Chicken Cannelloni with Creamy Filling: A Weeknight Winner
I made this for the first time on a Thursday night when I had leftover rotisserie chicken, half a tub of ricotta threatening to expire, and exactly zero motivation to do anything complicated. I stuffed twelve tubes of cannelloni at the kitchen counter in my socks, slid the dish into the oven, and sat down — and when I pulled it out forty minutes later, the top was this deep amber-gold and the whole kitchen smelled like a hug. But the first time I’d attempted cannelloni years before, it had been a soggy, splitting disaster that put me off the dish for two years.
This recipe gives you tender pasta tubes packed with a creamy, lightly seasoned chicken filling, baked under a béchamel that turns golden and just-set at the edges. It comes together in about 30 minutes of active work, uses cooked chicken (rotisserie is ideal), and feeds four people properly — no fussy technique, no splitting pasta.
Pro Tip
The mistake most home cooks make is filling cannelloni tubes with a mixture that’s too dry — the pasta absorbs moisture as it bakes and ends up tight and chewy, not tender. The fix: your filling should feel slightly wetter than you think is right before it goes in. Add 2–3 tablespoons (30–45 ml) of the béchamel directly into the chicken mixture before filling. That extra moisture steams the pasta from the inside out as it bakes, keeping every tube soft all the way through.
Dry cannelloni tubes are stocked in most large supermarkets in the pasta aisle — look for the ridged variety, which grips the sauce better. If you can’t find them, fresh lasagne sheets rolled into tubes work just as well. For the chicken, any cooked white meat works: rotisserie, poached, or leftover roast. Whole milk makes the béchamel noticeably richer than semi-skimmed, so it’s worth it here.
Chicken Cannelloni with Creamy Filling: A Weeknight Winner
4
servings30
minutes45
minutes520
kcal10
minutes1
hour25
minutesIngredients
12 tubes dry cannelloni pasta
14 oz (400 g) cooked chicken, shredded
1 cup (250 g) ricotta cheese
1/2 cup (50 g) Parmesan, finely grated, plus extra for topping
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and black pepper to taste
3 tbsp (45 g) unsalted butter
3 tbsp (25 g) all-purpose flour
2 cups (480 ml) whole milk, warmed
1 cup (240 ml) passata or crushed tomatoes
1 clove garlic, minced
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). A properly hot oven from the start means the béchamel sets and colours evenly — don’t rush this.
- Make the béchamel. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, whisk in the flour, and cook for 90 seconds before adding the warmed milk in a slow stream. Keep whisking until the sauce coats the back of a spoon thickly — it should leave a clean line when you drag your finger across.
- Mix the filling. Combine the shredded chicken, ricotta, Parmesan, oregano, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of the béchamel. The mixture should feel slightly loose and sticky — that’s the moisture that keeps your pasta tender as it bakes.
- Spread the passata with the minced garlic across the base of a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish. This tomato layer prevents the pasta from sticking and adds a gentle acidity that cuts through the richness above.
- Fill each tube. Use a piping bag or a zip-lock bag with the corner snipped off to press the chicken mixture firmly into each cannelloni tube. Hold each tube vertically and fill from one end — you’ll feel the resistance ease when it’s properly packed.
- Lay the filled tubes in a single layer over the tomato base, then pour the remaining béchamel evenly over the top. Every tube should be covered — any exposed pasta will dry out and turn brittle at the edges.
- Scatter the extra Parmesan over the top and bake for 40–45 minutes. When it’s ready, the surface will be a deep amber-gold with small bubbling craters around the edges — not pale, not brown-black.
- Rest for 10 minutes before serving. Cutting straight out of the oven means molten filling everywhere — 10 minutes lets everything firm up so each portion holds its shape on the plate. Since this dish contains chicken, make sure the filling reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C) before serving.
Variations
For a lighter version, swap the ricotta for low-fat cottage cheese blended smooth — the texture is nearly identical once baked. If you want more depth in the filling, stir in a handful of wilted spinach and a pinch of chilli flakes with the chicken mixture.
Serving Suggestions
A simple green salad with a sharp vinaigrette cuts right through the richness of the béchamel. Garlic bread works well for scooping up the sauce at the bottom of the dish. Steamed broccoli or green beans on the side keeps the plate balanced without adding prep time.
FAQ
Can I assemble this the night before?
Yes — fill the dish completely, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. Add an extra 10 minutes to the bake time straight from the fridge, and check that the centre is piping hot before you serve.
My cannelloni tubes always split open in the oven. What am I doing wrong?
The most common cause is overfilling — pack the mixture in firmly but stop just before the ends. Overstuffed tubes expand as they cook and crack along the seam, which is why leaving a small gap at each end makes a real difference.
Can I use a different protein instead of chicken?
Ground turkey works very well and keeps the filling just as light. After testing three versions in my kitchen, I found that a mix of turkey and a little smoked ham gives the filling a more interesting flavour — though it does make you wonder what else you could tuck inside those tubes.
