This recipe for cheesy stuffed shells with chicken and creamy alfredo sauce will be everyone's new favorite weeknight dinner! This meal is budget-friendly and freezes well so it's great for meal prep, and I share easy tips to make it stretch to feed a crowd.
This dish is a mashup combining two classic pasta dishes: fettuccine alfredo and stuffed shells with chicken! It's a family-friendly dinner that everyone loves.
Here we make our own classic alfredo sauce in just 5 minutes. It gets mixed into our cheesy chicken filling, slathered on the bottom of the casserole dish, and poured on top of the stuffed shells. (Heads-Up: This sauce is also perfect tossed with al dente fettuccine!)
Don't be intimidated, alfredo sauce is easy to whip up! And making it from scratch ensures we're getting fresh, quality ingredients.
Bonus, this is an easy dinner to stretch to make budget-friendly or to feed a crowd!
Easy Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells Recipe
In these sections I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas. For the full recipe (including ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
Classic Alfredo Sauce Ingredients
- Butter - to sauté the garlic and for rich flavor
- Garlic - this is a classic ingredient in alfredo sauce
- Heavy whipping cream - this adds richness and helps thicken our sauce to the perfect texture
- Milk - whole milk works best here
- Parmesan cheese - this another classic component of alfredo sauce
Chicken Stuffed Shells Ingredients
- Jumbo pasta shells - cook the pasta to al dente according to the package directions
- Mozzarella cheese - for best flavor and texture, shred your own
- Ricotta cheese - or you can use cottage cheese
- Egg - acts as a binder here
- Cooked shredded chicken - rotisserie chicken works well, but you can use any leftover chicken you have (canned chicken works good too!)
- Salt, black pepper, dried Italian herb seasoning - these pantry-staple herbs and spices make sure our stuffed shells aren't bland
- Fresh parsley - for a pop of color and flavor; you can omit it if you prefer
How to Make Stuffed Shells with Chicken and Alfredo Sauce
Step 1: How to Make Homemade Alfredo Sauce
- Add the butter to a large skillet over medium-low heat. Once melted, add the garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Add the cream and milk, and bring up to a gentle simmer, whisking frequently.
- Whisk in ¾ cup parmesan cheese a little at a time.
- Continue whisking until the cheese is fully incorporated and the sauce is thickened.
Pro Tip: Prevent the Cooked Pasta Shells From Sticking
Once the pasta is cooked and drained, toss the shells with a drizzle of olive oil to help prevent them from sticking and tearing when you try to stuff them.
Step 2: How to Make Chicken Stuffed Shells
- Add ⅓ of the alfredo sauce, ¾ cup mozzarella, the ricotta, egg, chicken, salt, dried Italian herb seasoning, black pepper, and parsley to a large bowl. Stir to mix well.
- Spread ⅓ of the alfredo sauce in the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish. Spoon the chicken mixture into the al dente pasta shells, and arrange the filled shells in an even layer in the casserole dish.
- Pour the remaining ⅓ of the alfredo sauce evenly across the top of the filled shells. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup parmesan and ¼ cup mozzarella evenly across the top.
- Cover with foil, and bake until the casserole is hot and bubbling throughout, about 30 to 40 minutes. If desired, remove the foil and broil a couple minutes to brown the top. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftovers wrapped in the fridge for up to 4 days.
This dish reheats well in the microwave or in the oven (375F covered with foil until warm).
How to Freeze
Make this recipe up to the point where it's assembled, but not baked. Wrap it well and freeze for up to 3 months.
The night before you want to eat it, let this thaw overnight in the fridge. After that, bake it as directed in the recipe below.
What to Serve with This Dish
To make this this stuffed shells casserole a full meal, all we need to add is a vegetable! Here are a few vegetable side dishes that pair well:
- Leafy green salad
- Steamed broccoli
- Italian Broccoli (spicy garlic broccoli)
- Crispy Instant Pot Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Balsamic
- Simple Garlic Parmesan Asparagus
- Fresh crusty bread
- Garlic bread
How to Make This a Budget-Friendly Dinner
- Bulk up - Serve it along with a vegetable! If you're trying to stay within a grocery budget, frozen veggies are usually your best bet. Frozen broccoli is a great option here, and so are frozen green beans or cauliflower.
- Alfredo sauce - It might be cheaper to buy a jar of store-bought alfredo sauce than to make it from scratch! If you want, you can compare prices at the grocery store. You'll need 1 (15-ounce) jar of sauce for this recipe.
- Chicken - Rotisserie chicken is quick, easy, and convenient, but it's not always the most economical option. It might be cheaper to buy chicken leg quarters, split chicken breast (aka bone-in, skin-on chicken breast), or a whole chicken and cook it yourself. Take a look at the prices at your grocery store. Another option is using canned chicken in this recipe, which you can sometimes find buy-one-get-one-free at the store.
Stuffed Shells with Chicken and Alfredo Sauce FAQs
Can I Use Store-Bought Alfredo Sauce?
