Chicken, Spinach, and Ricotta Stuffed Shells Recipe
Classic Italian stuffed shells filled with shredded chicken, spinach, and a 3-cheese ricotta filling. This stuffed pasta is baked in a creamy marinara sauce and ready in 1 hour!
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 554kcal
Equipment
- 9x12-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 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 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
Video
Notes
*10 ounces is a little less than 1 standard box. I recommend boiling the whole box, in case any of the shells break. Or you can stuff each one a little less if you have room for all of them in your baking dish.
**Use your favorite jar of marinara sauce for convenience.
***Half n half can be used instead of heavy cream.
****Use any leftover/fully-cooked chicken here. Shredded, cubed, canned, or rotisserie chicken will all work.
Tips:
- 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.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 554kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 137mg | Sodium: 1070mg | Potassium: 652mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2528IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 384mg | Iron: 3mg