I have been getting really into stuffed shells lately. They are like lasagna’s wild younger cousin, with a lot of familiar ingredients and methods, but also room for fun flavor deviations.
Like this one! There’s roasted corn and onion, shredded chicken, the Italian cheese trifecta of ricotta+mozzarella+parmesan, and a creamy, smoky alfredo sauce that I would eat on ANYTHING. (Or with a spoon, if we’re being honest.)
For this time of year, when I’m ready to move on from heavy comfort foods, but not quite ready for fresh summer eats, meals like this feel just right.
Inquiring Minds Want To Know:
CAN I MAKE THIS AHEAD?
You can make and assemble the shells ahead of time, but I would wait to make the sauce until just before baking. Cream sauces tend to separate when reheated, so while you could make the sauce ahead and refrigerate/freeze for later, the texture wouldn’t be as good.
(Though I did try both refrigerating and freezing in the name of research and both resulted in very edible shells!)
HOW MUCH DO I STUFF THE SHELLS?
Ah, the eternal challenge of getting all the components to come out evenly! I used these Barilla shells, and would say it took less filling per shell than I would have thought. You want the shells to be full, but not uncomfortably so. If they’re getting bent out of shape, it’s probably too much filling.
HOW SHOULD I COOK THE CHICKEN FOR THIS?
I wrote a whole post on cooking chicken here! Might I suggest the poached method – It’s the best for shredded chicken!
CAN I USE REGULAR PAPRIKA INSTEAD OF SMOKED PAPRIKA?
No! They have very different flavors. The smoked paprika is what gives the cream sauce its smoky flavor. Don’t deviate!
I’ve always been able to find smoked paprika at bigger grocery stores, but you can also buy it from Amazon.
Chicken Stuffed Shells with Smoky Cream Sauce
Ingredients
FOR THE CORN
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels
- 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
FOR THE SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded parmesan, divided
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
FOR THE SHELLS
- 6 ounces jumbo shells
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Directions
FOR THE CORN
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.Place corn and onion on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper to coat. Roast 25-30 minutes, tossing halfway through, until corn begins to brown.
FOR THE SAUCE
- Place the butter and garlic in a saucepan and heat over medium-low. Once the butter has melted, add the cream and stir frequently until heated through. Add 1/2 cup of parmesan and the smoked paprika and stir until cheese is melted. Pour sauce into a large baking pan.
FOR THE SHELLS
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook shells according to package directions and strain. Turn onto a baking sheet in a single layer to prevent sticking as they cool.In a large bowl, combine the roasted corn, ricotta, shredded chicken, mozzarella, and salt.Fill each prepared shell with the chicken mixture and place in the baking dish on top of the sauce. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup parmesan cheese and bake 20 minutes, until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted. Serve immediately.
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