Two of my favorite things – Mexican and pasta – are coming together for this recipe: Stuffed Mexican Chicken Shells! (Some call them Taco Stuffed Shells.)
One of my favorite things about this dish is that it makes TWO big 9×13” pans, so you can save one of the pans for a busy night when you don’t have time to make dinner, or take one of the pans to a friend who could use a delicious dinner.
If you were to bring me a pan of these stuffed shells, I promise you that we would be friends for life!
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken Breasts, cooked and diced
- Black Beans
- Green Onion
- Green Pepper
- Red Pepper
- Cream Cheese
- Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies
- Chicken Broth
- Cumin
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded
- Salsa
- Jumbo Pasta Shells
How to make Stuffed Mexican Chicken Shells
- Cook pasta shells in well salted, boiling water until al dente (still have a little bite to them- if you cook them too long, they will be difficult to stuff). Drain the pasta and set aside while you make the filling.
- For the filling, add diced chicken, drained black beans, green onions, diced peppers, and cumin into a large mixing bowl. Mix well.
- In a separate bowl, mix the cream cheese, chicken broth and undrained tomatoes with chiles. When thoroughly combined, pour it over the chicken mixture and mix well (if you have trouble incorporating the cream cheese and tomatoes, you can heat it slightly in the microwave).
- You will need either 2 9×13″ baking pans OR one large baking sheet. Spread 3/4 cup salsa in the bottom of each 9×13″ baking pan.
- Using a spoon, fill each of your cooked pasta shells with chicken mixture, setting them into the salsa-covered pan. Continue until all shells are filled and arranged in the pans.
- When the pans are full, drizzle the shells with the remaining 1/2 cup of salsa (1/4 cup per pan) and then sprinkle with the shredded cheddar cheese.
- Cover the baking pan tightly with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Storing and Other Tips
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Using a rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut for this recipe.
After you cook the shells al dente (you don’t want them to be too soft or they won’t hold their filling!), the wiggly noodles can sometimes be hard to stuff.
I found that the easiest way is to hold the cooked shell in one hand and then use the other hand to hold a spoon and scoop the filling inside.
How To Make This A Freezer Meal
To freeze a pan of these shells, prepare as directed except leave off the salsa and shredded cheese topping.
Use an air-tight covered container, a disposable aluminum pan that comes with a lid (you can get them at most grocery stores), or you can even place the shells in a gallon-sized resealable bag.
The shells will stay good in the freezer for up to 30 days.
When you are ready to eat, remove shells from freezer. Pour the salsa in the bottom of the pan, add the shells to the pan, then top with remaining salsa and cheese. Bake as directed.
Pasta does tend to get mushy when thawed, so if you are going to be freezing these shells, I recommend cooking the shells ONE MINUTE LESS than al dente, just to keep them from being too mushy.
Serving Suggestions
- Mexican Street Corn Salad
- Slow Cooker Refried Beans
- Twisted Cheese Breadsticks Recipe
- Seven Layer Green Salad Recipe
Stuffed Mexican Chicken Shells (Freezer Meal)
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken breasts, cooked and diced
- 15.5 ounces black beans, 1 can, rinsed and drained
- 6 green onions, diced
- 1 green pepper, diced
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 24 ounces cream cheese, 3 (8 oz blocks) softened, not melted
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes with green chilis, 2 (14 oz cans) rotel, or store brand
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 cups salsa
- 40 Jumbo Pasta shells
Instructions
- Cook pasta shells in well salted, boiling water until al dente (still have a little bite to them- if you cook them too long, they will be difficult to stuff). Drain the pasta and set aside while you make the filling.
- For the filling, add diced chicken, drained black beans, green onions, diced peppers, and cumin into a large mixing bowl. Mix well.
- In a separate bowl, mix the cream cheese, chicken broth and undrained tomatoes with chiles. When thoroughly combined, pour it over the chicken mixture and mix well (if you have trouble incorporating the cream cheese and tomatoes, you can heat it slightly in the microwave).
- You will need either 2 9×13" baking pans OR one large baking sheet. Spread 3/4 cup salsa in the bottom of each 9×13" baking pan.
- Using a spoon, fill each of your cooked pasta shells with chicken mixture, setting them into the salsa-covered pan. Continue until all shells are filled and arranged in the pans.
- When the pans are full, drizzle the shells with the remaining 1/2 cup of salsa (1/4 cup per pan) and then sprinkle with the shredded cheddar cheese.
Notes
Nutrition
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Happy Valley Chow