So many of the recipes that I share here on SouthernBite.com are family recipes that have been passed down through the generations – recipes that my mother, grandmother, and even great-grandmother prepared for our family. This isn’t one of those. This recipe is brand new.
It is the result of a brainstorm a few weeks ago and I’m bringing it here to you in living color today. I LOVE developing new recipes. I love the opportunity to work with some amazing companies like Betty Crocker to develop brand new recipes. But this one here… it is just for y’all.
And y’all… Y’all!! This recipe is crazy delicious. Crazy. Delicious. If I could come up with some other one word sentences to use for emphasis, I would. It’s easy, too. You know that easy is kinda my signature. I just know y’all will love it as much as we do! Enjoy!
Recipe Card
Cream Cheese Chicken Stuffed Shells
Ingredients
- 1 (12-ounce) box jumbo pasta shells
- 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
- 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
- 1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 (8-ounce) package shredded mozzarella cheese (2 cups)
- 1 (24-ounce) jar spaghetti sauce OR 3 cups Stacey's Basic Marinara
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. You'll want it to be al dente. (You'll need about 24 shells. I say this because some will be broken when you open the box and others will be damaged during cooking.) Drain them and rinse them in cool water. Set aside.
- Combine the chicken, spinach, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, garlic, basil, and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese in a large bowl.
- Spread about half of the pasta sauce in the bottom of a lightly greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Stuff the chicken filling into the shells. (I used a generous heaping tablespoon of filling in each one.) Then place the stuffed shells on top of the sauce in the baking dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the shells. Cover the dish (either with a lid or foil) and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven, remove the top, sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese over the shells. Return to the oven uncovered for about 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
* If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
jane millar
Stacey, I think you meant 2 packets, or 480g, or 16oz of mozzarella cheese, as 240g is 1 cup. I am from Australia, so had to translate all the measurements. Yes, it is a beautiful recipe!
You could certainly use more. My original recipe calls for 2 cups or 8 ounces (by weight).
Carol
Made this using crumbled cooked hot Italian sausage instead of the chicken. Followed rest of recipe exactly. These were the best stuffed shells I have ever had! I have always felt that ricotta cheese was rather bland. The 3 cheese blend in this recipe is much better.
What a great idea! So glad you enjoyed it!!
Kristina Konsure
Can you put these in a slow cooker to keep warm?
I don’t see why not – just probably not for too long or the pasta will get too soft and they may fall apart.
Linda
I am so glad Facebook repeats recipes, SO GLAD!! I noticed post from 2014. This is in my oven as I type! I did use Italian Sausage instead of chicken and it is wonderful!!!! OOOOOHHHHH Gooey wonderfulness!!!
So glad you enjoyed it, Linda!!
Lu Cravath
five stars from the picky family!!
Love hearing that! Glad y’all enjoyed it!
Felicia Lemon
Hi Stacy, just wondering can I omit the spinach and use everything else?
Sure! Enjoy!
Lib M.
I have developed/adapted a similar recipe for stuffed shells, but I use a small tub of ricotta instead of the cream cheese. And I have used that version and just mixed it with some stabby-type pasta like bowties or penne. Italian sausage (chicken or regular) is also a nice swap for the chicken in my recipe, if you like things a little spicy! I have another favorite pasta dish that has a cream cheese-based sauce, so I might have to try this version, too. We like pasta in my house, and this looks yummy!
Thanks, Lib! That sounds great!
Ashley
Think this would work if I just served it with bowtie pasta mixed in? I always have the worst luck finding the big shells.
Hmmm… I’m just not sure how that would work. You can also stuff manicotti shells. We’ve done them that way too. You’ll just have fewer manicotti than you would have shells since it takes more filling to fill each one.
Roxy
I just made this and OH, so good! Thanks for the recipe:)
Wonderful! Glad they turned out well for you!
Helene
Hi Stacey
Hubby and I love this recipe, but we are only two people and it makes a lot .Can I freeze for another time? Thank you .
Yes! This actually freezes pretty well!
Angela
I tried this recipe a couple of weeks ago and the family LOVED it!! I will be making them again this weekend for an appreciation luncheon for my volunteers at church. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Hi Angela! I’m so glad y’all are enjoying it so much!
Joanne
Oh yum!! I ate dinner at 6:30, but your shells are making me feel hungry again! 🙂
Thanks for the recipe!
Robert
YUM…..need to make these and SOON……faster and easier than lasagna for sure……and I bet the same flavor bells as a lasagna are there as well!!
Katie
Wow! Stacey, these sounds absolutely W O N D E R F U L !!!! I’ve just added cream cheese to my shopping list and plan on “creating” this dish over the weekend!!! Keep dreaming & sharing!