Velvety garlic-parmesan alfredo, tender shredded chicken, micro-chopped tender-crisp broccoli, and a rich ricotta bind tucked into jumbo shells and crowned with golden, bubbling mozzarella.
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### ## The Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Stuffed Shells Method
* **1. Prep & Pasta:** Preheat oven to **375°F (190°C)** and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Boil **1 box (12 oz) jumbo pasta shells** in heavily salted water for 2 minutes *less* than package al dente time. Drain gently, rinse with cool water, and lay them individually on parchment paper.
* **2. The Chicken & Broccoli Prep:** Have ready **2 cups cooked, shredded or finely diced chicken** (rotisserie breast/thigh makes this effortless). Steam **1.5 cups finely chopped broccoli florets** just until tender-crisp (3 minutes), then **squeeze them dry** in a clean kitchen towel or paper towel so excess moisture doesn’t make the pan watery.
* **3. The Creamy Alfredo-Ricotta Binder:** In a large bowl, whisk/mix together:
* 15 oz (1 tub) whole-milk ricotta cheese
* 1 cup garlic-parmesan Alfredo sauce (thick store-bought or rich homemade)
* 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella (reserving 1 cup for the top)
* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 1 large egg (lightly beaten)
* 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper.
* **4. Marry the Filling:** Gently fold the shredded chicken and squeezed dry broccoli directly into the cheese-ricotta-alfredo mixture until evenly distributed.
* **5. Sauce the Pan:** Spread **1 cup of Alfredo sauce** evenly across the bottom of the greased 9×13 dish.
* **6. Stuff & Arrange:** Spoon or pipe the chicken-broccoli-alfredo filling generously into each jumbo shell. Nestle them snugly side-by-side in the pan.
* **7. Crown & Cover:** Drizzle another **1/2 cup of Alfredo sauce** lightly over the top center of the shells. Shower generously with the remaining **1 cup mozzarella** and an extra pinch of parmesan.
* **8. Bake:** Cover loosely with foil (sprayed with nonstick on the underside) and bake at 375°F for **20 minutes**. Remove foil and bake another **10 to 15 minutes** until bubbly, golden-brown, and slightly charred on the cheese edges.
* **9. Rest:** **Do not skip this.** Rest for **15 minutes** before serving so the alfredo-ricotta bind sets instead of sliding out of the shells.
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### ## Elevate the Pan
* **The Bright Finish:** Right when it comes out of the oven, microplane fresh lemon zest (about half a lemon) and a handful of chopped flat-leaf parsley across the top—acid cuts the richness of the alfredo dramatically.
* **Toasted Garlic Panko Crunch:** Mix 1/2 cup panko with 1 tbsp melted butter and a pinch of garlic salt, scatter over the mozzarella for the final 10 minutes uncovered.
Are we baking this for a comforting weeknight dinner, or scaling it for meal prep?
