At my house, stuffed shells are a regular occurrence. The boys love a project, and these chicken and broccoli stuffed shells let them get messy in the kitchen…but not too messy! Stuffed with chicken, broccoli, and a creamy sauce, these baked jumbo pasta shells are just so good. Dinner will be ready in less than 1 hour!
Baked Pasta Shells Stuffed with Chicken and Broccoli
This chicken and broccoli version of my favorite stuffed shells recipe is so good! I made the rich and creamy filling super simple with cream of chicken soup, but the real ‘secret sauce’ here is the curry powder. It adds a subtle warmth and a golden hue that mimics a long-simmered Mornay sauce. It goes so well with gooey cheddar cheese and melt-in-your-mouth broccoli florets. These broccoli stuffed shells take so little time to put together, and my whole family loves them!
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How to Prep Shells for Easier Stuffing
The biggest mistake I see people make is trying to stuff shells while they are hot and wet. After draining your pasta, spread the shells out in a single layer on a large baking sheet rather than leaving them in a clump in the colander. Drizzle them with a touch of olive oil to prevent sticking, and they’ll be dry and ready to stuff!
Chicken and Broccoli Stuffed Shells Recipe
Equipment
- 9×13-inch Casserole Dish
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cubed*)
- 12 ounces dry jumbo pasta shells (1 box)
- 2 cups cream of chicken soup (about 1⅓ cans**)
- ½ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (¼ stick)
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 2 cups broccoli florets (chopped***)
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese (divided****)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Once hot, add the chicken and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from the skillet and set aside.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- In a large pot, bring 4 cups of salted water to a boil, then add the jumbo shells. Cook until 1-2 minutes shy of al dente according to the package. Drain and set aside on a baking sheet.12 ounces dry jumbo pasta shells
- In a small saucepan, stir the cream of chicken soup, milk, butter, and curry powder together over low heat. Let warm over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.2 cups cream of chicken soup, ½ cup milk, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon curry powder
- Cover the bottom of a 9×13-inch casserole dish with a thin layer of the sauce.
- In a large bowl, mix the cooked chicken, broccoli, and 1 cup of shredded cheese together.2 cups broccoli florets, 1 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Fill each shell with the chicken broccoli mixture and place in the baking dish.
- Once all shells are filled pour the remaining sauce evenly over the shells then sprinkle the remaining cheese over top. Bake in the oven at 400°F for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.0.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Notes
- Season the chicken liberally with salt and pepper before cooking.
- Always boil a few extra shells in case some of them stick together or break.
- If your broccoli florets larger than pea-sized, give them a quick 60-second blanch in the boiling pasta water during the last minute of the shells’ cook time to soften.
- After rinsing, optionally toss the shells with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Let the shells cool before trying to stuff them so you don’t burn your hands.
- For a lazy option, layer a few shells, then spoon some filling and cheese over top, layer with more shells and more filling, and finish with a layer of cheese.
- Spread a thin layer of sauce (about ½ cup) on the bottom of the baking dish before adding the shells to prevent sticking.
- Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil for the first 15 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 5-10 minutes to melt/brown the cheese.
- Serve with a side of steamed fresh veggies.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
How to Make Broccoli Chicken Stuffed Shells Step by Step
Prep: Gather the list of ingredients for this chicken and broccoli stuffed pasta recipe. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Cube the chicken and chop the broccoli into florets.
Cook the Chicken: In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium. Once hot, add 1 pound of cubed boneless, skinless chicken breasts (seasoned liberally with salt and pepper) and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Boil the Shells: In a large pot, bring 4 cups of salted water to a boil, then add 12 ounces (1 box) of jumbo shells. Cook until 1-2 minutes shy of al dente according to the package. Drain the shells and spread them out on a large baking sheet (as mentioned in my tip above!) with a drizzle of olive oil. This keeps them from tearing and makes them so much easier to handle. If your broccoli florets are larger than pea-sized, add them in the last minute of boiling to blanch them so they don’t end up crunchy.
Make the Sauce: In a small saucepan, mix 2 cups of cream of chicken soup, ½ cup of milk, 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, and 1 teaspoon of curry powder together over low heat. Let warm over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover the bottom of a 9×13-inch casserole dish with a thin layer of sauce.
Stuff the Shells: In a large bowl, mix the cooked chicken, 2 cups of chopped fresh broccoli, and 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese together. Fill each shell with the chicken broccoli mixture and place in the baking dish.
Bake the Shells: Once all shells are filled pour the remaining sauce evenly over the shells then sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheese over top. Bake in the oven at 400°F for 20 minutes. I like to cover the dish with foil for the first 15 minutes, then remove the foil to brown the cheese in the last 5-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Store chicken broccoli stuffed shells in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; or tightly wrapped in 2 layers of plastic wrap and 1 layer of aluminum foil for up to 1 month in the freezer. Reheat in a covered baking dish in the oven at 350°F for 20 minutes. Thaw overnight in the fridge if reheating from frozen.
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