My favorite recipes are those that take little time to prepare but are also a wholesome meal. This is one of the reasons that I love this easy stuffed pasta shells recipe. These pasta shells are stuffed with chicken, barbecue sauce, cheese, and so many other delicious ingredients.

I’m sure your family will love them as much as mine does. Chicken pasta dishes are really popular in my house.

Jump to:

• What Are The Big Pasta Shells Called?
• How Do You Know When Pasta Shells Are Done?
• What's The Difference Between Manicotti And Stuffed Shells?
• How Do You Reheat Frozen Pasta Shells?
• What Shells Are Best For Stuffed Pasta Shells?
• What Do You Serve With Stuffed Shells?
• Video Recipe
• Ingredients
• Instructions

What Are The Big Pasta Shells Called?

You make this stuffed shells recipe with conchiglie or large pasta shells. You can find these shells at most grocery stores. They’re great because the larger size and the shape make them easy to stuff and help the sauce to stick to them.

And this stuffed shells recipe is great because it’s a one-pot pasta dish.

How Do You Know When Pasta Shells Are Done?

You’ll need to boil the shells for about 8 to 10 minutes to get them done. You want them to be al dente, sticky to the touch before you bake them. Or, as my mother used to say, “Throw one against the wall – if it sticks, then it’s done.” Really, don’t throw your pasta against the wall.

Just check it after 8 minutes to see if it’s slightly firm but not gummy.

What's The Difference Between Manicotti And Stuffed Shells?

Manicotti is a large tube-shaped pasta while pasta shells look sort of like little seashells. If you prefer, you can substitute manicotti for this recipe. Either way, the success of this stuffed shells recipe is going to depend on how you cook your pasta.

How Do You Reheat Frozen Pasta Shells?

I love recipes that allow me to freeze them and then use them later. If you want to freeze this chicken stuffed shells recipe, you have to make sure that you seal the shells tightly after you have cooked them. You can freeze these in Ziploc bags after you stuff them. Then, to reheat, put them in a baking dish and cover them with the remainder of the baking ingredients.

What Shells Are Best For Stuffed Pasta Shells?

We’ve already covered conchiglie and manicotti. You can also do this recipe with other kinds of pasta, like:

• Tortellini
• Ravioli
• Cannelloni
• Agnolotti

What Do You Serve With Stuffed Shells?

The best thing about this stuffed shells recipe, aside from the fact that it only takes half an hour to serve, is that it’s a one-pot meal. You don’t really need anything with it.

If you do want a side, just add a nice summer vegetable dish, or you could save that effort and put it into making a luscious dessert, like these crock pot peanut butter chocolate chip bars.

Video Recipe

Yield: 8 Servings

Easy Chicken Stuffed Pasta Shells Recipe

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Best stuffed pasta shells recipe. Video instructions on how to stuff pasta shells with chicken, barbecue sauce and cheese for a one pot meal that is quick and delicious.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound (500 g) of minced chicken, cooked
• 4 tbsps. of butter, melted
• 1 cup of BBQ sauce
• Hot sauce to taste
• 15.8 oz. (450 g) of ricotta cheese
• 1 pound (500 g) of pasta shells
• 3.5 oz. (100 g) of shredded cheese
• 4 tbsps. of scallions, minced

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 190C/375F.
2. Combine ricotta cheese, chicken, butter, both sauces, and sliced scallions.
3. Cook pasta shells according to package directions. Let cool down slightly.
4. Stuff pasta shells with chicken mixture and place each shell into 22x30 cm / 9x12 inch baking pan. Top with shredded cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

8 oz. (230 g)
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 346Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 492mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 1gSugar: 12gProtein: 18g