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Cheesy Chicken Stuffed Shells with Spinach

Close-up of baked Cheesy Chicken Stuffed Shells with Spinach, topped with melted mozzarella and marinara sauce.
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A recipe for large pasta shells filled with a creamy mixture of cooked chicken, spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese, then baked in sauce.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 box (12 oz) jumbo pasta shells
  • 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced
  • 1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 15 oz ricotta cheese, whole milk preferred
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 24 oz marinara sauce (or Alfredo sauce for a white version)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
  2. Cook the jumbo pasta shells according to package directions until al dente. Drain them well and rinse with cold water to stop cooking; set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the cooked chicken, squeezed dry spinach, ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, the beaten egg, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
  4. Spread about 1 cup of your chosen sauce (marinara or Alfredo) evenly over the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
  5. Take each cooked shell and gently open it. Use a small spoon or your fingers to fill the shell with the chicken and cheese mixture. Place the filled shell open-side up in the baking dish over the sauce. Repeat until all shells are filled and arranged in the dish.
  6. Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the stuffed shells.
  7. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese over the top layer of sauce. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
  8. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes.
  9. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned.
  10. Let the shells rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • Squeeze the thawed spinach very dry using a clean kitchen towel or paper towels; excess water will make your filling runny.
  • If you prefer a richer flavor, use whole milk ricotta cheese instead of part-skim.
  • You can prepare the entire dish, cover it, and refrigerate it up to 24 hours before baking. Add 10-15 minutes to the covered baking time if baking directly from the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://flavorzine.com/cheesy-chicken-stuffed-shells-with-spinach/