Creamy Cajun Chicken Stuffed Pasta Shells with Cheese (Print version)

Jumbo pasta shells filled with Cajun chicken and cheese, baked in a creamy spiced sauce until bubbling and golden.

# Ingredients:

For the shells

01 - 24 jumbo pasta shells, plus a few extra in case some tear
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for the tray
03 - 2 cups (280 g) cooked shredded chicken
04 - 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
08 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for pasta water
10 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
11 - 1 cup (245 g) whole-milk ricotta cheese
12 - 1 1/4 cups (140 g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese, divided
13 - 1/2 cup (50 g) grated Parmesan cheese

For the Cajun cream sauce

14 - 3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter
15 - 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
16 - 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
17 - 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
18 - 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
19 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
20 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
21 - 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, for serving

# Instructions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the jumbo shells until just al dente, usually 1 minute less than the package time. Drain gently, toss with a little oil, and spread on a tray to cool.
02 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper and cook for about 5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute.
03 - Add shredded chicken, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Stir until warmed through. Cool for 5 minutes, then mix with ricotta, 3/4 cup mozzarella, and Parmesan.
04 - Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk, then add cream, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, and black pepper. Simmer 5-7 minutes until lightly thickened.
05 - Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Spread half the sauce in a 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) baking dish. Fill each shell with the chicken cheese mixture and arrange the shells in the sauce.
06 - Spoon the remaining sauce over the shells and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 10-12 minutes more until bubbling and lightly golden. Rest 8-10 minutes, then garnish with parsley.

# Good to know:

01 - Best served after a short rest so the sauce thickens slightly.
02 - Cooked chicken should be fully cooked before it goes into the filling.
03 - Assembled shells can be refrigerated up to 24 hours before baking.

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