months. Be sure to label your foil pans with the name of the recipe and the date so you know how long they have been in your freezer.
When thawing the rolls before cooking them, be sure to thaw them in the refrigerator the night before you would like to cook them.
These Chicken & Ricotta Lasagna Rolls are delicious leftover as well. I thought they were even better the next day! Be sure to consume leftovers within two days. For more chicken-related food safety tips, head to the Cooking School section at manitobachicken.ca and click Cooking, Storing or Handling in the dropdown menu.
How to Serve Chicken & Ricotta Lasagna Rolls
These lasagna rolls pair well with a Caesar salad and garlic or focaccia bread. Which variation will you make? Head to manitobachicken.ca for the recipe and to watch the 60-Second video.