Chicken & Shells
on Aug 29, 2015, Updated Jan 01, 2021
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Chicken & Shells make for an easy-to-make meal that is perfect for any night of the week. This recipe is suitable for both family and company, young and old alike.
The cream and broth based sauce in this dinner will wow your palate and impress anyone lucky enough to be seated at your table. No wonfder this is one of our favorite ways to make chicken!
Chicken & Shells
This chicken & shells recipe is similar to our leftover crispy chicken and shells casserole. It’s basic enough to make it easy but with plenty going on in the flavor department to keep it interesting and delicious. It starts out on your stove top and ends up in the oven.
Fresh rosemary is infused into the sauce, and lemon zest is added to the topping. Deep within it all is sautéed chicken breast, shredded and mixed in with the shell pasta and sauce.
Did I mention there is Gorgonzola cheese in the sauce? Perhaps I failed to disclose this to our kids, with strategic intent. Might I just say, “Score!” After I placed this chicken & shells dish on the table, the first words to come from one of our 9 year old boys, “Dad, this is amazing!” Score!
This is one of those meals that keeps on giving. You can put it together for well under $15, leaving some change in your pocket for other niceties like dessert and primping supplies and important things like that. Also, these chicken & shells are great for leftovers.
They reheat in the microwave in just a minute or so. And finally, it’s a dish that will make you look really good in front of your family; Score!
Chicken and Shells recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb. medium pasta shells
- 1 lb boneless chicken breast
- 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 8 oz gorgonzola cheese
- 2 rosemary sprigs
- 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- zest from 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Prepare a 9 x 13" baking dish with non-stick coating.
- Using large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat.
- Cook chicken breasts in pan for about 6 minutes on each side, until internal temperature reads 165 degrees F. Remove from pan, allow to cool, then shred with fork and set aside.
- Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to pan, over medium heat and stir in flour.
- Gradually add cream and broth until thoroughly combined.
- Crumble gorgonzola cheese and add to sauce. Stir until melted.
- Add rosemary sprigs.
- Bring to boil then reduce heat to low simmer. Cook and stir for about 10 minutes until sauce begins to thicken.
- Bring large pot of salted water to boil and prepare shells to al dente, drain and set aside.
- In small bowl, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, lemon zest and remaining olive oil. Stir to mix well.
- Using large mixing bowl, combine cooked shells with sauce. Add shredded chicken and stir together until completely blended.
- Transfer mixture to prepared baking pan. Evenly sprinkle breadcrumb topping over top of shells.
- Bake in oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Sounds & looks delicious and I have a question.
I don’t know what gorgonzola cheese tastes like…is the flavor anything like bleu cheese which I do not like? If so, what can I substitute.. a very sharp cheddar perhaps? Or any other suggestions?
Shirley
An extra-sharp cheddar cheese or a Mozarella cheese would be a great substitution!
No one seems to mention that the recipe “instructions” don’t include the chicken that has been shredded and “set aside!” Just saying!!
Yes, I know, a real cook would know to add it to the sauce in the bowl to be mixed with all other ingredients and placed in the casserole dish before baking!
Hi Theresa,
Clearly, you’re a real cook because you picked up on both of these necessary steps. It seems however that you may have missed the explicit instructions to do exactly what you thought was missing. (Kindly refer to lines 4 and 12 of the instructions). We hope you love this recipe and appreciate your feedback, even if it is sarcastic and inaccurate.
Just made this. Wonderful. I used mini Farfalle and only 5 oz. of Gorgonzola, less salty. I sautéed a bag of baby spinach and added it. Better flavor, texture and the color was much more enticing. I also grilled the chicken, great added texture and flavor. Love this recipe!
Thanks for the terrific feed back! We’re happy you made this your own and it sounds like you did an outstanding job of doing so!
Even the leftovers were devoured…enough said 🙂
Ha! Heidi, so great to hear from you! Thanks for your wonderful feedback, xo.
This is beautiful comfort food!! Nothing like creamy pasta 🙂 Plus I LOVE pasta shells too!! 😀 Thank you for sharing this with us at #SaucySaturdays
Excellent! Before baking, I added some unthawed frozen peas and some chopped red bell pepper for texture and color–also used chicken leg-and-thigh meat as I find t breast-eat rather dry. Easy & Delicious. Thanks, Dan!
Fantastic comments here, Jonnot. I almost always prefer the dark meat of chicken for the exact reasons you cite. Thanks so much for this feedback!
When I make this, my son will finally give up Mimi’s chicken and dumplings! Thanks for sharing it with me and Saucy Saturdays!
Dan this looks amazing! We could dive into this creamy pasta dish right now- it looks so delicious!
thanks for the tomorrows dinner!
I know I will love the cream infused with fresh rosemary – genius! Great family meal.
Thanks so much, Patty. Our whole family loved this dish.
Dan, this looks fantastic! What a delicious and comforting meal the whole family will love. Pinning for later. Have a wonderful weekend, Catherine
Thanks so much, Catherine. It’s always wonderful to hear from you.