Chicken Stuffed Shells are the perfect weeknight dinner recipe, with just 7 simple ingredients and tons of delicious flavor! Jumbo pasta shells are stuffed with cubes of juicy chicken, ricotta and Parmesan, then baked in the oven with marinara sauce. Every bite of these stuffed shells is bursting with cheesy chicken and they’re oh-so tasty!
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What’s in This Chicken Stuffed Shells Recipe?
Change up classic Italian stuffed shells for a lighter version made with chicken!
- Chicken: We use cubed boneless, skinless chicken breasts for a lean filling.
- Shells: You’ll need a 12-ounce box of jumbo pasta shells.
- Cheese: These shells are stuffed with creamy ricotta cheese and salty Parmesan for a balanced flavor.
- Italian Seasoning: Adds that classic Italian flavor.
- Marinara Sauce: Use your favorite store-bought sauce or make your own homemade marinara sauce.
Notes from the Test Kitchen
We swap out heavy ground beef for cubed chicken breasts to create a lighter take on a classic pasta dish. Italian seasoning and zesty marinara sauce add so much flavor to this easy chicken stuffed shells recipe.
Variations on Stuffed Shells with Chicken
You can make this simple stuffed shells recipe even easier by using up leftover cooked chicken. Pan seared chicken breasts or crockpot shredded chicken both work perfectly. You could also use up leftover roasted turkey breast if you prefer.
You can also sneak in some veggies, like spinach or broccoli. I like to dice up broccoli into tiny pieces so that it’s easy to hide inside the shells–the kids don’t even notice! Just add these ingredients in when you stuff the shells with the chicken.
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How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover chicken stuffed shells tightly covered with aluminum foil in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 30 minutes or in the microwave in 30-second increments until warmed through.
How to Freeze
These stuffed pasta shells with chicken can be frozen both before and after baking. Either way, tightly wrap the pan in 2 layers of plastic wrap and 1 layer of aluminum foil for up to 3 months.
If you freeze before baking, bake directly from frozen at 350°F for about 1 hour (remove the plastic wrap first!). If you freeze after baking, let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating as described above.
Serving Suggestions
Just like all casseroles, this chicken stuffed shells recipe can be a meal all on its own. It’s a hearty, filling, and satisfying dish! That said, we still like to serve them with a few sides, like homemade garlic bread and a Caesar salad.
Chicken Stuffed Shells Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts cubed
- 12 ounces dry jumbo pasta shells (1 box)
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 5 ounces Parmesan cheese shredded and divided
- 1 tablespoon italian seasoning
- 24 ounces marinara sauce (1 jar)
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the chicken and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon and set aside.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- In a large pan bring 4 cups of water to a boil then add jumbo shells. Cook to al dente, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and strain.12 ounces dry jumbo pasta shells
- In a medium bowl, mix the cooked chicken, ricotta cheese, three-quarters of the Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning together. Cover the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking pan with a thin layer of marinara sauce.15 ounces ricotta cheese, 5 ounces Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon italian seasoning
- Fill each shell with the chicken mixture and place it in the baking dish. Once all shells are filled pour the remaining sauce evenly over the shells then sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese over top.24 ounces marinara sauce
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- Drain the shells thoroughly on a paper towel-lined baking sheet (without letting them touch!) to prevent them from sticking together and tearing.
Nutrition Information
How to Make Chicken Stuffed Shells Step by Step
Cook the Chicken: Preheat your oven to 400°F. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into cubes of roughly the same size) and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Boil the Shells: In a large pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil, then add 12 ounces (1 box) of jumbo pasta shells. Cook al dente–meaning just until they are softened, but still have a bite–about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and drain.
Make the Filling: In a medium bowl, mix the cooked chicken, 15 ounces of ricotta cheese, three-quarters of the 5 ounces of grated Parmesan cheese (this doesn’t have to be precise), and 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning together. Cover the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking pan with a thin layer of marinara sauce.
Assemble and Bake: Stuff each pasta shell with the chicken mixture and place it in the baking dish. Once all shells are filled, evenly pour the remaining marinara sauce over the shells, and then sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese over top. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve hot!
This easy and cheesy chicken stuffed shells recipe is sure to please everyone at the table. Enjoy!
Pasta shells are traditionally known as “Conchiglie,” but most brands label them as jumbo shells.
Before assembling and baking the stuffed pasta shells, boil the pasta shells to al dente. Cook them according to the package instructions – about 10 minutes. If you want to prepare the pasta shells ahead of time, keep them in the refrigerator for up to a couple of days. When ready to bake the shells, simply stuff them, bake, and serve.
These shells can turn watery due to excess moisture on the pasta or in the filling. This is why we drain the shells thoroughly before stuffing them!
Make sure to use a large enough pot when boiling the shells so that they have room to move around, and don’t let them touch as they cool and drain!
If your shells are hard, chances are you did not cook them long enough. You want to make sure the shells are cooked al dente (just until softened) but not undercooked. You may wish to add an extra shell to the pot to test for doneness.
