Easy Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells
Chicken Alfredo stuffed shells are jumbo pasta shells filled with a ricotta and shredded chicken mixture, covered in Alfredo sauce, and baked until the cheese on top is melted. Most versions ask you to make the Alfredo from scratch, and this one doesn’t. If you have cooked chicken on hand, the prep is about 15 minutes.
This is a good one for a Sunday when you want leftovers for the week, or for feeding a group without standing at the stove. It assembles ahead and bakes straight from the fridge, and the shells hold their shape well enough to plate nicely. Kids tend to eat it without negotiation.
For more easy pasta dinners, be sure to try my Chicken Parmesan Alfredo, High Protein Skillet Lasagna, and Easy Buffalo Chicken Alfredo. They’re all simple recipes that work well on a busy weeknight.
What You’ll Love About This Recipe
Ingredients
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this Easy Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells:
Ingredient Notes
Jumbo shells: Buy the full 12-ounce box and cook all of them, not just the 24 you need. A few always split in the pot, and having spares means you’re not short at the stuffing stage.
Cooked chicken: A rotisserie chicken is the fastest route—pull the meat while it’s still warm and it shreds in about two minutes. Two medium chicken breasts get you to 2 cups if you’re cooking your own.
Ricotta: Part-skim works well here and keeps things lighter without changing the texture. If your container has liquid pooled on top, pour it off before mixing or the filling will loosen up.
Alfredo sauce: Check the jar before you buy—some are thick and pasty and won’t spread over the shells. Look for one that pours. Lighter jarred versions work fine since the ricotta filling carries most of the richness.
Parmesan: Grate it off a wedge if you can. The shaker-style cheese has anti-caking agents that keep it from melting into the top layer.
Mozzarella: Shred it from a block for the best melt. Pre-shredded is fine in the filling, but you’ll notice the difference on top.
Recipe Variations
Add Vegetables or Heat: Stir in chopped steamed broccoli or well-squeezed spinach, or add red pepper flakes and finish with hot honey.
Swap or Boost the Protein: Use ground turkey or sliced Italian chicken sausage, or replace half the ricotta with blended cottage cheese.
Add a Crunchy Top: Toss 1/4 cup panko with the parmesan before sprinkling it on for the last 10 minutes.
How To Make Easy Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells: Step by Step
Here are quick visual instructions. Be sure to check out the full instructions with exact ingredients in the printable recipe card below.
Step 1: Boil the shells, drain them, and rinse with cold water.
Step 2: Stir together the ricotta, parmesan, egg, seasonings, and mozzarella.
Step 3: Fold the cooked chicken into the ricotta mixture.
Step 4: Spread Alfredo sauce in the prepared dish, fill each shell, and arrange the shells in the dish.
Step 5: Pour the remaining Alfredo sauce evenly over the stuffed shells.
Step 6: Scatter the remaining mozzarella and parmesan across the top.
Step 7: Bake covered, then uncover to finish until the cheese melts and the sauce bubbles.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
Pull the shells a minute before the package time says, and lay the drained shells in a single layer on a sheet pan so they don’t tear or stick together.
Use a small cookie scoop to fill the shells quickly and evenly, and don’t skip the sauce on the bottom of the dish or the shells may stick and dry out.
Let the pan sit for 5 to 10 minutes after baking so the filling sets before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Build the whole pan, cover it, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Add about 10 minutes to the covered bake time since it is going into the oven cold.
Yes. Assemble but don’t bake, then cover with plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking, or bake from frozen covered for about an hour, then uncover for 15 minutes.
Rotisserie chicken is the fastest choice because it is already seasoned. Poached or baked chicken breast also works, and leftover grilled chicken is fine when chopped small enough to fit in the shells.
I hope you love this Easy Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells. Please consider leaving a star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below. Thank you so much!
More Recipes To Try
Easy Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells
Ingredients
- 12 ounces jumbo shell pasta
- 2 cups cooked chicken shredded or chopped
- 15 ounces part-skim ricotta
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan divided
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups Alfredo sauce
- 1 1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cook the shells according to the package directions, then drain and rinse under cold water until cool enough to handle.
- In a medium bowl, stir the ricotta together with 1/2 cup of the parmesan, the egg, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and 1 cup of the mozzarella until evenly combined. Fold in the cooked chicken.
- Coat a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray. Spread about 1/2 cup of the Alfredo sauce across the bottom.
- Fill each shell with a heaping spoonful of the chicken and cheese mixture, roughly 24 shells total, and arrange them in the dish.
- Pour the remaining Alfredo sauce evenly over the stuffed shells.
- Scatter the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup parmesan across the top.
- Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling at the edges.
- Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
The nutritional details for recipes are estimated using MyFitnessPal and can vary with different products, measurement accuracy, and source reliability. We aim to provide accurate information but cannot guarantee the precise accuracy of the nutritional data
