Pesto Chicken Stuffed Shells

I was really looking forward to making this recipe when I came across it a few weeks ago. The flavors are right up my alley and I love stuffed shells. Overall, I really liked it, but next time I will add a sauce, probably a light Alfredo. Even a marinara sauce would be good with it. Now I am anxious to make it again! Look for this recipe revisited soon.

One thing I definitely won't change is the panko topping. YUM!

Pesto Chicken Stuffed Shells
Adapted from Joelen's Culinary Adventures

Ingredients:

1 lb box jumbo pasta shells
4oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup freshly shredded Asiago cheese + 1/4 cup for topping
1/4 cup Mozzarella cheese
6 tbs prepared pesto (homemade or store bought), plus more for drizzling
4 cups shredded cooked chicken*
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes
1 cup panko bread crumbs
3 tbs butter, melted
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large pot over high heat, boil water and prepare pasta shells as directed on package. Cook pasta shells only until al dente. The pasta will finish cooking when the dish is baked. Drain the pasta shells and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine chicken, pesto, cream cheese, sour cream, asiago cheese, garlic, sun dried tomatoes, and salt and pepper. Fill the pasta shells with the filling and place in a baking dish. Drizzle with pesto. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of asiago cheese and the mozzarella cheese over filled shells.

Combine melted butter and panko bread crumbs and cover shells and cheese.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake shells uncovered for 30 minutes or until shells are bubbling hot and cheese melts.

*I cooked 1 lb of boneless skinless chicken breasts in the crockpot for 6 hours with a little bit of chicken broth. Chicken was moist and shredded very easily.

ZACH'S RATING: *** 1/2