Spicy Shell Pasta with Chicken (Printable Version)
# What You’ll Need:
→ Main Ingredients
01 -
20 large pasta shells
02 -
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
03 -
1 tbsp olive oil
04 -
1/2 onion, chopped small
05 -
1 red bell pepper, cut into small cubes
06 -
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
07 -
1 tsp Cajun seasoning
08 -
1/2 tsp paprika
09 -
1/4 tsp salt
10 -
1/4 tsp black pepper
11 -
1 cup ricotta cheese
12 -
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
13 -
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
→ Sauce Ingredients
14 -
2 tbsp butter
15 -
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
16 -
2 cups milk
17 -
1/2 cup heavy cream
18 -
1 tsp Cajun seasoning
19 -
1/4 tsp garlic powder
20 -
Salt and pepper to your liking
# Steps to Follow:
01 -
Heat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Boil pasta shells following box directions. Drain and let them cool down.
02 -
Warm olive oil in a skillet on medium heat. Cook onion and bell pepper until they're soft, around 5 minutes. Throw in garlic and cook one more minute.
03 -
Add your shredded chicken, Cajun seasoning, paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir everything together and take off the heat. Let it cool a bit.
04 -
Take a bowl and mix the chicken stuff with ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese. Stir until everything's mixed well.
05 -
Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for a minute. Pour in milk and cream slowly while stirring to keep lumps away. Add Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Let it bubble until it gets thick, about 5-7 minutes.
06 -
Pour half your sauce into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Fill each shell with the chicken mixture and place them in the dish.
07 -
Pour the rest of your sauce over the stuffed shells. Sprinkle some extra mozzarella on top. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Take the foil off and bake 10 more minutes until it's golden and bubbling.
08 -
Let it sit for a few minutes before you dig in. You can add some parsley on top if you want.
# Additional Notes:
01 -
You can use store-bought rotisserie chicken to cut down on prep time.
02 -
Make sure your sauce thickens up nicely before adding it to the shells.