Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells (Printable)
Tender pasta shells filled with chicken, ricotta, spinach, and baked in creamy Alfredo sauce.
# 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 ounces 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
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 Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Cook the jumbo pasta shells in salted boiling water until al dente according to package directions. Drain and arrange shells on a baking sheet to cool.
03 - In a large bowl, mix shredded chicken, ricotta, cooked spinach, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, garlic, Italian herbs, salt, and pepper until fully combined.
04 - Fill each cooked shell with approximately 2 tablespoons of the prepared filling.
05 - Spread 1 cup of Alfredo sauce evenly on the bottom of the baking dish. Place stuffed shells in a single layer over the sauce.
06 - Pour the remaining Alfredo sauce evenly over the stuffed shells. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
07 - Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
08 - Remove foil and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden.
09 - Allow the dish to rest for 5 minutes before garnishing with chopped fresh parsley and serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It comes together faster than you'd expect, yet tastes like you spent all afternoon on it.
- One dish feeds a crowd, and everyone comes back for seconds without fail.
- You can prep it hours ahead and bake it when you're ready, which takes the stress out of dinner.
02 -
- If your spinach isn't squeezed dry, the filling will be watery and your shells will get mushy—I learned this the hard way and had to eat my mistakes.
- Don't skip the layer of Alfredo sauce on the bottom of the dish; it keeps the shells from sticking and burning on the pan.
03 -
- Buy a rotisserie chicken if you want to shave 15 minutes off your prep time—nobody will know, and you'll have your dinner on the table faster.
- Make your own Alfredo with butter, cream, Parmesan, and garlic if you want restaurant-quality depth; store-bought is convenient, but homemade is noticeably richer and more luxurious.