Chicken Stuffed Shells Twist
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Baked jumbo pasta shells filled with a creamy chicken, cheese, and bacon blend. Uses a mix of Alfredo and ranch for tang and richness. Shells cooked al dente, stuffed, then baked until bubbly and golden on top. Focus on textures—crispy bacon bits, creamy cheese combo, tender chicken. Sauce spread bottom and poured over, locking in moisture. Fresh herbs added after baking for brightness. Adjust cooking time based on cheese melt and bubbling cues for best results. A subtle herb twist and swapping cream cheese with mascarpone introduces a smoother, richer mouthfeel. Salt and seasoning balance crucial for depth.
Prep:
35 min
Cook:
28 min
Total:
Servings:
8 servings
#Italian-American
#pasta bake
#comfort food
#baked pasta
#cheese blend
Flavors thick with cheese, chicken, and bacon—comfort food territory. Stuffed shells aren’t fancy but trust me, the combo makes all the difference. Took a stab at swapping cream cheese with mascarpone—softer, silkier mouthfeel, way better. The al dente shells add bite, no mush allowed. Alfredo and ranch, not your usual pair but that tang balances creamy heaviness, old-school ranch helps cut richness. Cooking time matters—watch cheese bubbling, golden hints rather than full brown. Cool shells under cold water fast—avoids sticky mess and premature cooking. Severely underrated step. Basil or parsley on top lifts it; never skip herbs. The bacon needs to be crispy—texture contrast here is key. Learned the hard way not to overload shells or the filling escapes, making a mess. Get hands dirty stuffing—you’ll know when it feels right. Bake uncovered, sounds risky but essential for crisp cheese edges and that tantalizing aroma filling your kitchen.
Ingredients
- 12 jumbo pasta shells
- 1 1/4 cups Alfredo sauce
- 3/4 cup ranch dressing
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
- 5 slices crispy bacon, crumbled
- 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese (replace cream cheese)
- 1 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Fresh chopped parsley or basil for garnish
- Cooking spray
About the ingredients
Jumbo pasta shells best for stuffing—regular shells won’t hold up well. When cooking, salt the water like the sea; this seasons shells subtly. Switching cream cheese for mascarpone softens the filling without thinning it. Whole milk ricotta richer than fat-free—skip skim versions for texture. Use pre-cooked chicken—rotisserie leftovers or poached breast shredded works fine. Crisp up bacon extra in pan or oven, drain well to avoid greasy filling. If no Alfredo sauce, substitute with plain heavy cream thickened with Parmesan and butter; keep ranch for tang. Garlic can be raw or roasted depending on how pungent you want it. Italian seasoning is flexible—oregano, basil, thyme blend, adjust to taste. Don’t over salt; bacon and cheeses already bring saltiness. Have extra shredded mozzarella on hand—moisture and melt properties vary by brand.
Method
- Start with oven set about 370°F; slightly lower than usual to avoid too rapid browning. Lightly coat a 9x13 dish with spray. Set aside to keep handy.
- In a small bowl, whisk together Alfredo sauce and ranch until fully merged; no streaks show. Set aside one cup of this creamy sauce mixture for later.
- Spread that reserved cup evenly over the baking dish base. This acts as a moisture barrier—no burnt pasta bottoms here.
- Cook jumbo shells in salted boiling water till just shy of fully tender, al dente—bite with a little resistance. Rinse under cold water quickly, stop cooking and cool the shells for easier stuffing. Be gentle—don’t tear them.
- In a large bowl, beat together shredded chicken, ricotta, crumbled bacon, mascarpone, one cup mozzarella, garlic, Italian seasoning, and salt. Use a hand mixer—makes a fluffier mixture than stirring by hand. Don’t overmix or cheese breaks down.
- Fill each cooled shell with chicken blend, spooning generously but avoiding mess. Place each stuffed shell seam side down—helps keep filling inside during baking.
