Description
Jumbo pasta shells filled with shredded Cajun‑seasoned chicken, creamy cheeses, and sautéed vegetables, then baked in a rich cream sauce until bubbly and golden.
Ingredients
- 24 jumbo pasta shells
- 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 stalk celery, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp Cajun seasoning (or more to taste)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella, divided
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 4 Tbsp butter
- 2 Tbsp all‑purpose flour
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 1½ cups chicken broth
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 °F (190 °C).
- Cook jumbo shells in salted boiling water until just al dente. Drain and spread them out so they don’t stick.
- In a skillet over medium heat, warm olive oil. Sauté onion, bell pepper, and celery for 3‑4 minutes until softened.
- Add garlic and Cajun seasoning, stirring ~1 minute until fragrant.
- In a bowl, mix shredded chicken, ricotta, half of the Parmesan, half of the mozzarella, and the beaten egg. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in the sautéed vegetables and seasoning mixture.
- In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour to make a roux, cooking 1–2 minutes.
- Gradually whisk in heavy cream and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens to coat the back of a spoon. Season with salt, pepper, and extra Cajun seasoning if desired.
- Spread a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.
- Stuff each shell with the chicken‑cheese filling and place them open side up in the dish.
- Pour remaining sauce over the shells, covering evenly.
- Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan, and bake an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is golden and sauce is bubbling.
- Garnish with chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
- You can increase or decrease the Cajun seasoning to control heat.
- For extra vegetables, add spinach, mushrooms, or chopped broccoli into the filling.
- If you don’t have jumbo shells, use manicotti or large pasta tubes with slight adjustment in filling.
- Let the cooked shells cool slightly before filling to prevent breakage.
- Leftovers taste great the next day as the sauce continues to meld.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes (in oven) + sauce making
- Category: Main Course / Pasta Bake
- Method: Boiling + Baking
- Cuisine: American with Cajun flair
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: ≈ 550 (estimate)
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 750mg (estimate)
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 26g
- Cholesterol: 120mg
