This chicken, spinach, and ricotta stuffed shells recipe is one of my favorite baked pasta dishes for weeknight dinners! I make my jumbo pasta shell filling with shredded chicken for convenience, three different types of cheese, and a healthy dose of spinach. Once they’re stuffed, the shells bake in a creamy tomato sauce with an extra boost of cheese. Ready in 1 hour, my classic Italian stuffed shells are bursting with flavor!
Top Reader Reviews
My family loved this recipe so much. It was devoured.
–
This is a delicious recipe. I used 1/2-1/2 instead of heavy cream in the sauce, and added some dried basil as I didn’t have fresh for garnish. I also saved some sauce to drizzle on the shells before the mozzarella cheese topping.
–
Baked Chicken Stuffed Shells with Creamy Marinara
Classic Italian stuffed shells just got an upgrade! Spinach and ricotta makes the perfect filling for jumbo pasta shells, but I like a little something extra when I make this dish. I’m talking about chicken, of course! Many baked shell recipes use ground meat sauce, but I much prefer the texture that shredded chicken adds. Plus, making the filling this way means I can just throw leftovers into the mix without extra steps.
My kids love when I make this for dinner, though they’re starting to ask for my chicken alfredo stuffed shells more and more. But I’ll never get tired of this classic chicken stuffed shells, which is just so deliciously easy!
Email this recipe
Enter your email and we’ll send the recipe directly to you!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Easy Chicken Recipes.
Don’t Overcook the Shells!
Cooking the pasta shells just a little too long can lead to soggy stuffed pasta after they bake in the oven. It also makes it more difficult to handle them while stuffing. To avoid this problem, cook the shells al dente–just until they start to soften, but still have some bite to them. I’ve found that pasta boxes overestimate the cook time, so check early.
Chicken, Spinach, and Ricotta Stuffed Shells Recipe
Equipment
- 9×12-inch Baking Dish
Ingredients
- 10 ounces dry jumbo pasta shells (*)
- 2 cups marinara sauce (**)
- ½ cup heavy cream (***)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- fresh basil (optional, for garnish)
For the Filling:
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (****)
- ½ cup whole-milk Ricotta cheese
- 4 ounces mozzarella cheese (cubed)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (divided)
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Season with salt.
- Add jumbo shells one at a time (to prevent them from sticking together). Boil slightly less than al dente. They need to be firm so they don’t break when you stuff them, and they will continue to cook in the oven. Use a slotted spoon to gently remove the shells from the pasta water. Set on a cutting board or large plate to cool.10 ounces dry jumbo pasta shells
- While the shells boil, heat a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic. Cook for 30 seconds.2 teaspoons olive oil, 2 cloves garlic
- Add the spinach, sauté until wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer spinach and garlic to a large bowl.3 cups baby spinach
- Add shredded chicken, ricotta, fresh mozzarella cubes, ¼ cup parmesan cheese, egg, salt, and black pepper to the spinach and garlic mixture. Stir until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.2 cups shredded cooked chicken, ½ cup whole-milk Ricotta cheese, 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1 large egg, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Add marinara sauce and cream to the same pan you cooked the spinach and garlic in. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.2 cups marinara sauce, ½ cup heavy cream
- Stir in the rest of the parmesan cheese. Once the cheese has melted, remove from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Pour the sauce into a 9×12-inch baking dish (or a similar-sized dish).
- Use a spoon or your hands to stuff the filling into the shells.
- Arrange them in the pan. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella.1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Bake uncovered at 350°F until hot and bubbly and the cheese has melted, about 25-30 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh basil if desired, serve, and enjoy!fresh basil
Notes
- Don’t overcook the shells, or they’ll fall apart when you try to stuff them. Cook them until almost al dente–firm but slightly tender.
- Gently rinse shells under cold water after boiling to help separate them if they are sticking together.
- Be sure to add a thin layer of sauce to the bottom of the baking dish before adding there stuffed pasta. Otherwise, they may burn or stick to the pan.
- If you don’t have any leftover chicken on hand, dice some chicken breast and brown on the stovetop for about 5 minutes. Then mix it into the filling and bake.
- These stuffed shells tastes great without chicken too, if you prefer a meatless version.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
How to Make Classic Chicken Stuffed Shells Step by Step
Prep and Cook Pasta Shells: Preheat the oven to 350°F and gather the ingredients for this stuffed shells recipe. Salt a large pot of water and bring it to a rolling boil, then add 1 box of jumbo pasta shells. Add them by hand one at a time to prevent sticking–they tend to come out of the box clumped together. Boil until just under al dente. They should be firm enough to stuff with the filling, and they’ll finish cooking in the oven. Using a slotted spoon, remove the shells and set them aside to cool.
Make the Filling: While the shells boil, add 2 teaspoons of olive oil to a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Add 2 minced cloves of garlic to the hot oil and cook for about 30 seconds. Then add 3 cups of baby spinach and continue sautéing for about 2 minutes, until wilted. Next, pour the garlic and spinach mix into a large bowl. To the bowl, add 2 cups of cooked and shredded chicken, ½ cup of whole-milk ricotta, 4 ounces of fresh mozzarella cubes, ½ cup of grated Parmesan, 1 egg, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, and ⅛ teaspoon of black pepper. Mix the chicken and ricotta filling until well combined, then set it aside.
Make the Creamy Tomato Sauce: In the same pan you used to cook the garlic and spinach, add 2 cups of marinara sauce and ½ cup of heavy cream. Bring the sauce to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer. Mix in ½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese until melted, and remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Stuff the Shells: Spread most of the tomato sauce along the bottom of a 9×12-inch baking dish. Using your hands or a spoon, stuff the spinach and ricotta filling into the cooked pasta shells. Don’t overstuff them! If they’re too full, the centers may not cook through evenly.
Arrange: Arrange the stuffed shells in the prepared dish, directly in the sauce. Top with 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese and any remaining sauce.
Bake: Bake spinach and chicken stuffed shells in the oven at 350°F for 25-30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Top with fresh basil before serving!
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover Italian chicken stuffed shells in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 375°F oven, covered with foil, for about 15 minutes, or until heated through. I do not recommend freezing this dish because the pasta shells don’t hold up well.
Leave a Reply