It has been raining for 3 days straight and there doesn’t seem to be reprieve in the near future. What is it about dreary, cold weather that tends to inspire a bit of comfort food? Pasta almost always fits the bill, and is a good compliment to most any protein – chicken, beef, veal, or pork. While I hope to complete a post very soon for homemade pasta, there’s nothing wrong with simplifying your menu with a store bought fresh pasta. For this recipe, I decided on a spinach and ricotta ravioli from Giovanni Rana along with their marinara sauce to pair with chicken tenderloins.

Baked Chicken & Ravs

Serves 3-4

3/4 lb. chicken tenderloins
1-2 tsp. Alpine Touch seasoning
1/2 tsp. pepper
1-2 tsp. Divine Inspired seasoning

10-oz. package Giovanni Rana Spinach & Ricotta Ravioli
15-oz. container Giovanni Rana Marinara Sauce

3 tbls. cream cheese, cubed
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 tsp. dried parsley

Preheat the oven to 350º. Lightly grease an 8×8 inch baking pan. Heat 1-2 tbls. garlic infused olive oil in a cast iron skillet. Add the chicken tenderloins and season. Cook 5-7 minutes on each side, until golden brown and clear juices running through. Using a cutting board, dice the cooked chicken into bite size pieces.

In the meantime, cook the ravioli according to package instructions and drain when al dente.

Add ingredients to the pan in this order: cream cheese, chicken bites, thyme & basil, ravioli, and Parmesan. Pour marinara sauce over the top before tossing lightly until cream cheese is mixed within. Top with shredded mozzarella. Sprinkle with parsley.

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately with a fresh steamed vegetable or tossed garden salad.

The result is a deliciously creamy, cheesy tomato based pasta, with very little effort. Embrace the flexibility to choose a mushroom or cheese filled pasta. Try tortellini instead of ravioli. Don’t like marinara/tomato sauce, give an Alfredo sauce a try. Saute some bulk pork sausage if you’re tired of chicken. The options are many, each offering a slightly different flavor but still just as easy to prepare. Share your latest options using the comment links below. We love hearing from you!

Blessings,
Tina