Pesto Chicken Stuffed Shells Lite (Printable)

Tender jumbo shells stuffed with creamy Greek yogurt pesto chicken filling, baked in zesty marinara for a lighter Italian comfort dish.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 jumbo pasta shells

→ Chicken Filling

02 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, finely shredded
03 - 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (2% or nonfat)
04 - 1/4 cup prepared basil pesto
05 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
07 - 1 large egg
08 - 1 garlic clove, minced
09 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Sauce and Topping

11 - 2 cups marinara sauce
12 - 1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook jumbo pasta shells according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.
03 - In a large bowl, combine shredded chicken, Greek yogurt, pesto, Parmesan, mozzarella, egg, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix until fully incorporated.
04 - Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce evenly in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
05 - Stuff each cooked shell with approximately 2 tablespoons of the chicken filling and arrange the shells, open side up, in the baking dish.
06 - Spoon the remaining marinara sauce over the stuffed shells. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
07 - Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.
08 - Remove foil and bake an additional 8 to 10 minutes until bubbly and lightly golden.
09 - Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil before serving if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • High protein and satisfying enough that you won't feel like you're missing out on the real thing.
  • Most of the work is prep—once it hits the oven, you're free to pour a glass of wine and relax.
  • It actually tastes better the next day when the flavors have had time to get cozy with each other.
02 -
  • Don't cook the pasta shells all the way through—they'll continue cooking in the oven and overcooked shells turn into mush that tears when you try to stuff them.
  • Greek yogurt can sometimes separate in the oven if the temperature is too high or the filling sits exposed for too long, which is why covering with foil for the first part of baking matters.
03 -
  • Invest thirty seconds in mincing your chicken very fine—the smaller the pieces, the more luxurious and creamy the filling tastes.
  • Let your cooked shells cool just enough to handle but while they're still pliable, because cold shells crack when you try to stuff them.
Return