Chicken Parm Stuffed Shells

Warm and delicious meal, ready to be served.

5 from 3 votes

Chicken Parm Stuffed Shells are the ultimate mash-up—cheesy, saucy, and packed with all the flavors of chicken Parmesan in a pasta shell!

Prep Time35

Cook Time40

Total Time1 15

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: Chicken Parm Stuffed Shells

Servings: servings

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $7.32

Equipment

Ingredients

Chicken and Shells

32 jumbo pasta shells
Salt and pepper
2-1/2 cups cooked and chopped crispy chicken see note 1

Cheese Filing

1 (15-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta cheese
2 cups freshly shredded mozzarella cheese divided
1 large egg
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons fresh basil divided
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic 2 cloves

Topping

1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce divided; I recommend Rao’s
1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

US - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add a generous amount of salt (1 teaspoon for every 4 cups of water), then add in the pasta shells. I usually cook a few extra in case some fall apart. Cook for 1 minute less than the package directs for al dente. Drain the shells and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking and allow them to be easily separated. Drain off any water and separate shells onto a sheet of parchment paper.
Place the ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella, egg, Parmesan, 1/4 cup chopped basil, dried oregano, dried thyme, dried parsley, and minced garlic in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper (I add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper). Stir until combined. Transfer this cheese mixture to a large (gallon-size) zipper-top plastic bag. With scissors, snip 1 inch off the corner of the bag and “pipe” the cheese mixture into each of the 32 shells. Each shell should get a heaping 1 tablespoon of cheese mixture (which should fill 32 shells just over halfway full).
Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce along the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Add cheese-stuffed shells in baking dish on top of the marinara. Press the chopped chicken pieces into each shell on top of the cheese mixture, using up all the chicken. Spoon remaining sauce over stuffed shells, being mindful to cover all the pasta so it doesn’t dry out during baking.
Cover the dish with foil; bake 30 minutes. Remove the foil and sprinkle the top with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella. Bake uncovered 10–15 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add panko; stir to coat. Cook and stir 2–4 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle over baked shells along with the remaining 2 tablespoons basil. Enjoy hot!

Notes

Note 1: I use Tyson’s® crispy chicken strips and bake according to package directions. Once baked, I let slightly cool, then chop into small bite-size pieces.

Storage: Store leftover Chicken Parm Stuffed Shells in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. For longer storage, freeze them in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 months. To reheat, bake in the oven until heated through.

Nutrition