How To Make a Delicious Chicken Bake with Manicotti

First thing you will want to do is get out a medium to large skillet and throw it on top of the stove. Turn your burner on so the pan has a few moments to heat up.

At this point I usually use a small layer of pam non-stick spray to make sure nothing gets stuck to the pan when you're down, and it helps clean up go a little faster.

While your pan is heating up, get your boneless skinless chicken breast out of the freezer and pop it in the microwave to defrost just a little. I usually throw it in for 5 to 10 minutes. It will depend on your microwave and you will have to watch it. Your chicken will start cooking in the microwave and you don't want that to happen. Pull it out when it is still slightly frozen and maybe a little white on the edges.

Get it on your cutting board and pull out a sharp knife. Cut the breast once down the middle and then slice it thinly into bite sized pieces. As you cut up the chicken, throw a large spoonful of butter on the skillet and then start adding your chicken. This is a very good time to turn your burner down to a lower heat so you don't burn the chicken.

*Warning: If your butter is crackling, it's too hot!

Make sure to add ample amounts of butter. Not only will this help the chicken cook tenderly, but it has a taste like no other.

Once you have all your chicken in the skillet, turn the burner up a hair.

Season the chicken with: garlic powder, paprika, onion flakes, oregano and taco seasoning.

Get out your tomatoes, peppers, asparagus, mushrooms, and olives. Cut them up and dice them down as well as you can. Then throw them into the skillet. Add more butter.

Add your sweet corn.

Here's the fun stuff, into your mix, throw in two spoonfuls of brown sugar, stir the mixture.

Then, get two spoonfuls of dijon mustard (grey poupon works), stir well.

You should get one of the most delicious aromas when you stir the mustard.

Add in more spices as you please. I usually throw in a few extra shakes of taco seasoning, oregano and garlic powder.

Add some more butter and let that simmer for a moment or two.

At this point in time you will want to pre heat the oven to 350*.

Get out a pot, fill it with water and add your manicotti noodles. Make sure to be careful, you will want to cook them at a medium temperature. You want them to soften up so you can fill them easier, but you don't want to cook them in the water.

Also get out a medium size pot and make your instant mashed potatoes.

While your oven is heating up and your potatoes are warming up, get out your cheese and either peel the slices into little pieces, or cut up little cubes of cheese and throw them into the chicken mixture. Mix it around until the cheese starts to melt. Once it has gotten a little gooey, open up your can of Tomato Sauce and throw it into the skillet. Stir and ad more cheese.

Your oven pre heat timer should be going off any moment, and while you’re waiting for it, take a big heap of your mashed potatoes and stir it into your chicken mixture. Mix it together until you have a thick mixture.

For the next step, you will need to pull out a baking pan big enough to hold all of your manicotti noodles. Place a piece of foil in the pan. The noodles should have softened up a bit and be warm but not so soft that they fall apart. Place the manicotti in the cooking pan in two rows.

You can do this from here in two ways. Officially, you should try to fill the manicotti noodles without breaking them. I on the other hand like to take a very sharp knife and cut the manicotti noodles on one side and open them up.

Grab a large spoon and take some of your chicken/potato mixture and place it inside your manicotti. Do this to each manicotti noodle on the pan. Once all of them are full, take the rest of your chicken/potato mixture and pour it over the rest of the manicotti.

Take your parmesan cheese and sprinkle it heavily over the top of your manicotti.

Once everything is on the baking pan, take a small cup of water and pour a little around the edges of the pan. Than take another piece of foil and place it loosely over the top of your chicken bake.

Place the Chicken bake in the oven for approximately 15-20 minutes. This will vary from oven to oven, so make sure to watch it in the oven. You will know it is done when the noodles are easy to cut through but not doughy.

Serve and Enjoy!