Description
Crack Chicken Stuffed Shells are a decadent pasta dish filled with a creamy chicken mixture and topped with a rich alfredo sauce and melted cheese, perfect for a delightful dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 21 jumbo pasta shells (I always use Barilla for the most consistent shape)
- 2.5 cups chicken (shredded into 1/2-inch pieces)
- 2 cups cottage cheese
- 1/2 cup bacon (cooked crisp and crumbled into small bits)
- 3 tbsp ranch dressing mix (Hidden Valley original gives the best flavor)
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 15 oz alfredo sauce (Classico roasted garlic adds a nice depth)
- 1.75 cups cheddar cheese (freshly shredded for better melting)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the jumbo pasta shells according to package directions until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded chicken, cottage cheese, crumbled bacon, ranch dressing mix, egg, ½ cup cheddar cheese, softened cream cheese, and black pepper. Mix until well combined.
- Fill each cooked shell with approximately 2-3 tablespoons of the filling mixture, arranging them seam-side up in the baking dish.
- Pour the entire alfredo sauce over the filled shells and sprinkle the freshly shredded cheddar cheese on top.
- Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly with light golden brown spots.
- Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Using freshly shredded cheese improves melting and texture.
- Allow the dish to rest to help with serving without shells falling apart.
- Feel free to customize the filling or sauce based on taste preferences.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 120mg