Want to spice up the typical stuffed-shell pasta dish? Dreaming of ways to enjoy Buffalo chicken flavor without having to make or eat messy wings? The answer is simple: put the two together! That’s right, we’re stuffing our shells with a mixture of Buffalo chicken, ricotta cheese, and even some spinach for good measure, then topping it all with even more cheese for a dish that’s as perfect for Sunday dinner as it is for the Sunday game. Watch how it all comes together, and give it a try!
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Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Shells
Serves 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1½ pounds ground chicken
- ½ pound spinach
- ¼ cup butter, divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup Frank’s Hot Sauce
- 15 ounces whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 1 – 12-ounce package jumbo shells
- 1 cup shredded Monterey-Jack-and-cheddar cheese blend
Directions
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and sauté the onions until translucent.
- Add the ground chicken and cook until not pink anymore.
- Add the spinach and sauté until wilted.
- Season the chicken-and-spinach mixture with salt and pepper, then remove from the heat and allow to cool.
- Add the hot sauce and ricotta cheese to the chicken-and-spinach mixture, and stir until combined. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of lightly-salted water to a boil. Add the pasta shells and cook for about 10 minutes. Pasta should be firm to the bite. Drain and rinse under cold water, then drain completely.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). Grease a 13-inch-by-9-inch baking dish.
- Spoon the chicken-ricotta mixture into the cooked shells, and arrange in the prepared baking dish.
- Sprinkle the cheese blend over the shells.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the filling is hot and the cheese is melted.
Delish! We’re going to be putting this dish into heavy rotation for sure. What about you? Have you ever had stuffed shells like these ones before? What other ways do you like to play around with Buffalo chicken or shell pasta?
Recipe adapted from Allrecipes