Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells

This is a tremendously delicious baked pasta dish, and if you have all the ingredients at the ready, it’s really not hard to pull together! It’s also a great casserole to assemble ahead of time and keep in the fridge until it’s time to bake. And it’s nice and rich, so it serves a good-sized family if you add in a salad. From thepioneerwoman.com.

Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells


Ingredients:

20 whole Jumbo Pasta Shells, Cooked And Drained
2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
Salt And Pepper, to taste (if tolerated)
Olive Oil, For Grilling Or Frying
3/4 cups Ricotta Cheese
3/4 cups Cottage Cheese
3/4 cups Grated Mozzarella Cheese, Plus More For The Top
2 cups Grated Parmesan Cheese, Plus More For The Top (if tolerated)
2 whole Eggs
1/4 cup Minced Fresh Parsley
2 Tablespoons Minced Fresh Basil
4 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Flour
2 cups Whole Milk
1 cup Heavy Cream, Plus More, As Needed
3 cloves Garlic, Minced


Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a grill pan or iron skillet over medium heat, drizzle with olive oil, and cook the chicken on both sides until it's done. Remove and shred with two forks and allow to cool.

In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, cottage cheese, mozzarella, 1 cup of the Parmesan, eggs, 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, salt, pepper, and chicken. Stir to combine, splashing in 2 tablespoons heavy cream if needed. Set aside.

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter and sprinkle over the flour. Whisk and cook until the roux turns golden brown. Pour in the milk and cream, whisking constantly, and cook for a few minutes, until thickened. Add the garlic, the additional 1 cup Parmesan, salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon minced parsley, and minced basil and stir until combined. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Set aside.

Add 1 cup sauce to the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Using a spoon, fill each of the jumbo shells generously with the chicken/ricotta mixture. Lay them face down in the pan, then pour the sauce all over the top. Sprinkle on extra mozzarella and Parmesan, then bake for 25 minutes, or until bubbly and golden.