Pesto Chicken Stuffed Shells Lite (Printable)

Jumbo shells stuffed with pesto chicken and Greek yogurt, baked in marinara with melted mozzarella.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 16 jumbo pasta shells

→ Filling

02 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded
03 - 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, non-fat or low-fat
04 - 1/4 cup basil pesto
05 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
07 - 1 cup baby spinach, chopped
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
10 - 1 clove garlic, minced

→ Assembly and Topping

11 - 2 cups marinara sauce
12 - 1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
13 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish, optional

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or oil.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add jumbo pasta shells and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and allow to cool on a clean surface.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine shredded chicken, Greek yogurt, basil pesto, Parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese, chopped spinach, salt, pepper, and minced garlic. Mix thoroughly until well combined.
04 - Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce evenly over the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
05 - Fill each cooled pasta shell with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture. Arrange the filled shells in the baking dish with the seam side facing up.
06 - Spoon the remaining marinara sauce evenly over the stuffed shells, ensuring even coverage.
07 - Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly across the top of the shells.
08 - Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes at 375°F.
09 - Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Garnish with fresh basil leaves if desired and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It feels fancy and restaurant-worthy but uses everyday ingredients you probably already have on hand.
  • The Greek yogurt keeps everything creamy without the heaviness of traditional ricotta-based fillings, leaving you satisfied but not weighed down.
  • You can prep the filling ahead and stuff the shells whenever you're ready to bake, making weeknight dinners actually manageable.
02 -
  • Don't skip cooling the cooked shells before stuffing—they'll be pliable enough to fill but won't tear apart like they do when they're piping hot and fragile.
  • If your filling seems too wet, it means you've added too much yogurt; the spinach releases water as it sits, so mix it in last and err on the side of less liquid rather than more.
03 -
  • Keep your baking dish covered with foil for the first 25 minutes so the shells stay moist; the uncovered time is just long enough to brown the cheese without drying anything out.
  • If your marinara sauce is on the thinner side, let it simmer in a pot for 5 minutes before using to reduce some of the liquid and concentrate the flavor.
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