Chicken Ricotta Stuffed Shells Recipe
My definitive recipe for chicken ricotta stuffed shells guarantees the creamiest, most flavorful filling—never watery! My simple trick stops watery filling for good, ensuring a rich, perfect comfort dinner every single time. It’s the perfect, crowd-pleasing casserole.
Equipment
- 9x13 inch Baking Dish
- Large Pot
- Skillet
- Fine-Mesh Sieve or Cheesecloth
- Piping Bag (or large Ziplock bag)
Ingredients
For the Shells & Filling
- 10 ounces Jumbo Pasta Shells about 2/3 of a 16-oz box
- 24 ounces Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
- 2 cups Shredded Low-Moisture Mozzarella divided
- 1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese divided
- 2 cups Cooked Chicken diced
- 10 ounces Frozen Chopped Spinach thawed and squeezed completely dry
- 1 Large Egg
- 3 cloves Garlic minced and divided
- 24 ounces Jarred Marinara Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
For the Crispy Topping
- 1/2 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- 2 tablespoons Fresh Italian Parsley chopped
Instructions
Prepare the Pasta and Topping
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Pour about half of the marinara sauce into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Cook jumbo shells in generously salted water, undercooking by 2 minutes from the package instructions. Gently remove with a slotted spoon to a lightly oiled baking sheet.
- While pasta cools, melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add panko and half of the minced garlic. Toast, stirring constantly, until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a small bowl. Stir in the chopped parsley and set aside.
Mix the Filling & Assemble
- In a large bowl, combine the drained ricotta, squeezed spinach, cooked chicken, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, 3/4 cup Parmesan, the egg, remaining garlic, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Mix until just combined.
- Transfer the filling to a piping bag or a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe the filling generously into each cooked shell. Arrange the filled shells snugly in the prepared baking dish.
Bake to Perfection
- Drizzle the remaining marinara sauce over the stuffed shells. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Cover the dish tightly with foil.
- Bake covered for 25 minutes. Remove the foil, then sprinkle the toasted panko breadcrumb topping evenly over the surface.
- Return to the oven and bake uncovered for another 15-20 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the topping is a deep golden brown. Let the casserole rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- The Secret to Rich, Never-Watery Ricotta: This is the most important step. Drain your whole milk ricotta in a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl for at least 30 minutes (and up to a few hours) in the fridge. This removes the excess liquid whey, concentrating the milk solids for a perfectly thick and creamy filling.
- How to Avoid Tearing Pasta Shells: Cook shells for 2 minutes less than the package directs for 'al dente.' This keeps them firm. Never dump them in a colander; lift them from the water gently with a slotted spoon and arrange them in a single layer on an oiled baking sheet to cool.
- Squeeze That Spinach BONE DRY: After thawing the spinach, wrap it in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze over the sink with all your might until no more water comes out. This prevents it from making the filling watery.