Description
These Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells are a creamy, cheesy, and comforting dish perfect for family dinners. Large pasta shells are stuffed with a flavorful mixture of rotisserie chicken, spinach, and garlic, then smothered in a rich and velvety homemade Alfredo sauce. This dish is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Stuffed Shells:
- 12 ounces large shell pasta
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 2 1/2 – 3 cups leftover rotisserie chicken (or cooked chicken breast), shredded
- 6 ounces fresh baby spinach
For the Alfredo Sauce:
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream (do not substitute half and half or milk)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large egg yolks
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups part-skim grated mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Cook the shell pasta according to the package instructions, drain, and set aside.
- In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and chopped onions, cooking for about 2-3 minutes, until softened and fragrant.
- Add the shredded rotisserie chicken and fresh spinach to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach has wilted. Set aside to cool slightly.
- For the Alfredo sauce, in a medium saucepan, combine the whole milk, heavy cream, and butter. Heat over medium heat until the butter melts and the mixture is warm.
- Add the minced garlic, salt, and pepper to the saucepan and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Slowly temper the egg yolks by adding a small amount of the warm cream mixture to the bowl while whisking continuously. Then, slowly whisk the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the cream mixture.
- Stir in the grated Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Continue cooking on low heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thickened and creamy.
- Stuff the cooked shell pasta with the chicken-spinach mixture, placing the filled shells in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Pour the Alfredo sauce evenly over the stuffed shells, covering them completely.
- Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until bubbly and heated through.
- Optionally, garnish with extra Parmesan or chopped fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
- If you have extra Alfredo sauce, you can serve it on the side for additional creamy goodness.
- For a lighter version, you can substitute the heavy cream with a lighter cream or milk, though the sauce will be slightly less rich.
- These stuffed shells can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge, then baked just before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American