Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells (Printer-friendly)
Creamy stuffed pasta shells with chicken, spinach, and melted mozzarella in rich Alfredo sauce.
# What you'll need:
→ Pasta
01 - 20 jumbo pasta shells
→ Filling
02 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced
03 - 1 cup ricotta cheese
04 - 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped (or ½ cup thawed frozen spinach, squeezed dry)
05 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
08 - ½ teaspoon salt
09 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
→ Sauce
10 - 2 cups Alfredo sauce, homemade or store-bought
→ Topping
11 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
12 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
13 - Fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)
# Method:
01 - Set the oven temperature to 375°F and lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Boil the jumbo pasta shells in salted water until al dente, then drain and set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, ricotta cheese, chopped spinach, grated Parmesan, egg, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper; mix thoroughly.
04 - Spread 1 cup of Alfredo sauce evenly over the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
05 - Fill each cooked shell with approximately 2 tablespoons of the filling and arrange them in the baking dish.
06 - Pour the remaining Alfredo sauce over the stuffed shells.
07 - Sprinkle shredded mozzarella and remaining Parmesan cheese evenly over the assembled dish.
08 - Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
09 - Remove the foil and continue baking for 10 minutes more, until cheese is golden and bubbly.
10 - Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving; garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It's elegant enough to serve guests but honestly just as good for a quiet Tuesday night when you need something warm and filling.
- The spinach sneaks in nutrition while the creamy sauce makes everyone forget they're eating vegetables.
- You can prep the filling hours ahead and just bake when hunger strikes, making weeknight dinners feel less chaotic.
02 -
- Squeezing every drop of moisture from your spinach is non-negotiable—watery spinach will make the filling weep liquid and make the whole dish soggy by the time it bakes.
- Don't skip the aluminum foil in the first stage of baking; uncovered, the top cheese will brown too fast while the inside stays cold.
- The shells continue cooking in the oven, so al dente is genuinely the target when boiling—mushy shells at the start will be mush by the time you serve.
03 -
- Room-temperature filling is easier to stuff into the shells without tearing them—let it sit out for 10 minutes after mixing.
- Save a handful of uncooked pasta water before draining; if your finished dish seems dry, a splash mixed into extra Alfredo sauce brings everything back to creamy perfection.