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A cozy, cheesy baked pasta dish using jumbo shells stuffed with a creamy chicken and broccoli mixture, topped with Alfredo sauce and mozzarella cheese, perfect for family dinners and using leftover rotisserie chicken.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 12 oz box jumbo pasta shells
  • 1 cup prepared peppercorn ranch or ranch dressing
  • 4 oz chive and onion cream cheese, softened
  • 1 tsp dry Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 cups rotisserie chicken, chopped
  • 2 cups steamed broccoli florets, roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tsp granulated garlic or garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 1 16 oz jar prepared Alfredo sauce
  • 1 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley for garnishing

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook jumbo pasta shells per package directions until al dente; drain, rinse briefly with cool water, and cool until you can handle them.
  3. In a medium bowl, beat 1 cup prepared peppercorn ranch, 4 oz softened chive-and-onion cream cheese, 1 tsp dry Italian seasoning, and 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes with a hand mixer until smooth.
  4. Stir in 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, 2 cups chopped cooked chicken, 2 cups steamed chopped broccoli, and 1 cup shredded mozzarella; season with 1 tsp granulated garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper and adjust to taste.
  5. Spoon the chicken-and-broccoli filling into each shell using a tablespoon and arrange the filled shells side by side in the prepared baking dish.
  6. Pour a 16 oz jar of Alfredo sauce evenly over the stuffed shells.
  7. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup shredded mozzarella over the sauce.
  8. Bake uncovered at 350°F for 35–40 minutes, until the sauce bubbles and the cheese is lightly golden.
  9. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with chopped Italian parsley, and let rest about 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Cook shells just until al dente to prevent them from falling apart while baking., Drain and cool shells before filling to avoid tearing; handle gently with tongs or a spoon., If using frozen broccoli, thaw and drain completely or steam until tender-crisp to avoid watery filling., For smoother filling texture, finely shred or pulse chicken in a food processor., Adjust ranch dressing amount or use milder ranch to reduce salt or tanginess, then season with salt accordingly., If cheese browns too fast during baking, cover loosely with foil for the first 20-25 minutes, then remove to finish browning., You can swap or mix in cheeses like ricotta, provolone, or Italian blends, keeping total cheese amount about the same., Make ahead by assembling and refrigerating unbaked dish up to 24 hours before baking., Freeze unbaked assembled dish for up to 2 months; thaw overnight before baking and add 10–15 minutes to baking time., Baked leftovers can be frozen for up to 2 months and reheated covered at 350°F until heated through.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookingcrumbs.com/chicken-and-broccoli-stuffed-shells/