Yes! For this recipe, you'll need 1 (15-ounce) jar of alfredo sauce.
Can I Add Vegetables to the Stuffed Shells Filling?
Yes! There are a few different options:
- Spinach - For chicken alfredo stuffed shells with spinach, you'll need 1 (10-ounce) box of frozen spinach. Thaw the spinach, wring out as much liquid as possible, and then add it to the filling. You will need about 1 pound (16 ounces) of jumbo pasta shells instead of 12 ounces.
- Broccoli - Chicken alfredo and broccoli is a classic combination! For an easy way to make it, add 1 (10-ounce) bag of frozen broccoli to the chicken filling. Thaw the broccoli first, drain it well, and then chop the florets into smaller pieces. You will need about 1 pound of jumbo pasta shells instead of 12 ounces.
More Weeknight Chicken Dinners to Try
- Easy 30-Minute Chicken Noodle Casserole Recipe - made from scratch without soup in a can!
- Honey Garlic Chicken Recipe - serve it with steamed jasmine rice and broccoli for a full meal
- Keto Spinach Artichoke Chicken Casserole - inspired by spinach artichoke dip, this is keto as-is, or you can serve it with crusty bread for dipping
Let's Connect
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Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells
This recipe for cheesy stuffed shells with chicken and creamy alfredo sauce will be everyone's new favorite weeknight dinner! This meal is budget-friendly and freezes well so it's great for meal prep, and I share easy tips to make it stretch to feed a crowd.
Ingredients
Alfredo Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 large cloves garlic crushed
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream at room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk at room temperature
- 1 cup freshly-grated parmesan cheese divided into ¾ cup + ¼ cup (1 cup shredded is about 2 ounces)
Stuffed Shells:
- 12 ounces jumbo pasta shells
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese divided into ¾ cup + ¼ cup
- 1 cup ricotta cheese or cottage cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 ½ cups cooked shredded chicken rotisserie chicken works well
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley plus more for garnish
Instructions
Prep:
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Cook the pasta shells to al dente according to the package directions. Drain and set aside. (If desired, toss them with a drizzle of olive oil after draining to help prevent them from sticking and tearing when you try to stuff them.)
Make the Alfredo Sauce:
- Add the butter to a large skillet over medium-low heat. Once melted, add the garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Add the cream and milk, and bring up to a gentle simmer, whisking frequently.
- Whisk in ¾ cup parmesan cheese a little at a time until it’s fully incorporated and the sauce is thickened.
Make the Filling and Stuff the Shells:
- Add ⅓ of the alfredo sauce, ¾ cup mozzarella, the ricotta, egg, chicken, salt, dried Italian herb seasoning, black pepper, and parsley to a large bowl. Stir to mix well.
- Spread ⅓ of the alfredo sauce in the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish.
- Spoon the chicken mixture into the al dente pasta shells, and arrange the filled shells in an even layer in the casserole dish.
- Pour the remaining ⅓ of the alfredo sauce evenly across the top of the filled shells. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup parmesan and ¼ cup mozzarella evenly across the top.
Bake:
- Cover with foil, and bake until the casserole is hot and bubbling throughout, about 30 to 40 minutes. If desired, remove the foil and broil a couple minutes to brown the top.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.
Faith's Tips
- Recipe Yield and Serving Size: This recipe makes 24 to 26 stuffed shells for this recipe, which works out to 8 servings with about 3 stuffed shells per serving.
- Storage and Reheating: Store leftovers wrapped in the fridge for up to 4 days. This dish reheats well in the microwave or in the oven (375F covered with foil until warm).
- Bulk up - Serve it along with a vegetable! If you're trying to stay within a grocery budget, frozen veggies are usually your best bet. Frozen broccoli is a great option here, and so are frozen green beans or cauliflower.
- Alfredo sauce - It might be cheaper to buy a jar of store-bought alfredo sauce than to make it from scratch! If you want, you can compare prices at the grocery store. You'll need 1 (15-ounce) jar of sauce for this recipe.
- Chicken - Rotisserie chicken is quick, easy, and convenient, but it's not always the most economical option. It might be cheaper to buy chicken leg quarters, split chicken breast (aka bone-in, skin-on chicken breast), or a whole chicken and cook it yourself. Take a look at the prices at your grocery store. Another option is using canned chicken in this recipe, which you can sometimes find buy-one-get-one-free at the store.
-
- Spinach - For chicken alfredo stuffed shells with spinach, you'll need 1 (10-ounce) box of frozen spinach. Thaw the spinach, wring out as much liquid as possible, and then add it to the filling. You will need about 1 pound of jumbo pasta shells instead of 12 ounces.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells
Amount Per Serving
Calories 533
Calories from Fat 261
% Daily Value*
Fat 29g45%
Saturated Fat 17g106%
Trans Fat 0.1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 8g
Cholesterol 133mg44%
Sodium 669mg29%
Potassium 356mg10%
Carbohydrates 37g12%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 30g60%
Vitamin A 1115IU22%
Vitamin C 3mg4%
Calcium 369mg37%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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