First up in my Fill The Freezer February task, is these delicious Chicken Pesto Stuffed Shells! (I sincerely hope my photography skills only improve with each meal I make…my apologies.) These are so delicious and are actually quite simple to put together! They were a hit with everyone in my family and I need to make another batch because I planned to make two for the freezer, but only one made it there! I served these with a caesar salad and some carrot sticks.
I also love my KitchenAid mixer so I try to do as much as I can with it in the kitchen and these proved that I can create the whole “stuffing” part with the mixer. Including shredding the chicken! That is a win in my books, especially when I’m working with a stiffer food thing. (Saves my wrists.)
These Chicken Pesto Stuffed Shells could be quite versatile. I think they’d be great with spinach added, as much pesto as you’d like and I’m sure most variety of cheeses would be wonderful. You could even try adding a bit of tomato sauce.
Here’s how to make freezer friendly Chicken Pesto Stuffed Shells:
- 1 box of jumbo pasta shells
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 2 cups fresh grated Parmesan and/or mozzarella cheese + extra for topping
- 6 Tbsp prepared pesto homemade or store bought
- 4 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
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In a large pot, bring water to a boil and cook pasta shells only until al dente. (The pasta will finish cooking when the dish is baked.)
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Drain the pasta shells and set aside.
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In a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients, except the extra cheese for the topping.
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Fill the pasta shells with the filling.
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Freezing and Serving Directions
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Place stuffed shells in an aluminum baking dish.
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Sprinkle the extra cheese over shells.
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Cover well.
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To serve, defrost, then preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake shells uncovered for 35-40 minutes or until shells are bubbling hot and cheese melts.
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!
