Mouthwatering Chicken and Spinach Stuffed Shells

I used to think stuffed shells were one of those recipes you only ordered at Italian restaurants—too fancy, too time-consuming, too complicated for a weeknight dinner. Then I realized I could skip the typical all-cheese filling and use up leftover chicken instead.

These chicken and spinach stuffed shells are basically everything good about comfort food rolled into one dish. You’ve got tender pasta shells, a creamy ricotta filling packed with chicken and spinach, and plenty of melted cheese on top. The best part? Most of the work is just mixing ingredients in a bowl. If you can boil pasta and use a spoon, you can make this recipe.

What Kind of Ricotta Cheese Should I Use?

For stuffed shells, you’ll want to grab whole milk ricotta rather than part-skim or fat-free versions. The full-fat ricotta has a creamier texture and richer flavor that really makes a difference in the filling. You can find ricotta in the dairy section near the cottage cheese, and both store-brand and name-brand options work perfectly fine for this recipe. If your ricotta seems watery when you open it, just drain off any excess liquid before mixing it with the other ingredients to keep your filling from getting too runny.

Options for Substitutions

This recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some ideas if you need to make changes:

• Jumbo pasta shells: The shells are really what make this dish work, so I’d stick with them. If you absolutely can’t find jumbo shells, you could use manicotti tubes instead, though you’ll need a piping bag to fill them.
• Cooked chicken: Rotisserie chicken is a great time-saver here, but you can also use leftover grilled chicken, poached chicken breasts, or even ground turkey that’s been cooked and seasoned.
• Fresh spinach: Frozen spinach works just fine – use about 10 ounces and make sure to thaw it completely and squeeze out all the excess water before mixing it in.
• Ricotta cheese: Cottage cheese can replace ricotta if that’s what you have. Just give it a quick blend in the food processor for a smoother texture.
• Cream cheese: You can use an extra cup of ricotta instead of cream cheese for a lighter filling, though it won’t be quite as creamy.
• Spaghetti sauce: Any tomato-based pasta sauce works here – marinara, tomato basil, or even homemade sauce if you’ve got it on hand.
• Italian seasoning: If you don’t have Italian seasoning, mix together equal parts dried basil, oregano, and thyme for a similar flavor.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making stuffed shells is overcooking the pasta during the initial boil, which causes them to tear when you try to stuff them – cook them just until they’re bendable but still firm, about 2-3 minutes less than the package directions.

Another common error is overfilling the shells, which makes them split open and spill during baking, so aim to fill each shell about three-quarters full and use a spoon or piping bag for better control.

Don’t skip greasing your baking dish well or laying down that base layer of sauce, as the shells will stick to the bottom and make serving a nightmare.

Finally, if your filling seems too thick or dry to work with, add a splash of milk or pasta water to loosen it up – this helps the filling spread more easily and keeps the shells moist during baking.

What to Serve With Stuffed Shells?

These chicken and spinach stuffed shells are pretty filling on their own, but I always serve them with a side of garlic bread for scooping up any extra sauce left on the plate. A simple Caesar salad or mixed green salad with Italian dressing makes a nice, crisp contrast to the rich, cheesy pasta. If you want to keep things easy, just throw together a quick side of roasted vegetables like zucchini, bell peppers, or broccoli tossed with olive oil and garlic. For a lighter option, some steamed green beans or a caprese salad with fresh tomatoes and basil works great too.

Storage Instructions

Store: Leftover stuffed shells keep really well in the fridge for up to 4 days. Just cover the baking dish tightly with foil or transfer them to an airtight container. They actually taste even better the next day once all the flavors have had time to meld together!

Freeze: These shells are perfect for freezing! You can freeze them before or after baking. For unbaked shells, assemble everything in a freezer-safe dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. If they’re already baked, let them cool completely first, then freeze the same way.

Reheat: To reheat refrigerated shells, cover with foil and warm in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes until heated through. For frozen unbaked shells, bake covered at 350°F for about 50-60 minutes. If reheating frozen cooked shells, let them thaw in the fridge overnight first, then warm them up covered for 25-30 minutes.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 4100-4500
• Protein: 210-230 g
• Fat: 210-230 g
• Carbohydrates: 320-350 g

Ingredients

For the shells:

• 12 oz jumbo pasta shells

For the filling:

• 2 1/2 cups chicken (shredded or chopped into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach (roughly chopped)
• 1 small onion (finely diced)
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 15 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
• 8 oz cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 large egg (lightly beaten)
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
• 1 1/2 tsp italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

For the assembly:

• 26 oz marinara sauce
• 1 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Step 1: Prepare the Mise en Place and Cook the Pasta

• 12 oz jumbo pasta shells
• 1 small onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach

While you prepare ingredients, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic cloves, then roughly chop the fresh spinach.

