Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells (Printable)
Pasta shells filled with chicken, ricotta, spinach, and cheese baked in a creamy sauce for a hearty meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 20 jumbo pasta shells
→ Filling
02 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or finely chopped
03 - 1 cup ricotta cheese
04 - 1 cup cooked spinach, squeezed dry and chopped (about 5 oz fresh or 1/2 package frozen)
05 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
06 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
07 - 1 large egg
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Sauce and Topping
12 - 2 cups Alfredo sauce, homemade or store-bought
13 - 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (for topping)
14 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (for topping)
15 - Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Boil jumbo pasta shells in salted water until al dente following package directions. Drain and spread shells on a baking sheet to cool.
03 - In a large bowl, mix chicken, ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, garlic, Italian herbs, salt, and black pepper until fully blended.
04 - Fill each cooked shell with approximately 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture.
05 - Spread 1 cup Alfredo sauce evenly on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange stuffed shells in a single layer over the sauce.
06 - Pour remaining Alfredo sauce evenly over the shells, then sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
07 - Cover the dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
08 - Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden.
09 - Allow to rest for 5 minutes before garnishing with fresh parsley and serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It looks impressive but comes together without any fussy techniques or stress.
- You can prep the filling hours ahead and stuff the shells when you're ready to bake.
- Creamy, savory, and so satisfying that even people who claim they don't like spinach will ask for seconds.
02 -
- Squeezing your spinach dry is the difference between a filling that holds together and one that weeps liquid all over your baking dish—I learned this the hard way with a watery disaster years ago.
- Don't skip the rest time after baking; those five minutes let the pasta firm up enough to plate without falling apart, and the carryover heat finishes the cooking perfectly.
- Alfredo sauce can break or separate if it gets too hot too fast, so if making it from scratch, keep the heat moderate and whisk constantly.
03 -
- Rotisserie chicken saves enormous amounts of time without sacrificing flavor—tear it apart while it's still warm, and it shreds even more easily.
- If your Alfredo sauce is thick, thin it slightly with a splash of pasta water or milk before spreading it, so it distributes evenly and doesn't create dry pockets in the baking dish.