Marry Me Chicken Stuffed Shells (Printable)

Creamy chicken and ricotta fill pasta shells, baked under a rich sun-dried tomato and parmesan sauce.

# What you need:

→ Shells

01 - 20–24 large pasta shells
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast
04 - 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
05 - 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
06 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
07 - 1 large egg
08 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
09 - 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
10 - Salt, to taste
11 - Black pepper, to taste

→ Marry Me Sauce

12 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
13 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
14 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
15 - 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil and drained
16 - 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
17 - 1/2 cup chicken broth
18 - 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
19 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
20 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
21 - Salt, to taste
22 - Black pepper, to taste
23 - Fresh basil, chopped, for garnish

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Boil pasta shells in salted water until al dente. Drain and toss with olive oil to prevent sticking; set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, combine shredded chicken, ricotta, parmesan, mozzarella, egg, garlic powder, dried basil, salt, and black pepper; mix thoroughly.
04 - Heat butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
05 - Stir in sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 1 additional minute. Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth; stir to combine.
06 - Add parmesan cheese, dried oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes. Simmer for 3–4 minutes until sauce slightly thickens. Season with salt and pepper.
07 - Spread a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
08 - Stuff each pasta shell generously with the chicken and cheese mixture, and arrange them in the baking dish.
09 - Pour remaining sauce over the stuffed shells and sprinkle additional mozzarella on top if desired.
10 - Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
11 - Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until bubbly and lightly golden.
12 - Top with chopped fresh basil and serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent all day in the kitchen, but the actual hands-on time is under half an hour.
  • The creamy parmesan sauce with sun-dried tomatoes tastes like something you'd order at a Italian trattoria, not make on a Wednesday night.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully, and somehow taste even better the next day when the flavors have had time to settle in.
02 -
  • Don't overcook the shells or they'll fall apart when you try to fill them, I learned this the hard way and ended up with pasta mush instead of pretty stuffed shells.
  • Let the sauce simmer gently, not boil, or the cream will break and turn grainy instead of velvety.
  • If your shells tear, just patch them together in the baking dish, once they're covered in sauce no one will ever know.
03 -
  • Use a small spoon or a piping bag to fill the shells if you want to feel fancy and avoid messy fingers, though I usually just use my hands because it's faster and oddly satisfying.
  • Taste your sauce before you pour it over the shells and adjust the salt, parmesan can be salty and chicken broth varies, so you want to get it right before it's too late.
  • Let the dish sit for at least 5 minutes after baking, it makes all the difference between a sloppy scoop and a beautiful plated portion that actually holds together.
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