Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells (Printable Version)

Jumbo pasta shells filled with chicken, spinach, ricotta, baked in creamy Alfredo and topped with mozzarella.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 20 jumbo pasta shells
02 - Salt, for boiling water

→ Filling

03 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced
04 - 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
05 - 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped (or 1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry)
06 - 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
07 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
08 - 1 large egg
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs (basil, oregano)
11 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Sauce & Topping

13 - 2 cups Alfredo sauce (store-bought or homemade)
14 - 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
15 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
16 - Fresh parsley, chopped (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 according to package directions until al dente. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, combine the cooked chicken, ricotta cheese, spinach, 1 cup mozzarella, 1/4 cup Parmesan, egg, garlic, Italian herbs, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
04 - Spread 1 cup of Alfredo sauce evenly in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
05 - Fill each cooked pasta shell with about 2 tablespoons of the chicken-spinach mixture. Arrange the stuffed shells in the baking dish, open side up.
06 - Pour the remaining Alfredo sauce evenly over the stuffed shells.
07 - Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese over the top.
08 - Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
09 - Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The filling stays incredibly moist because the ricotta and chicken work together perfectly
  • You can assemble it ahead of time and bake when you are ready, making it ideal for entertaining
  • The combination of Alfredo and melty mozzarella creates the most irresistible golden cheese blanket on top
02 -
  • Overcook your pasta and the shells will tear when you try to stuff them
  • Skip rinsing the cooked pasta and they will stick together
  • Forgot to squeeze the water from frozen spinach and the filling will be soupy
03 -
  • Use a piping bag or zip top bag with the corner cut off to fill shells quickly and neatly
  • A pinch of nutmeg in the filling adds a subtle warmth that makes people wonder what your secret ingredient is

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