Creamy Cajun Chicken Shells (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Stuffing and Pasta

01 - 1/2 cup (50 g) Parmesan cheese, grated
02 - 1 cup (100 g) mozzarella cheese, shredded, plus some more for topping
03 - 1 cup (250 g) ricotta cheese
04 - 1/4 teaspoon (0.5 g) black pepper
05 - 1/4 teaspoon (1.5 g) salt
06 - 1/2 teaspoon (1.5 g) paprika
07 - 1 teaspoon (3 g) Cajun seasoning
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
10 - 1/2 onion, finely chopped
11 - 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
12 - 2 cups (about 300 g) cooked chicken, pulled apart
13 - 20 jumbo pasta shells

→ Saucy Topping

14 - Fresh parsley, chopped (optional for decoration)
15 - Salt and pepper, as much as you like
16 - 1/4 teaspoon (1 g) garlic powder
17 - 1 teaspoon (3 g) Cajun seasoning
18 - 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
19 - 2 cups (480 ml) milk
20 - 2 tablespoons (16 g) all-purpose flour
21 - 2 tablespoons (30 g) butter

# Instructions:

01 - Turn your oven to 190°C. Boil lots of salty water and toss the pasta shells in. Let them cook until tender but still a bit firm, about 8–10 minutes. Drain them and spread them out so they won't stick to each other while they cool.
02 - While your pasta's going, heat up the olive oil in a big skillet on medium. Drop in the chopped onion and bell pepper and cook till they’re nice and soft, maybe 5 minutes. Add garlic and move it around for another minute.
03 - Next, throw the shredded chicken into the skillet. Sprinkle in Cajun seasoning, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Get it all mixed up so everything's coated. Take it off the heat and let it rest for about 5 minutes.
04 - Pour the chicken mix into a large mixing bowl. Add ricotta, 1 cup of mozzarella, and Parmesan. Stir until everything's spread out evenly.
05 - Chuck the butter into a saucepan and let it melt over medium. Throw in the flour, stirring for a minute to make a thick paste. Slowly add the milk and heavy cream, whisking as you go. Shake in the Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Let it cook gently, stirring off and on, until your sauce is good and thick—about 5–7 minutes, until it coats a spoon.
06 - Spoon half of that creamy sauce into the bottom of your 33 x 23 cm baking dish. Stuff those cooled pasta shells with 1–2 tablespoons of your chicken and cheese filling. Set each one open-side up in the dish, making just one layer.
07 - Spoon the rest of your sauce on top so every shell gets covered. Sprinkle over a bit more mozzarella. Cover the dish with foil but don’t let it touch the cheesy part.
08 - Pop the covered dish into your hot oven and cook for 20 minutes. Take off the foil and bake 10 minutes more until the cheese melts and turns golden and bubbly in spots.
09 - Take the pan out and let it chill for 5 minutes so the sauce thickens up. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley if you feel like it. Serve hot—plan on 3 or 4 shells each.

# Notes:

01 - Using rotisserie chicken makes things faster and adds a punch of flavor.
02 - If your sauce isn't thick enough, it'll turn watery, so check for the right texture.
03 - When the sauce gets too thick, just splash in some milk and stir till it's just right.
04 - Leftovers are great reheated. Cover and bake at 165°C for roughly 20 minutes to warm through.

Back