Marry Me Chicken Stuffed Shells (Printable View)

Pasta shells stuffed with ricotta and shredded chicken, baked in a flavorful sun-dried tomato and parmesan sauce.

# What You Need:

→ Shells

01 - 20–24 large pasta shells
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded
04 - 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
05 - 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
06 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
07 - 1 large egg
08 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
09 - 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
10 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Marry Me Sauce

11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
13 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
14 - 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped, drained
15 - 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
16 - 1/2 cup chicken broth
17 - 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
18 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
19 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
20 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
21 - Fresh basil, chopped, for garnish

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Boil pasta shells in salted water until al dente. Drain and toss with olive oil to prevent sticking.
03 - Combine shredded chicken, ricotta, parmesan, mozzarella, egg, garlic powder, dried basil, salt, and pepper in a bowl until well blended.
04 - Heat butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté minced garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute.
05 - Stir in sun-dried tomatoes and cook for another minute.
06 - Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth. Stir in parmesan, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 3–4 minutes until sauce thickens slightly. Season with salt and pepper.
07 - Spread a thin layer of sauce in the baking dish. Fill each pasta shell with the chicken mixture and arrange them in the dish.
08 - Pour remaining sauce over the filled shells. Optionally, sprinkle extra mozzarella on top.
09 - Cover dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
10 - Remove foil and continue baking for 10 minutes until bubbly and golden.
11 - Sprinkle chopped fresh basil before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce is ridiculously silky and rich—sun-dried tomatoes add this sophisticated depth that tastes like you spent hours on it.
  • You can stuff the shells hours ahead and bake them later, which means less stress when guests arrive.
  • It's the kind of dish that looks restaurant-quality but is genuinely forgiving to make.
02 -
  • Don't fill the shells completely to the brim or they'll burst open in the oven and leak filling everywhere; leave a tiny bit of room.
  • If your sauce seems too thin after simmering, you can add a tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with a little water to thicken it without making it grainy.
03 -
  • Brown the garlic just until fragrant—even 15 seconds too long turns it bitter and will haunt the whole sauce.
  • Buy sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil rather than the dry kind; they're already soft and bring that oil's flavor to your sauce.
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