Chicken Stuffed Mexican Shells
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup monterey jack cheese
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 package taco seasoning (can be low-sodium)
- 4 ounces cream cheese (i like to use a little more)
- 14-20 jumbo pasta shells
- 1.5 cups salsa (i use medium but mild, medium or hot can be used)
- 1 cup taco sauce (not enchilada sauce - i used mild but mild, medium or hot can be used)
- 3 green onions (chopped)
- Carbohydrate 10.6670687704139 g
- Cholesterol 106.050292487109 mg
- Fat 22.6255986032223 g
- Fiber 1.06456445161537 g
- Protein 20.5505770270758 g
- Saturated Fat 12.2979688038123 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (214g)
- Sodium 893.288324308306 mg
- Sugar 9.60250431879852 g
- Trans Fat 1.76482110201909 g
- Calories 324 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- In a frying pan cook ground chicken; Add taco seasoning and prepare according to package directions.
- Add Chopped green onion (to taste from the cooking end) and Cream Cheese to chicken mixture, cover and simmer until cheese is completely melted. Mix well and set aside to completely cool.
- While the ground chicken is cooking bring 4-6 quarts of water to a boil. Add Salt to taste. (optional)
- Add pasta to boiling water. (to prevent cracking when dropping the noodles in the water I suggest using tongs)
- Boil shells uncovered for 9 minutes, stirring occasionally. (shells will not be completely cooked at this time, the remaining cook time will be done while in the oven baking.)
- Drain and cool cooked shells on a foil lined sheet pan (cookie sheet) or cutting board.
- When cooling the shells they should be set out individually without touching to prevent them from sticking together!
- Pour Salsa on the the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. (I prefer using a glass baking dish)
- Stuff each shell with the cooled chicken mixture, placing shells in dish open side up.
- Cover shells with Taco Sauce
- Cover with Tin Foil and Bake for 30 Minutes
- After your chicken stuffed mexican shells have baked for 30 Minutes remove tray from oven and uncover
- Add shredded cheeses and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes uncovered
- Top with green onions and serve with Sour Cream and/or more salsa! Enjoy!!!
Stuffed pasta dishes benefit significantly from precise temperature control during the initial cooling phase, preventing the pasta from oversoftening before it ever reaches the oven. Ground chicken contains less natural fat than beef or pork, meaning the added cream cheese in the filling serves a structural purpose beyond flavor by binding the lean protein together as it cools. When preparing this dish ahead of time, assemble the shells in the salsa-lined baking dish through the stage of adding the taco sauce, but omit the final layer of shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses until the baking day arrives. Wrapping the unbaked dish tightly in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil protects the pasta from freezer burn for up to two months.
Thawing frozen stuffed shells safely requires transferring the baking dish from the freezer to the refrigerator twenty-four hours before baking. Cold centers will not heat evenly through a thirty-minute oven cycle at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, so letting the casserole sit at room temperature for twenty minutes before baking ensures the interior reaches food-safe temperatures without scorching the exterior sauce. If baking straight from frozen, increase the covered baking time to fifty minutes, adding ten minutes of uncovered baking once the cheese is applied.
Fusion dishes combining Italian pasta shapes with Mexican flavor profiles emerged from mid-century American home kitchens experimenting with convenience foods like canned taco sauce and pre-grated cheeses. Jumbo pasta shells provide an ideal vessel for thick, emulsified fillings that would otherwise slip out of standard rolled enchiladas or flat tortillas. Tongs should always be used to transfer cooked shells to a sheet pan to prevent tearing the delicate gluten structure while the pasta is still hot and pliable.
Leftover baked portions store well in airtight glass containers for up to three days in the refrigerator. Reheating individual servings in a microwave requires medium power at ninety-second intervals to prevent the cream cheese emulsion in the filling from breaking and releasing excess oil into the salsa base.
