Description
Filled with garlicky ricotta, chicken, and spinach, then baked in marinara sauce, this is an easy crowd-pleaser that works just as well for busy weeknights as it does for casual entertaining.
Ingredients
- 32 (around 8 oz/227g) jumbo pasta shells
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 ounces (142g) fresh spinach
- 15 ounces (425g) ricotta cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup (34g) grated parmesan cheese
- 1 and 1/2 cups (170g) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 2 cups (300g) chopped or shredded cooked chicken breast
- 24-ounce (680g) jar marinara sauce (about 3 cups), divided
- for serving: fresh basil and more parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (191°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish or similar size (about 3-quart) casserole dish. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the jumbo shells. Boil the shells until just al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Lay the shells, open side up, on a baking sheet.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the garlic for 30 seconds, then add the spinach. Cook, stirring, until the spinach wilts and cooks down, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, egg, parmesan, and 1 cup (113g) of the mozzarella. Fold in the chicken and garlic-spinach mixture.
- Pour about 2 cups (about 450g) of sauce into the prepared baking dish to just cover the bottom.
- Spoon the filling evenly into the shells and arrange in the baking dish.
- Pour the remaining sauce over the stuffed shells. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Bake, uncovered, for 20–25 minutes. Serve with fresh basil and extra parmesan, if desired.
Notes
- Make-Ahead Instructions: Assemble the stuffed shells in the baking dish, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, let the dish sit at room temperature while the oven preheats, then bake as directed, adding a few extra minutes if needed.
- Freezing Before Baking: Assemble everything but don’t bake yet. Cover tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake as directed. You can also bake straight from frozen—just expect to add about 20 minutes to the bake time and keep the dish covered for most of it.
- Freezing After Baking: Let the shells cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or wrap the entire dish tightly with plastic wrap followed by foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating, though you can reheat directly from frozen if needed. To reheat in the oven, cover with foil and bake at 350°F (177°C) until warmed through, about 20–25 minutes if thawed or 40–45 minutes if frozen, removing the foil during the last few minutes so the cheese becomes bubbly again. For individual portions, microwave loosely covered in 1-minute intervals until hot, adding a spoonful of marinara if the shells seem dry.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9×13-inch Baking Pan (or any similar 3-quart baking dish) | Glass Mixing Bowl
- Pasta Shells: You’ll need about 32 jumbo shells, which is around 8 ounces total. When first testing the recipe, we cooked a full 12-ounce box, but that was too many shells and we had 19 leftover once everything was filled. If you want to avoid extras, cook closer to 8 ounces, or count out 32 shells before boiling, and save the rest of the box for another time.
- Can I Use Frozen Spinach? Yes. Thaw completely and squeeze out as much moisture as possible before using in step 3.
- Italian Seasoning: If you don’t have Italian seasoning blend, you can use any combination of Italian herbs that you like, such as dried basil, oregano, etc.
- Chicken: Rotisserie chicken breast is quick and convenient, but any cooked chicken works. Just make sure it’s chopped or shredded into small pieces so it mixes evenly into the filling.
- Can I Skip the Chicken? Yes, you can absolutely skip the chicken. If desired, in step 3, you can sauté chopped mushrooms or red peppers in the oil for a few minutes before adding the garlic and spinach.