Measure out the ricotta, cream cheese (ensuring it’s softened), parmesan, mozzarella, and marinara sauce into separate bowls.

Once water is boiling, add the jumbo pasta shells and cook until just al dente (about 1-2 minutes under the package time), then drain in a colander and spread them on a clean kitchen towel to cool and prevent sticking.

Step 2: Build the Filling Mixture

• 2 1/2 cups chicken
• 15 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley
• 1 1/2 tsp italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, ricotta cheese, and grated parmesan cheese, stirring until smooth and well blended.

Add the shredded chicken, chopped spinach, minced garlic, diced onion, lightly beaten egg, fresh parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.

Fold everything together gently but thoroughly, ensuring the ingredients are evenly distributed—I like to use a rubber spatula for this as it helps maintain the texture of the spinach and prevents overworking the mixture.

Step 3: Prepare the Baking Dish and Layer the Base

• 26 oz marinara sauce

Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish (or similar size).

Spread about half of the marinara sauce evenly across the bottom of the prepared dish—this prevents the shells from sticking and creates a flavorful base layer.

Step 4: Fill and Arrange the Shells

• cooked pasta shells from Step 1
• filling mixture from Step 2

Using a small spoon or piping bag, carefully fill each cooked shell with approximately 2-3 tablespoons of the filling mixture from Step 2, working gently to avoid tearing the pasta.

Arrange the filled shells in the prepared baking dish in a single layer, nestling them close together but not overlapping.

I find that arranging them seam-side down helps keep the filling inside and creates a more attractive presentation.

Step 5: Add Sauce and Cover for Baking

• remaining marinara sauce

Pour the remaining marinara sauce evenly over the filled shells, making sure all are covered.

Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil, then place it in the preheated 350°F oven and bake for 40 minutes.

Step 6: Finish with Cheese and Final Bake

• 1 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Carefully remove the foil from the baking dish and sprinkle the 1 1/4 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top of the shells.

Return the uncovered dish to the oven and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and lightly golden.

Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving—this allows the cheese to set slightly and makes the shells easier to serve without falling apart.

Mouthwatering Chicken and Spinach Stuffed Shells

Delicious Mouthwatering Chicken and Spinach Stuffed Shells recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 17 minutes mins

Servings 8 servings

Calories 4300 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the shells

• 12 oz jumbo pasta shells

For the filling

• 2 1/2 cups chicken (shredded or chopped into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach (roughly chopped)
• 1 small onion (finely diced)
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 15 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
• 8 oz cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 large egg (lightly beaten)
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
• 1 1/2 tsp italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

For the assembly

• 26 oz marinara sauce
• 1 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

 

• While you prepare ingredients, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic cloves, then roughly chop the fresh spinach. Measure out the ricotta, cream cheese (ensuring it's softened), parmesan, mozzarella, and marinara sauce into separate bowls. Once water is boiling, add the jumbo pasta shells and cook until just al dente (about 1-2 minutes under the package time), then drain in a colander and spread them on a clean kitchen towel to cool and prevent sticking.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, ricotta cheese, and grated parmesan cheese, stirring until smooth and well blended. Add the shredded chicken, chopped spinach, minced garlic, diced onion, lightly beaten egg, fresh parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Fold everything together gently but thoroughly, ensuring the ingredients are evenly distributed—I like to use a rubber spatula for this as it helps maintain the texture of the spinach and prevents overworking the mixture.
• Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish (or similar size). Spread about half of the marinara sauce evenly across the bottom of the prepared dish—this prevents the shells from sticking and creates a flavorful base layer.
• Using a small spoon or piping bag, carefully fill each cooked shell with approximately 2-3 tablespoons of the filling mixture from Step 2, working gently to avoid tearing the pasta. Arrange the filled shells in the prepared baking dish in a single layer, nestling them close together but not overlapping. I find that arranging them seam-side down helps keep the filling inside and creates a more attractive presentation.
• Pour the remaining marinara sauce evenly over the filled shells, making sure all are covered. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil, then place it in the preheated 350°F oven and bake for 40 minutes.
• Carefully remove the foil from the baking dish and sprinkle the 1 1/4 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top of the shells. Return the uncovered dish to the oven and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and lightly golden. Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving—this allows the cheese to set slightly and makes the shells easier to serve without falling apart.