This Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells recipe is a family favorite made with yummy jumbo pasta shells stuffed with creamy ricotta, parmesan, mozzarella, and rotisserie chicken filling. Then it's topped with a perfectly flavored homemade sauce for an easy 30 minute weeknight dinner!
Table of Contents
This quick and easy chicken dinner takes just around 30 minutes to make, and it's something the whole family can dig into. There's nothing better than a plateful of a homemade creamy chicken pasta dish after a long day! Every bite of this chicken stuffed shells dish is loaded with creamy, cheesy goodness.
Even though it's one of our favorite meals on a busy night, it's also a great option for dinner parties and special occasions as it looks so impressive. Pair it with some crusty bread or garlic bread and a crisp fresh vegetable salad for a simple, delicious meal!
For more of our favorite pasta recipes, check out my Creamy Garlic Shrimp Pasta, Cajun Pasta with Sausage and Peppers, Classic Lasagna, Baked Ziti, or my Tuna Noodle Casserole!
What You'll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Jumbo Pasta Shells: We love using the jumbo shells as a vessel for the creamy chicken mixture, as they hold a lot of filling. Any kind of large pasta shell would work well.
- Rotisserie Chicken: I usually use a store-bought rotisserie chicken from Costco or the deli section at the grocery, but you can make your own roast chicken, oven baked chicken, pan seared chicken, or use leftovers if you have any!
- Ricotta Cheese: Adds a deliciously creamy texture to the filling, but I've used full-fat cream cheese for this before too and it still tastes amazing!
- Parmesan Cheese: Gives the dish a nutty, sharp, savory flavor in both the filling and the sauce.
- Mozzarella Cheese: With a mild flavor, it lets the seasoning create that gooey, cheesy layer on top of the shells.
- Sour Cream: Adds a tangy creaminess to the chicken mixture and helps balance the flavors.
- Seasoning: Use a combination of Italian seasoning, freshly ground black pepper, and kosher salt to season the pasta filling. You'll want some freshly minced garlic, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes to pack a ton of flavor and the slightest amount of heat without being spicy into the creamy sauce!
- Salted Butter: Used to sauté the garlic for a fragrant savory flavor for the sauce.
- Heavy Cream: The creamy base of the homemade Alfredo sauce. You can use a lower-fat cream if you wish, but the flavor and texture of the dish will differ.
How to Make Chicken Stuffed Shells Alfredo Pasta Bake
- Combine filling ingredients. Combine the chicken, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, sour cream, Italian seasonings, black pepper, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
- Make filling. Mix the chicken filling ingredients in the bowl until well combined.
- Sauté: Melt the butter in a pan and sauté the minced garlic. Cook for a minute, until fragrant.
- Add cream and stir. Stir in the heavy cream and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add seasonings and cheese. Add the parmesan cheese, Italian seasonings, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Let it simmer for 4-5 minutes until the sauce slightly thickens.
- Pour sauce into the dish. Carefully pour the sauce into the bottom of a baking dish.
- Cook and stuff pasta. Cook the pasta shells according to the package directions, then let them cool completely. Stuff the cooked pasta shells with the prepared chicken mixture, then arrange them neatly on top of the sauce in the baking dish.
- Add cheese and bake. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top of the shells. Bake the stuffed shells for 18–20 minutes until the cheese has melted and is starting to brown slightly on top. Garnish with parsley and red pepper flakes before serving.
Recipe FAQ's
Absolutely, store-bought Alfredo sauce is a great time-saver for busy weeknights, though making it from scratch can enhance the dish’s flavor.
Yes! Swap the chicken for a mix of your favorite vegetables, like spinach, broccoli, mushrooms, chopped bell peppers, or zucchini, for a vegetarian version.
Store your stuffed shells once they have completely cooled to room temperature in an airtight container, or covered tightly in plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Reheat the shells for 1-2 minutes in the microwave before serving them again. You may want to add a dash of water or chicken broth to the dish to keep it from drying out.
Follow the directions up to step 7, then place the stuffed shells in a Ziploc bag or a freezer container and freeze them for up to 1-2 months. Defrost them thoroughly before reheating them and continuing with the recipe.
