Sometimes cooking for the fam feels like a whole project, but this easy chicken stuffed shells recipe saves me every. single. time. I keep it in my back pocket for when everybody’s hungry and need a big pan of food ASAP. It’s basically cheesy chicken and broccoli mixed with a Creole cream sauce stuffed into jumbo pasta shells, so y’all already know it’s gonna be a hit. Even with the pickiest eaters!
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PRO TIP: Layer a thin spoonful of sauce on the bottom of your baking dish before adding the stuffed shells. Keeps them from sticking!
Chicken Stuffed Shells Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1/2 (12 ounce) box jumbo shells 6 ounces total
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese divided
- 1 tbsp creole seasoning divided
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- salt (if needed) to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup rotisserie chicken shredded
- 1 cup broccoli cooked and diced
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
- Cook the jumbo pasta shells according to the instructions on the box and set aside separately to bring back to room temperature.
- Add butter to a large pan over medium high heat. Once melted, add garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds making sure not to overcook and cause burning.
- Add heavy cream, ½ cup of parmesan cheese, ½ tablespoon of creole seasoning, and all of the Italian seasoning and stir to mix together. Bring cream sauce to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for 5-7 minutes to thicken. Once thickened, remove from heat and pour into a large baking pan and set aside.
- Next in a separate medium sized bowl, add ricotta cheese, chicken, broccoli, onion, remaining parmesan and remaining creole seasoning and stir together to combine well.
- Stuff room temperature shells with chicken mixture and add to bottom of sauced baking pan.
- Cover with mozzarella cheese and bake for 20 minutes or until cheese has completely melted and is bubbling. Remove from oven. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes, garnish with parsley and serve.
Video
Notes
- Fridge: Store baked shells in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze the unbaked stuffed shells in a covered dish or freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.
- Reheating: Warm leftovers in the oven at 350°F until heated through, or microwave individual portions if you’re in a rush.
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Cook your shells to al dente. They should be tender with a little bite left, otherwise they’ll tear apart when you stuff them.
- Make sure the sauce coats the back of a spoon. That’s how you’ll know it’s thick enough to hold up your creamy chicken stuffed shells.
- Don’t go wild stuffing the pasta! Overfilled shells will split open in the oven.
- Shred your own mozzarella cheese. It melts smoother and gives these cheesy chicken stuffed shells the best pull.
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Serving Suggestions
- Bread: Every plate of pasta needs bread y’all. I love serving these chicken broccoli stuffed shells with garlic bread, cheesy breadsticks, or a slice of roasted garlic bread.
- Veggies: Keep it simple with garlic green beans, honey glazed carrots, or a classic coleslaw.
- Salads: A bright Caesar salad or a cucumber and onion salad adds freshness to go with the stuffed shells.
Recipe Help
Yes! You can assemble the shells, cover them tightly, and refrigerate for up to a day before baking.
Keep simmering until it coats the back of a spoon. If it still looks loose, stir in a little more parmesan cheese.
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I LOVE this recipe, but when I make it, I have to use lasagna noodles because they don’t sell stuffing shell pasta where I live. I just make a lasagna with the ingredients with the stuffing in the layers. It makes one 9″ X 9″ Pyrex dish lasagna. DELICIOUS.
Oh that is a fantastic idea Jill! I am so so so glad you enjoy this recipe!
Made this for dinner tonight and it’s absolutely delicious! My boyfriend and I enjoyed every bite, and it will definitely be made again. Thank you for putting out these amazing recipes, my tummy appreciates it!
Hooray so glad you loved it!
OMG…..made this tonight and have made at least a dozen copies to take with me to France! One of the only more beautiful things (than this dish) is your beautiful daughter!! Thank you, thank you for such a wonderful recipe! My husband, who is NOT a chicken fan loves it!
Tried this recipe for dinner this evening. My family loved it! Although I forgot to add the black pepper and mistakenly used two cups of mozzarella instead of one cup, it still turned out great. This recipe is definitely a keeper.
Sounds fantastic with the extra cheese by the way! Thanks so much!
This dish looks amazing. What can I substitute for the ricotta? My family aren’t fans of it.
You can try sour cream as a replacement or mascarpone cheese.
This looks like a great meal any night of the week!
This looks like a definite must try!! We almost always have leftover chicken too, so this is perfect.
What a delicious Chicken Stuffed Shells! I simply cannot wait to try it! Very interesting combination of ingredients. I am saving this recipe for later.
Pasta and cheese is always a good idea!
That looks SO good, I want this for dinner today!