Marry Me Chicken Stuffed Shells
Creamy, sun-dried tomato chicken meets four cheeses in this decadent stuffed shell casserole.
Ingredients:
- 22 jumbo pasta shells (from 1 [12-ounce] package)
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 3/4 cup finely chopped cooked chicken
- 1 (4-ounce) package goat cheese (about 1/2 cup)
- 1/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil, plus more roughly chopped for garnish
- 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon dried italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (8-ounce) package low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese, freshly shredded and divided (about 2 cups)
- 1 (7-ounce) jar julienne-cut sun dried tomatoes in oil (about 2/3 cup)
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce (such as rao’s) (about 2 1/2 cups)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
Direction
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high. Add shells; cook, stirring often, over high until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain shells, running under cold water to help stop cooking.
- Stir together ricotta, chicken, goat cheese, Parmesan, egg, basil, garlic, salt, Italian seasoning, black pepper, and 4 ounces (about 1 cup) of the mozzarella in a medium bowl until well combined. Set aside.
- Reserve 1 tablespoon sun-dried tomato oil from jar; drain and finely chop tomatoes (about 2/3 cup). Heat reserved oil in a medium saucepan over medium until shimmering. Add chopped tomatoes and onion; cook, stirring frequently, until onions are softened, about 3 minutes. Add marinara sauce, water, and red pepper; bring to a boil over medium, stirring occasionally, then reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, over low until flavors meld and slightly reduced, about 15 minutes.
- While sauce cooks, place ricotta mixture in a large resealable plastic bag or piping bag; cut a 1-inch hole in corner or tip. Evenly pipe ricotta mixture into cooked shells (about 2 tablespoons each).
- Stir cream into sauce until combined. Spread half of sauce over bottom of a 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Arrange shells, filled side up, over sauce; top with remaining sauce.
- Cover dish with aluminum foil; bake in preheated oven until shells are tender, sauce is bubbling and filling is heated through, about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven; uncover and sprinkle evenly with remaining 4 ounces (about 1 cup) mozzarella.
- Preheat oven to broil with rack about 7 inches from heat source. Broil until cheese is melted and just lightly browned in spots, about 2 to 4 minutes. Garnish with basil. Serve immediately.
