Delicious Pesto Chicken Stuffed Shells Recipe

Pesto Chicken Stuffed Shells are fantastic. My husband really enjoyed this dish, which is always great! The shells are filled with chicken, cream cheese, freshly grated parmesan and Asiago cheeses, pesto sauce, sautéed mushrooms, garlic, and green onions. They're seasoned with oregano, basil, Italian seasoning, and parsley. This recipe turns out perfectly, and we love it!

I used leftover chicken from a roast the first time I made it. The second time, I boiled two boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a crockpot. Both ways worked well.

To avoid pasta tearing, I cooked the shells for about 5 minutes less. You want them to be firm but not too hard.

Pesto Chicken Stuffed Shells is a dish the whole family will enjoy, and it's nice enough for guests too. Just add some bread and a salad, and you're good to go! I'm thinking of adding artichoke hearts next time I make it!

When I first shared this recipe in April 2013, I didn't have a good camera, so the pictures weren't great.

I made this recipe again in January 2017 for an event at our church. The high school girls loved it, and even the hosts couldn't get enough! I served it with roasted cauliflower, grape salad, and peanut butter swirl bars. They cleaned their plates!

 Delicious Pesto Chicken Stuffed Shells Recipe

Prep Time: 40 minutes Cook Time: 50 minutes Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes Servings: 12 Equipment needed: large pot, colander, skillet, wooden spoon, measuring cups, measuring spoons, sharp knife, 9x13" baking dish

Ingredients:

• 16 oz. box jumbo pasta shells, cooked until firm
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (save ½ cup for topping)
• 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Asiago cheese (save ¾ cup for topping)
• 1/2 cup pesto sauce
• 3 cups cooked, shredded chicken
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. sea salt or kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 2-3 tbsp. olive oil
• 3 green onions, diced
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp. dried parsley
• 1 tsp. fresh parsley, minced (for garnish)

Instructions:

Boil water in a large pot and cook pasta shells for 11-12 minutes until firm. Drain and set aside.

In a skillet, sauté mushrooms and green onions in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for a couple more minutes.

In a large bowl, mix chicken, cream cheese, pesto sauce, Parmesan and Asiago cheeses (except reserved amounts), sautéed vegetables, salt, pepper, and remaining seasonings.

Fill pasta shells with the mixture and place them in a greased 9x13” baking dish. Cover with foil.

Bake at 350°F until shells are hot and bubbling, about 30-40 minutes.

Sprinkle reserved cheeses over shells and bake for another 5-10 minutes until melted.

Garnish with fresh parsley.

Note: You can add drained artichoke hearts if desired.