Tips for Success
- Cook the pasta shells al dente so that they maintain their shape and texture during the stuffing and baking process. Doing this will give you tender pasta shells at the end of the baking time.
- Using freshly grated parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese will give you the best flavors. Pre-shredded cheese will never be as flavorful as the freshly shredded stuff!
- You can use any type of pasta for this recipe, including gluten-free pasta.
- If your pasta dish is starting to go golden brown on top a bit too early, cover the dish in aluminum foil for the remainder of the baking time.
What can I serve with Chicken Stuffed Shells?
This Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells is a filling and comforting dish on it's own, but you can make it into a complete meal by adding a few sides.
Try making some fresh homemade bread to have on the side. My Roasted Garlic Rosemary No Knead Artisan Bread, Homemade French Bread, Soft Garlic Parmesan Homemade Breadsticks, or Grilled Garlic Bread would all go well with this dish.
A fresh green salad with a mix of your favorite vegetables is a great way to add a refreshing crunch and a dash of color to your meal, balancing the richness of the creamy Alfredo sauce. Try my Olive Garden Salad with Copycat Dressing, Bacon Broccoli Salad, Caprese Salad, or this yummy Heirloom Tomato Salad with Burrata!
Substitutions and Variations
- You can substitute rotisserie chicken with leftover chicken or even leftover turkey if you want. It's a great recipe to have on hand for using up holiday leftovers!
- Add some crispy bacon bits to the chicken mix, or sprinkle some on top for an added smoky bacon flavor.
- Mix the mozzarella cheese with bread crumbs to sprinkle on top of the pasta to give it a crispier topping.
- For a no-meat option, use chopped spinach, broccoli, asparagus, or mushrooms instead of shredded chicken.
- Garnish your pasta with more shredded cheese, freshly chopped green onions, or some fresh herbs like fresh parsley or fresh basil, depending on your flavor preference.
More Delicious Pasta Recipes
- Creamy White Chicken Lasagna
- Mozzarella-Stuffed Meatballs
- Instant Pot Creamy Penne Alfredo
- Roasted Red Pepper Sauce over Fettucine Noodles
- Easy Lemon Pasta (Pasta al Limone)
- Penne Alla Vodka
- Cajun Pasta with Sausage and Peppers
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces jumbo pasta shells
Filling
- 1½ cups rotisserie chicken, shredded
- 1 cup full fat ricotta cheese
- ⅓ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- ⅓ cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bring a large pot of water (about 4 quarts) to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon of table salt to season the water for the pasta.
- Carefully add the pastato the boiling water, stirring gently to prevent sticking. Follow the cookingtime specified on the pasta package (usually around 9 minutes).
- Using a colander orstrainer, drain the pasta to remove all the water. Set the drained jumbo pastashells aside.
- Meanwhile, prepare thechicken filling by combining the ingredients: chicken, ricotta cheese, parmesancheese, mozzarella cheese, sour cream, Italian seasonings, black pepper, andsalt. Mix until well combined.
- Stuff the shells withthe prepared chicken mixture and set them aside.
- Heat a skillet overmedium heat, melt the butter, and add minced garlic. Cook for a minute.
- Stir in the heavy creamand cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the parmesan cheese,Italian seasonings, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Let it simmerfor 4-5 minutes until the sauce slightly thickens.
- Pour the sauce over thebaking dish, arrange the stuffed pasta shells, and sprinkle mozzarella cheeseon top.
- Bake the stuffed shellsfor 18-20 minutes until the cheese has melted.
- Garnish the pasta withparsley and red pepper flakes before serving.
Notes
- Store: Store your stuffed shells once they have completely cooled to room temperature in an airtight container, or covered tightly in plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Reheat the shells for 1-2 minutes in the microwave before serving them again. You may want to add a dash of water or chicken broth to the dish to keep it from drying out.
- Freezing: Follow the directions up to step 7, then place the stuffed shells in a Ziploc bag or a freezer container and freeze them for up to 1-2 months. Defrost them thoroughly before reheating them and continuing with the recipe.
