Chicken Stuffed Shells

Filled with chicken and 3 kinds of cheese, these Chicken Stuffed Shells are a hearty, family friendly dinner idea. This dinner recipe is made even easier by using cooked, shredded chicken as a shortcut.

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I have found that not only do kids love stuffed pasta shells, but adults do, too! To keep the stuffed shells love going, also check out these Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells and these Stuffed Pasta Shells with Easy Bolognese Sauce.

I have found that some of my favorite recipes are the simple ones. The classic ones. I love to get creative, but sometimes you just need something familiar. And these Chicken Stuffed Shells are just that.

Large shell pasta is filled with chicken and 3 kinds of cheese, then covered with marinara sauce and more cheese.

Simple. Familiar. Delicious. Family Friendly.

This definitely checks all of those boxes!

Ingredients

• Shell Pasta: To make stuffed shells, you’ll want to make sure you get the jumbo shell pasta. You can also make this dish with a smaller cut of pasta (read the reader comment below) if you don’t have jumbo shells or just want to make more of a pasta casserole.
• Chicken:This dish is made easy by using cooked, shredded chicken. I try to always have some on hand, but you can always use a rotisserie chicken, as well.
• Ricotta: The first of your three cheeses. Ricotta is the one that makes the filling nice and creamy. You can use whole milk or part skim ricotta.
• Mozzarella & Monterey Jack: Your other two cheeses. These are easier to swap out for other cheeses, if desired. Provolone or Parmesan would also be great.
• Bread Crumbs: The bread crumbs give the filling a little bit of structure. I just use plain breadcrumbs, but Italian breadcrumbs would work if that is what you have on hand.
• Parsley: I like to use fresh parsley here, but if you only have dried, cut the amount down to 1 tablespoon.
• Sour Cream: You need just a small amount of sour cream to help the filling come together. If you don’t have it, you leave it out.
• Salt and Pepper: It’s always important to season to taste!
• Marinara Sauce: I like to use this homemade Marinara Sauce recipe, but if you have a favorite jarred marinara, you can use that. (I like Rao’s if using jarred.)

Tips and Tricks

• After cooking the pasta, make sure it is cooled before filling the shells. The easiest way to fill them is to use your hands and a spoon, so you’ll want to make sure they are cool enough to handle.
• The recipe calls for a shallow 2-quart dish. I use a Pyrex dish like this one. A square 2 quart dish will be too small.
• Can you freeze these stuffed shells? Yes! To freeze, I would make them through step 5, making sure to put them in a freezer safe dish. Make sure it is completely cooled, then cover tightly and freeze. When ready to serve, defrost and cook as normal, or bake from frozen for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes covered with foil, then uncover and bake until heated through and the cheese is melted.
• This dish can be made ahead and baked just before serving. You can refrigerate it for a day or two in advance.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can you make these stuffed shells vegetarian?
I use cooked, shredded chicken in this recipe. But if you want to make this recipe vegetarian, you can just leave the chicken out. Super easy! I like the extra protein and flavor, but these stuffed shells are also really good just filled with cheese! Do make sure you are using a vegetarian marinara sauce, as well.

Can you freeze these stuffed shells?
Yes! To freeze, I would make them through step 5, making sure to put them in a freezer safe dish. Make sure it is completely cooled, then cover tightly and freeze. When ready to serve, defrost and cook as normal, or bake from frozen for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes covered with foil, then uncover and bake until heated through and the cheese is melted.

Can I add veggies?
For sure! Some cooked spinach would be an easy, delicious way to get in some vegetables. You could also add bell pepper, zucchini, mushrooms – just make sure any vegetables you add are cooked or softened first and cut small so they will fit in the pasta shells.

More Pasta Dishes You Need to Try

Baked Spaghetti
Shrimp Alfredo
Baked Ravioli
Penne Pasta Bake
Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
Cheesy Chicken Tetrazzini
One Pot Ground Beef Stroganoff
Turkey Goulash Recipe

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Chicken Stuffed Shells

5 from 3 votes

Author: Deborah Harroun

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Italian

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Filled with chicken and 3 kinds of cheese, these Chicken Stuffed Shells are a hearty, family friendly dinner idea. This dinner recipe is made even easier by using cooked, shredded chicken as a shortcut.

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Ingredients

• ▢ 6 oz large shell pasta
• ▢ 1 cup cooked shredded chicken
• ▢ 8 oz ricotta cheese
• ▢ 4 oz shredded Mozzarella divided
• ▢ 3 oz shredded Monterey Jack
• ▢ 3 tablespoons dried bread crumbs
• ▢ 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• ▢ 1 tablespoon sour cream
• ▢ Salt and pepper to taste
• ▢ 1 cup prepared marinara sauce store bought or homemade

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray a shallow 2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt generously, then add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the chicken, ricotta, 2 oz of the Mozzarella, the Monterey jack, sour cream, bread crumbs and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
• Spread a thin layer of the marinara sauce in the bottom of the prepared pan.
• Fill each of the shells with the chicken and cheese mixture and then set into the prepared dish. Cover the shells with the remaining sauce, then sprinkle on the remaining 2 tablespoons of mozzarella.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Serve warm.

Recipe Notes:

Nutrition information provided as an estimate only. Various brands and products can change the counts. Any nutritional information should only be used as a general guideline.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1/6 of recipe, about 3 shells each, Calories: 356kcal (18%), Carbohydrates: 28g (9%), Protein: 22g (44%), Fat: 18g (28%), Saturated Fat: 10g (63%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 63mg (21%), Sodium: 361mg (16%), Fiber: 2g (8%), Sugar: 1g (1%)

Keywords: Chicken stuffed shells, stuffed shells