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These delicious Chicken and Broccoli Stuffed Shells are an impressively simple comfort food recipe! If you love stuffed pasta recipes, then you will love this hearty variation!
We are a house full of pasta lovers so I’ve got tons of great pasta recipes in my recipe box. Some of our favorites might be your too, like Shrimp Alfredo, Pasta Puttanesca and Authentic Pasta Carbonara.
Chicken and broccoli Stuffed Shells
Hi everyone! Amanda here from Old House to New Home sharing a comfort food recipe that is great for a weeknight dinner but is impressive enough for entertaining, too! I absolutely love stuffed shells and they may just be my absolute favorite comfort food dinner! The addition of chicken and broccoli mixes up my classic stuffed shell recipe to make a new traditional favorite!
Chicken and broccoli go so well together. It is one of those classic combinations that always seems to work! The addition of juicy chicken breasts and tender broccoli to my classic ricotta filling came out so well. I use three types of cheese in my stuffed shell filling which adds to the texture and the flavor! You could really lighten up this recipe too if you are looking for a healthy comfort food meal. Use part-skim ricotta and mozzarella and then really bulk up the chicken and broccoli!
Tomato cream sauce sounds fancy but it is really easy. I took my easy weeknight marinara sauce recipe and added a cup of half-and-half to it! For an even easier meal, you could use store-bought marinara and then just add the cream and let simmer for a little while. You can whatever type of cream you like, heavy cream, light cream, or half-and-half, depending on what you have in your fridge! You could even use whole milk if that’s all you have on hand.
Comfort food season is upon us and there is nothing more comforting than cheese, pasta, and sauce all warm and gooey straight from the oven! These stuffed shells will be on our table all winter long!
Serving Suggestions
Even though you’ve got some veggies stuffed into these shells, you might want some extra on the side. Serve up some steamed or roasted broccoli, or just a big green salad with your stuffed shells. Of course no Italian meal is complete without a big ol basket of crispy garlic bread!
What to do with leftovers
Chicken and Broccoli Stuffed Shells make an excellent freezer meal! Prep everything, including stuffing the shells, and pop it in the freezer. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bake as directed. Cooked shells will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days if properly stored in an airtight container.
Can’t get enough pasta in your life? Me either!!
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Chicken and Broccoli Stuffed Shells
Ingredients
Sauce
- 3 cups marinara sauce (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 cup half and half (or cream)
- 1/4 cup fresh basil
Filling
- 2 lbs ricotta cheese
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 2 chicken breasts cooked and diced
- 12 ounces broccoli (1 bag, steamed)
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 box jumbo shells cooked 3 minutes shy of box instructions
Instructions
Sauce (can be made ahead of time)
- Add marinara sauce to a saucepan over medium heat. Add the cream and stir well. Let simmer 15-30 minutes.
Assembly
- In a 9 by 13 pan, add a layer of sauce to the bottom of your pan to prevent sticking.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Set cooked shells aside to cool. In a mixing bowl, add all the filling ingredients except for the eggs. Mix well to combine. Taste and add seasonings as desired.
- Once seasoned, add eggs and mix well. Add about 2 heaping tablespoons of filling to each shell. Place in casserole dish seam side up. Repeat until all are full. Top with additional sauce.
- Cover with aluminum foil and place in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and then bake for an additional 15 minutes.
- Let sit for 10 minutes after removing from the oven. Garnish with fresh basil and parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
Looking for more comfort food recipes?
Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Creamy Jalapeño Queso Chicken Enchiladas
