Pesto Chicken Stuffed Shells (Printer-friendly)

Jumbo pasta shells filled with a creamy blend of chicken, pesto, spinach, and cheeses baked in marinara.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 16 jumbo pasta shells

→ Filling

02 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded
03 - 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, non-fat or low-fat
04 - 1/4 cup basil pesto
05 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
07 - 1 cup baby spinach, chopped
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
10 - 1 clove garlic, minced

→ Assembly & Topping

11 - 2 cups marinara sauce
12 - 1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
13 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish, optional

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Cook jumbo pasta shells in salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside to cool completely.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine shredded chicken, Greek yogurt, pesto, Parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese, chopped spinach, salt, pepper, and minced garlic. Mix thoroughly until well blended.
04 - Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce evenly over the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
05 - Fill each cooled pasta shell with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the chicken filling mixture. Arrange the filled shells in the baking dish with seam side facing up.
06 - Spoon the remaining marinara sauce evenly over the stuffed shells.
07 - Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese evenly across the top of the dish.
08 - Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
09 - Remove foil and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
10 - Remove from oven and garnish with fresh basil leaves if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes indulgent but keeps protein high and calories honest, so you don't feel guilty eating seconds.
  • Most of the work happens in one bowl, and then the oven does the heavy lifting while you breathe for a moment.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day when flavors have had time to really know each other.
02 -
  • The shells will seem impossibly delicate when cold, but they firm up once baked—handle them gently while filling but don't panic about small tears because marinara and melted cheese cover a multitude of sins.
  • Not draining the pasta thoroughly or using shells that are still hot when filling leads to a soupy, messy situation, so patience with cooling really does matter here.
  • Greek yogurt can separate if it hits extreme heat too fast, so keeping your oven temperature at 375°F and not cranking it higher actually ensures a creamy, stable filling.
03 -
  • Homemade pesto is wonderful here, but if you're using store-bought, taste it first because some brands are significantly saltier than others and you don't want a salty filling.
  • Shred mozzarella fresh from the block rather than using pre-shredded; the additives in bagged cheese prevent it from melting into those beautiful bubbly spots you're after.
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