Chicken Parmesan Stuffed Shells
Delicious stuffed pasta shells filled with a creamy chicken and cheese mixture, topped with marinara sauce and melted cheese.
Ingredients
Pasta and Filling
- 24 pieces jumbo pasta shells (about ¾ of a 12 ounce box)
- 15 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese
- 2.5 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese divided
- ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves divided
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup chopped rotisserie chicken breast Costco has awesome roti chickens
Sauce and Topping
- 24 ounces marinara sauce I like Mezzetta Marinara
- 3 tablespoons Italian-style panko bread crumbs like Progresso
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat your oven to 375°F and coat a 13- x 9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Cook and drain the jumbo pasta shells according to package instructions aiming for al dente (about 9 minutes). Rinse with cool water and let them rest.
Mix Filling
- In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 1½ cups of mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, 2 tablespoons of fresh basil, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
- Stir in the chopped rotisserie chicken until evenly distributed.
Assemble and Bake
- Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Fill each pasta shell with a heaping tablespoon of the chicken mixture and place them in the dish.
- Spoon the remaining marinara sauce on top of the shells, cover with foil, and bake for 30 minutes.
- After baking, switch to broil, sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese and panko breadcrumbs, and broil until golden brown.
Serving
- Remove from the oven, sprinkle with fresh basil, and serve warm.
Notes
Feel free to substitute chicken for turkey or make it meatless. Prepare in advance and pop into the oven when ready to bake.