Description
Cheesy Chicken Stuffed Shells are a comforting Italian-American casserole featuring jumbo pasta shells filled with a creamy mixture of ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, diced chicken, and herbs. Baked in savory marinara sauce and topped with melted mozzarella, this dish makes a delicious and hearty meal perfect for family dinners or meal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 6 ounces jumbo pasta shells (about 24 shells)
Cheese and Filling
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 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 the Oven: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking.
- Cook the Pasta Shells: Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the jumbo pasta shells and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Drain the shells and rinse under cold water until cool enough to handle to stop cooking.
- Prepare the Filling: In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 1 cup of shredded mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, diced or shredded cooked chicken, egg, dried parsley, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Stir all ingredients together thoroughly until well mixed.
- Prepare the Baking Dish: Pour ½ cup of pasta sauce into the bottom of a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish and spread it evenly to create a thin layer coating the dish.
- Stuff the Shells: Using your fingers, gently open each pasta shell and spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of the cheese and chicken filling into the shell. The filling should completely fill but not overstuff the shells. Place each stuffed shell upright into the prepared baking dish, arranging them closely to fit as many as possible.
- Add Sauce and Cheese Topping: Spoon about 1 tablespoon of pasta sauce over each stuffed shell, spreading the sauce slightly. Then sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over all the shells.
- Bake: Loosely cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes, allowing the cheese to melt and the flavors to meld.
- Serve: Remove the dish from the oven carefully and take off the foil to avoid steam burns. Garnish with additional dried parsley. Serve the stuffed shells warm and enjoy.
Notes
- Serving size is 3 stuffed shells per person.
- Cook extra pasta shells to accommodate any that break during boiling or filling.
- Use 1 to 1 ½ cups of cooked chicken, which is roughly 2 small chicken breasts.
- For convenience, use leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken to save preparation time.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 stuffed shells
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
