Description
Delicious and comforting Cheesy Chicken Stuffed Shells featuring jumbo pasta shells stuffed with a creamy ricotta and shredded chicken mixture, topped with marinara sauce and melted mozzarella cheese. Perfect for a cozy dinner that the whole family will love.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 6 ounces jumbo pasta shells (about 24 shells)
Cheese & Filling
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded, divided
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- 1 ½ cups cooked chicken breast diced or shredded
- 1 egg
- ½ tablespoon dried parsley plus more for garnish
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Sauce
- 1 ½ cups red pasta sauce (your favorite brand)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F to prepare for baking the stuffed shells.
- Cook Pasta Shells: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the jumbo pasta shells and cook until al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool enough to handle.
- Prepare Filling: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, 1 cup of shredded mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, cooked chicken breast, egg, dried parsley, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly until combined.
- Start Baking Dish: Pour ½ cup of the pasta sauce into the bottom of a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish and spread it evenly to coat the base.
- Stuff Shells: Carefully open each cooked pasta shell with your fingers. Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of the cheese and chicken filling into each shell, filling them without overstuffing. Place the filled shells seam side up in the prepared baking dish, arranging them closely but not overcrowded.
- Add Sauce and Cheese: Spoon about 1 tablespoon of pasta sauce over each stuffed shell and spread it slightly for even coverage. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top.
- Cover and Bake: Loosely cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes.
- Finish and Serve: Carefully remove the foil (watch for steam), garnish the shells with additional dried parsley, and serve warm for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Serving size is 3 shells per person.
- Cook extra pasta shells to account for breakage during boiling or filling.
- For the chicken filling, use 1 to 1 ½ cups cooked chicken (approximately 2 small chicken breasts). Rotisserie chicken or pre-cooked chicken works well to save time.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan and shredded mozzarella for best melting and flavor.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated covered at 350 degrees F until warmed through.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 shells
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
