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Baking dish of chicken Alfredo stuffed shells with golden mozzarella and parsley on a wooden table

Creamy Cottage Cheese Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells

Jumbo shells stuffed with chicken, spinach and cottage cheese, baked in garlic Alfredo sauce for about 40 g protein per serving.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, American comfort, Tex-Mex, Italian-American
Calories: 589
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Shells and chicken
  • 240 g jumbo pasta shells about 28 shells
  • 400 g boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 2 cm cubes
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt for the chicken
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper for the chicken
Filling
  • 340 g 2% small curd cottage cheese drained 5 minutes
  • 140 g frozen chopped spinach thawed and squeezed dry
  • 60 g shredded part-skim mozzarella for the filling
  • 25 g grated Parmesan for the filling
  • 1 egg large
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
Alfredo sauce and topping
  • 28 g butter (2 tbsp)
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (16 g)
  • 300 ml whole milk
  • 180 ml heavy cream
  • 60 g grated Parmesan for the sauce
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 pinch nutmeg
  • 55 g shredded part-skim mozzarella for the top

Method
 

Cook the shells and chicken
  1. Heat the oven to 190 C / 375 F. Bring 4 L of salted water to a boil in a 5-quart / 4.7 L pot and cook the shells 2 minutes less than the package time. Drain and lay them in a single layer on a parchment-lined tray to cool for 5 minutes.
  2. While the shells cook, toss the chicken cubes with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Heat the olive oil in a 26 cm / 10-inch skillet over medium-high and cook the chicken for 7 to 8 minutes, turning, until browned and 165 F / 74 C inside. Move it to a board and chop into pea-size pieces.
Make the filling and sauce
  1. Drain the cottage cheese in a fine-mesh sieve for 5 minutes. In a mixing bowl, stir it with the chicken, squeezed spinach, 60 g mozzarella, 25 g Parmesan, egg, garlic powder, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper until evenly mixed.
  2. Melt the butter in a 3-quart / 2.8 L saucepan over medium heat. Cook the garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant, whisk in the flour for 1 minute, then pour in the milk and cream gradually while whisking. Simmer 4 to 5 minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, then stir in 60 g Parmesan, 1/4 tsp salt and the nutmeg off the heat.
Stuff and bake
  1. Spread 240 ml of the sauce over the bottom of a 23 x 33 cm / 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling into each of 24 shells and set them open side up, snug in a single layer. Use the spare shells to replace any that tore.
  2. Pour the remaining sauce over and around the shells and sprinkle with 55 g mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake 5 more minutes until the edges bubble, the cheese has golden spots and a shell center reads 165 F / 74 C.
  3. Rest the dish for 5 minutes so the sauce tightens. Serve 4 shells per portion with sauce from the dish.

Notes

  • Cook 28 shells so you have 4 spares for any that tear.
  • Drain the cottage cheese in a sieve for 5 minutes before mixing the filling.
  • Go light on salt in the sauce, since the Parmesan adds plenty.
  • The whole pan holds about 240 g of protein across 6 servings, an approximate estimate.