- Arrange stuffed shells snugly in prepared dish over the reserved sauce. Pour remaining sauce over shells—full coating seals in moisture and adds tang.
- Scatter remaining mozzarella cheese atop shells; layer matters for perfect cheese melt and slight browning.
- Bake uncovered for about 26-30 minutes. Look for cheese bubbling at edges, turning golden but not dark brown. If cheese browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil.
- Remove from oven, allow to cool 7-10 minutes—filling firms up, easier to serve. Sprinkle fresh parsley or basil to brighten aroma and finish.
- Dig in while still warm but not molten hot; creamy filling with crispy bacon and aromatic herbs is the goal.
Cooking tips
Preheat oven slightly lower than usual—cheese melts gradually rather than burning. Cooking shells al dente critical—too soft, they fall apart stuffing, too hard and they’re chewy post-bake. Rinsing pasta under cold water halts cooking—important to get right, I once overcooked, stuffing was a disaster, lost all shell texture. Mixing chicken mixture with hand mixer adds air, lightness, easier stuffing. Avoid overmixing or cheese becomes stringy and pasty. Stuff shells seam down to prevent filling oozing out. Spread sauce under shells so pasta doesn’t stick and to shield from drying. Pouring remaining sauce on top locks in moisture—skip this and you get dry bites. Baking uncovered lets cheese brown—foil only if it burns too fast. Pull out when cheese bubbles and begins to turn golden yellow—not brown. Letting dish rest means filling firms; too hot and you lose shape on serving. Fresh herbs on top not just garnish; they cut richness and add fresh scent, good contrast.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Oven at 370°F works better than hotter settings; cheese melts slow and edge browns just right instead of burning. Spray 9x13 dish lightly, keeps shells from sticking and catch drips. Undercoat dish with reserved sauce cup to prevent pasta burning on bottom—don’t skip, seen shells stick hard without it.
- 💡 Cook shells al dente – not mushy or fully soft or they’ll break stuffing, but not too chewy later either. Rinsing pasta in cold water stops cooking dead; prevents sticking inside and helps keep shape when stuffing. Tried skipping rinse once, filling leaked out messy.
- 💡 Mix chicken, cheeses, garlic and seasoning using a hand mixer if you can—airs in mixture, makes stuffing lighter and less dense. Overmix, cheese breaks down and gets stringy. Gentle fold if hand mixing only. Filling thickens as you mix; texture depends on how long you beat.
- 💡 Stuff shells seam side down; keeps filling contained. Overfilling makes stuffing oozing chaos—get a good scoop, don’t overload. Arrange shells snugly so they don’t topple or stick to the dish. Spread reserved sauce under shells then pour remaining on top; locks in moisture, no dry bites here.
- 💡 Bake uncovered; cheese should bubble at edges and turn golden, not dark brown. If cheese browns too fast, tent lightly with foil to slow colour. Pull shells out when bubbling occurs and golden yellow starts. Rest dish for 7-10 min—filling firms, easier serving; too hot, mess and collapse.
Common questions
How to stop shells from breaking?
Cook pasta just shy of fully tender. Rinse in cold water immediately. Handle gently when stuffing—don’t twist or press too hard. Too soft pasta falls apart when loaded, too hard, chewy after bake.
What if no Alfredo sauce?
Use thick heavy cream and Parmesan melted together. Keep ranch for sharp tang. Or mix sour cream and Parmesan as backup but texture different. Bacon saltiness helps balance creaminess here.
Baking cheese browns too fast?
Lower oven temp or tent with foil loosely. Watch edges closely after 20 mins. Browning means flavor but dark spots indicate burnt edges. Every oven heats different; use bubbling, aroma cues to judge doneness.
How to store leftovers?
Cool completely before fridge; tightly cover dish or transfer to airtight container. Reheat gently in oven at 325°F wrapped in foil keeps moisture. Microwave works but risks drying, texture shifts. Consume within 3 days best.
