Chicken-Stuffed Shells

Have a lot of leftover chicken in the fridge and not sure what to do with it? One of our favorite leftover chicken recipes is to mix up a cheese filling and stuff jumbo pasta shells!  These stuffed shells are baked in a bubbly creamy cheese sauce and the perfect dinner for two. You can also multiple the recipe by two (or four!) for a larger dinner for a crowd.

Ingredients for Chicken-Stuffed Shells

• Jumbo pasta shells: The pasta shells are cooked, stuffed and then baked.
• Ricotta and cream cheese: Both creamy cheeses are stuffed into the shells to give them volume.
• Chicken: Used pre-cooked shredded chicken, like leftovers from a roast chicken or a grocery store rotisserie chicken.
• Chicken bouillon: Buy a container of the loose granules so you can add it to the chicken and cheese filling for enhancing the flavor.
• Parmesan cheese: This cheese adds a sharpness to the taste of the cheesy chicken filling and sauce. For the best results, grate the cheese yourself.
• Heavy whipping cream: The base for the creamy sauce for these chicken-stuffed shells. Half-and-half also works for this recipe.
• Butter: Butter is boiled together with the cream for added fat and flavor.
• Dried parsley: Parsley adds a finishing herby flavor to these chicken-stuffed shells.

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the shells

Kristina Vänni for Taste Recipes

Cook the jumbo pasta shells according to the package directions. While the pasta is cooking, beat the ricotta, cream cheese and bouillon in a bowl until blended. Stir in the chicken and Parmesan cheese. Drain the pasta, then stuff the chicken mixture evenly in the shells. Place in a shallow 3-cup baking dish that has been coated with cooking spray.

Step 2: Make the sauce

Kristina Vänni for Taste Recipes

In a small saucepan, bring the cream and butter to a boil. Whisk in 3 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese and the dried parsley, stirring until the cheese is melted. Pour the sauce over the shells.

Step 3: Bake and top with cheese

Kristina Vänni for Taste Recipes

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and bake for 5 to 10 more minutes or until the cheese is melted and the filling is heated through.

Kristina Vänni for Taste Recipes

Chicken-Stuffed Shell Variations

• Swap chicken with sausage: For a unique twist on these stuffed shells, crumble and cook a sweet Italian sausage instead.
• Make it vegetarian: Take out the chicken and toss in a leafy green, like spinach or kale for a vegetarian version.
• Add a sauce: Are you a fan of buffalo chicken? How about barbecue sauce? Add in sauce to your chicken and cheese mixture for a tasty variation on your chicken-stuffed shells.
• Use cottage cheese instead of ricotta: If you do not have ricotta on hand, you can blend up your leftover cottage cheese and use that instead! The consistency will be similar enough.

How to Store Chicken-Stuffed Shells

Cover the stuffed shells baking dish tightly with plastic wrap or transfer them to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to five days or freeze it for up to three months. If frozen, defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating.

How do you reheat chicken-stuffed shells?

Place the chicken-stuffed shells in an oven-safe baking dish and reheat at 350° for 10 to 15 minutes or until the shells are completely heated through.

Chicken-Stuffed Shell Tips

Kristina Vänni for Taste Recipes

How do you keep stuffed shells from sticking together?

First, be sure to cook your shells in salted boiling water until they are al dente. Make sure not to over cook them! Then once you drain the shells, drizzle them slightly with a cooking oil — like olive oil or vegetable oil — so they don’t stick together when you assemble them in the pan.

Why do stuffed shells get watery?

A stuffed shell doesn’t get watery because of the sauce or the pasta but it has to do with the cheese on the inside! Be sure to buy the simplest ingredients and not a cheese with additives.

What goes well with stuffed shells?

Stuffed shells are a hearty meal. Serve it with something light, like a leafy green salad or a slice of garlic bread.