My love for pasta runs deep. You all know that I have a soft spot in my heart for all of the carbs, but especially stuffed shells. My Lasagna Stuffed Shells are made on the regular here in the One Sweet Appetite home but this chicken ranch version may slide into our #1 spot.
It has EVERYTHING. Cooked chicken is shredded and tossed with cheddar cheese, spinach, green onion and stuffed into cooked pasta shells. A homemade ranch Alfredo is poured over the top and everything is sprinkled with bacon pieces. The only way I can even begin to describe it?
SO GOOD. Like, get in my belly right this second delicious. I could eat the sauce on anything and everything. Pin this recipe, print it out, and add it to your must-make list!
Ingredients
24 uncooked large pasta shells
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup diced green onion
1/4 cup breadcrumbs, optional
cooked bacon pieces, optional
For the sauce:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 cup whole milk
1 (1oz) Ranch seasoning mix
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Mist a 9×13 pan with cooking spray and set aside.
Cook the pasta shells aldente according to the package directions.
While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce.
For the sauce:
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the flour until a paste is formed. Cook 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Whisk in the milk. Cook on low heat until just slightly thickened. remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese. until melted. Stir in ranch packet.
Building the shells:
Combine the shredded chicken, spinach, cheddar cheese, green onion, and 1/2 cup of sauce in a medium bowl. Fill each pasta shell with a heaping tablespoon of the chicken mixture and place in your 9×13 pan.
Pour remaining sauce evenly over shells. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and bacon if using, cover, and bake 25-30 minutes or until heated through. Remove cover and cook an additional 5-10 minutes or until bubbly.