This Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells Recipe is absolutely delicious! Tender pasta shells stuffed with a creamy chicken, mushrooms, and spinach filling smothered in a creamy homemade Alfredo Sauce and loaded with cheese.

Whether you serve these stuffed shells, a classic hearty lasagna, or an easy baked ziti, you can never go wrong with a pasta dinner!

CHICKEN STUFFED SHELLS-

These stuffed shells are so filling and mouthwatering! The jumbo pasta shells and ricotta chicken stuffing pair well with the Alfredo Sauce and cheese.

We love this recipe for easy weeknight dinners, especially when paired with homemade breadsticks!

A spoon of stuffed shells with alfredo sauce.

INGREDIENTS-

  • Pasta Shells– You will need the jumbo pasta shells for this recipe.
  • Chicken– We use ground chicken, but you can also use shredded chicken, such as rotisserie chicken.
  • Onion– Finely chopped onions for the filling.
  • Mushrooms– White or portobello mushrooms will work great for this dish.
  • Spinach– You want to use freshly chopped spinach, not frozen spinach.
  • Oil– Olive oil for sauteing.
  • Garlic– We use freshly minced garlic for flavors.
  • Seasoning– We use salt, pepper, and paprika for the seasoning.
  • Shredded Cheese– You can use any of your go-to shredded cheese. We prefer shredded mozzarella cheese for this dish.
  • Ricotta Cheese– We use ricotta cheese to give these stuffed shells that creaminess that you look for in stuffed shells.
  • Alfredo Sauce– This recipe works GREAT with our homemade alfredo sauce.
White casserole dish with creamy stuffed chicken shells.

HOW TO MAKE STUFFED SHELLS-

  1. Pasta-Cook the shells al dente according to package instructions.
  2. Sauce– Prepare the creamy homemade alfredo sauce.
  3. Filling– Saute the mushrooms and add onions; saute until tender. Season and remove from skillet.
  4. Cook chicken– In the same skillet, saute the ground chicken until fully cooked. Add in the minced garlic and cook until fragrant. Season with salt, pepper, and paprika.
  5. Combine– In a large bowl, combine the sauteed mushrooms, chicken, chopped spinach, shredded cheese, and ricotta.
  6. Stuff the Shells– Stuff the shells with the chicken mixture and add a 9”x13” baking dish. Repeat with all the shells and filling.
  7. Assemble– Pour the Alfredo sauce over the shells and top with a layer of shredded cheese.
  8. Bake– Bake until bubbly and the cheese has melted. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve!
Step by step collage of how to make the homemade chicken stuffed shells.

STUFFED SHELLS VARIATIONS-

There are several different ways that you can prepare your stuffed shells! Here are a few different delicious ways:

  • Classic- You can remove all the spinach and mushrooms and make plain chicken and cheese stuffed shells. You will need to add more chicken.
  • Mushroom Spinach– Make them as we do in this recipe for a flavorful dish loaded with spinach, chicken, and mushrooms.
  • Bacon Tomato– We love making these like our Alfredo Flatbread and use chicken, bacon, and chopped tomatoes for the filling. 
  • Chicken Broccoli– Add broccoli to the filling instead of spinach!
Step by step collage of how to make homemade creamy chicken alfredo stuffed shells.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS-

Can I freeze stuffed shells?

Yes, these chicken stuffed shells are great to freeze. Prepare per instruction, but do not bake. Cover the casserole dish with foil and freeze for up to 2-3 months.
To bake: Thaw at room temperature or refrigerator and bake.

Can I make this dish ahead of time?

Yes! Prepare the dish and refrigerate until ready to bake. You can make this up 1 day ahead of time.

Can I substitute the chicken?

Yes, you can use shredded chicken, ground beef, ground turkey, or even ground pork.

Can I use canned Alfredo?

Yes, you can use your favorite canned Alfredo instead of our homemade Alfredo.

What size casserole dish can I use?

The stuffed shells may be prepared in a 9”x13” casserole dish or they may be divided into two 9”x9” dishes. One of the casseroles may be baked while the other frozen for later use.

Can I take out the spinach?

Yes, you can leave out the spinach completely (it’s not the main ingredient in the recipe).

Can I substitute ricotta cheese?

Yes, you can use cottage cheese or cream cheese instead.

Creamy stuffed shells in a white casserole dish topped with fresh chopped greens and black pepper.

OTHER PASTA DISHES-

Chicken Stuffed Shells (with Ricotta)

Author: Valentina
Print
5 from 12 votes
This Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells Recipe is absolutely delicious! Tender pasta shells stuffed with a creamy chicken, mushrooms and spinach filling smothered in a creamy homemade Alfredo Sauce and loaded with cheese.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 12 oz jumbo pasta shells, cooked al dente
  • 1 lb ground chicken
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 16 oz white mushrooms, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp oil, divided
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ tsp salt, or to taste
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper, or to taste
  • ½ tsp ground paprika
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh spinach, lightly packed and cut
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 recipe of Alfredo sauce

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375°F.
  • Cook pack of pasta shells, according to instructions. You only need 24 shells but cook entire box for extras in case some break or rip. Drain pasta, rinse in cold water, cover and set aside.
  • Prepare creamy Alfredo sauce recipe.
  • In a large skillet over high heat, saute mushrooms with 2 tsp oil for 5 minutes. Turn heat down to medium, add onions and 2 tsp oil, saute another 3 minutes, lightly season with salt and pepper.
  • Add ground chicken and 2 tsp oil, saute until meat is fully cooked, break up the meat as it’s cooked.
  • Season meat with salt, pepper, paprika and 2 minced garlic cloves. Let the meat cook another minute and remove from heat. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, combine the ingredients from the skillet, ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese and spinach, mix. well
  • Cover bottom of 9"x13" baking dish with a few spoonfuls of the Alfredo sauce.
  • Stuff shells with chicken mixture and arrange in the baking dish.
  • Pour the Alfredo sauce over the shells. Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese. 
  • Cover dish with foil and bake 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 5-7 minutes.

Notes

Just like most Alfredo pasta recipes, it’s best if enjoyed immediately.

Nutrition

167kcal Calories3g Carbs9g Protein13g Fat6g Saturated Fat51mg Cholesterol206mg Sodium233mg Potassium1g Sugar565IU Vitamin A1.5mg Vitamin C150mg Calcium0.4mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Chicken Stuffed Shells (with Ricotta)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 167 Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Fat 13g20%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Cholesterol 51mg17%
Sodium 206mg9%
Potassium 233mg7%
Carbohydrates 3g1%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 9g18%
Vitamin A 565IU11%
Vitamin C 1.5mg2%
Calcium 150mg15%
Iron 0.4mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
(The nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)