Dinner is about to get delicious with these tasty chicken stuffed shells. Jumbo shells are stuffed with chicken, spinach, ricotta, and mozzarella, then baked in marinara sauce for a pasta dinner the whole family will love.
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 jumbo 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. Add the spinach, sauté until wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer spinach and garlic to a large bowl.
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 chicken, ½ cup whole-milk Ricotta, 4 ounces fresh mozzarella, ½ cup grated Parmesan, 1 egg, ½ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon 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. 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, 2 cups marinara sauce, ½ cup heavy cream
Pour the sauce into a 9x12 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 until hot and bubbly and the cheese has melted, about 25-30 minutes.
Garnish with fresh basil
Basil for garnish
Video
Notes
I like to cook a whole package of jumbo shells as some of them will break during the cooking process. This way you can pick out perfect shells.
Storage: Store chicken stuffed shells in an airtight container, or in a dish covered with foil, in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.