Sun Dried Tomato & Chicken “Faux-fredo” with Cheese Ravioli
Summer officially kicked off for us this week & it has been a bit if an adjustment! Home in the mornings and out the door after lunch for summer fun…I start thinking about dinner around 4:30 & 20 minutes from home. Dinner is a distant thought until dinner time! ((Not good!!)) 
Yesterday, I was determined to have a meal on the table at dinner-time so I ran home between activities, assembled this meal & placed it to a delay-start programmed oven. But these days, it isn’t just about food—it’s about healthier food, lightened up food…swimsuit friendly food. 
No butter & no cream for this recipe…but you cannot tell, it is so creamy and buttery flavored. I am still watching my carbs so I had mainly chicken & sauce – which was a meal in itself.
I have really tried to make one meal that will please everyone & this one hit the mark…low-fat, low-carb ((for me sans ravioli)) & FULL-flavor.
I added tomato basil pasta sauce in between the layers of ‘faux-fredo’ because I started thinking about Victoria’s lasagna rolls. I just love the combination of Alfredo and marinara. This simple step added even more flavor and depth…still no additional fat, yay!!
Topped it off with 1/2 c of cheese, covered it with foil & placed it in a pre-programmed oven.
- 1 to 1-1/2 bags of frozen cheese ravioli
- 2 c diced rotisserie chicken (I used frozen leftovers)
- 1- 8 oz block, light cream cheese (room temperature)
- 1 12 oz can 2% evaporated milk
- 2 T sun dried tomatoes, packed in oil & diced
- 4 cloves pickled sweet garlic, packed in oil & diced
- 1-1/2 c low sodium beef broth (I prefer organic)
- 1 c hand-shredded Monterey Jack cheese (optional)
- 1-1/2 c tomato basil pasta sauce
- Preheat oven to 350. Prepare a 9" x 13" baking dish by spraying with non-stick coating. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine cream cheese & milk. Stir until cheese is incorporated into the milk and has reached a low simmer. Add tomatoes and garlic to the cream sauce. Thin sauce to desired consistency by adding 1 c of broth, stirring to combine. Add remaining broth 1 t at a time. Once thickness has been perfected, add half of the shredded cheese, (reserving remaining cheese to sprinkle on top) turn off heat & stir until melted, this step is optional.
- Add chicken and spinach, stir.
- Place 1 c of white sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Pour frozen ravioli on top of white sauce. Next, evenly pour the tomato basil sauce over the frozen ravioli. Pour remaining chicken & white sauce over the red sauce. Top with remaining cheese, cover dish with non-stick foil.
- Bake for 55 minutes. Remove foil, adjust the oven temp to broil. Broil until the cheese is medium golden brown & bubbly.
- Remove from oven, allow to cool for 5 minutes & serve.
- Serves 8-10.
- * I used the delay cooking setting for this & came home to a perfectly cooked meal!