Pesto Chicken Stuffed Shells Lite (Print Version)

Creamy pesto chicken fills tender shells baked in marinara sauce.

# Components:

→ 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 & 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 with cooking spray or butter.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add jumbo pasta shells and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine shredded chicken, Greek yogurt, basil pesto, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, egg, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper. Stir until fully incorporated.
04 - Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
05 - Fill each cooked pasta shell with approximately 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture. Arrange filled shells open side up in the baking dish.
06 - Spoon remaining marinara sauce over the stuffed shells. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
07 - Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 8-10 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and cheese is lightly golden.
08 - Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil before serving if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes indulgent while keeping you genuinely satisfied with real protein, so you're not hungry again in two hours.
  • The filling comes together in one bowl while the pasta cooks, meaning minimal cleanup and maximum time to actually relax.
  • Pesto plus marinara is a flavor combination that just works, and somehow it feels fancy enough for company but easy enough for Tuesday.
02 -
  • Do not skip cooling the pasta shells slightly after draining, because they'll be too hot to handle and you'll end up with burned fingers and a cranky attitude.
  • The egg is absolutely essential to the filling, even though you might think you can skip it; without it the mixture stays too wet and the filling doesn't hold together in the shells the way it should.
03 -
  • Buy pre-shredded rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and you've just cut your prep time in half without sacrificing a single bit of flavor or quality.
  • If your pesto sauce is very thick, thin it slightly with a tablespoon of the marinara before mixing it into the filling so it distributes more evenly throughout.
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