Description
This Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells recipe combines tender jumbo pasta shells filled with a creamy chicken, ricotta, and mozzarella mixture, all smothered in a rich roasted garlic Alfredo sauce. Baked to perfection with a golden, bubbly cheese topping, it’s a comforting, restaurant-quality Italian-American dish perfect for family dinners or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Roasted Garlic
- 1 head garlic
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
Stuffed Shells
- 20 jumbo pasta shells
- 3 cups shredded chicken (rotisserie chicken recommended)
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- ¾ cup ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley plus additional for garnish (or 2 teaspoons dried parsley)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Roasted Garlic Alfredo Sauce
- 1 head roasted garlic, mashed (from above)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 16 ounces heavy cream (divided: 1 ¾ cups for sauce, ¼ cup for thickener)
- 1 ¼ cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup heavy cream (remaining portion of 16 ounces)
Instructions
- Roast Garlic: Preheat oven to 400°F. Peel off the outer skin of the garlic head, leaving skin on individual cloves. Trim ¼ to ½ inch off the tops to expose cloves. Place garlic on foil, drizzle with olive oil, and massage oil into cloves. Wrap tightly in foil and bake on a sheet for 30 minutes until cloves are tender. Let cool before handling.
- Prepare Oven and Baking Dish: After roasting garlic, reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Cook Pasta Shells: Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over medium-high heat. Add jumbo shells and boil for 9–11 minutes until al dente. Drain and let cool while preparing filling and sauce.
- Make Chicken Filling: In a large bowl, lightly beat the egg. Add shredded chicken, ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, ½ cup Parmesan, parsley, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Mix until well combined. Set aside.
- Prepare Roasted Garlic Alfredo Sauce: Squeeze roasted garlic cloves from skins into a small bowl and mash with fork. In a small saucepan over low to medium heat, melt butter. Add 1 ¾ cups heavy cream and mashed garlic; heat until very warm but do not boil. Stir in Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper, whisking until cheese melts.
- Thicken Sauce: In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon flour with remaining ¼ cup heavy cream until smooth. Gradually add this mixture to the saucepan, stirring and heating until sauce thickens.
- Assemble: Pour 1 cup of Alfredo sauce into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly across the bottom. Fill each pasta shell with the chicken mixture and place filling side up in the dish. Pour remaining sauce over the shells.
- Bake: Cover the dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes at 375°F. Remove foil, sprinkle remaining 1 cup mozzarella and ½ cup Parmesan cheese evenly over the shells. Bake uncovered for an additional 5–10 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from oven and garnish with additional fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
- The homemade roasted garlic Alfredo sauce elevates this dish to restaurant-quality flavor, but you can substitute with store-bought Alfredo sauce to save time.
- Nutritional information is based on approximately 3 ½ stuffed shells per serving.
- Allow pasta shells to cool slightly before filling to prevent tearing.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan for best melting and flavor.
- Make sure not to boil the Alfredo sauce to preserve its creamy texture.
Keywords: Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells, Baked Pasta Shells, Roasted Garlic Alfredo, Italian Dinner, Comfort Food, Stuffed Pasta