We’ve made this Ranch Chicken Stuffed Shells recipe more times than we can count, and it just gets better with every batch! It’s creamy, cheesy, and packed with ranch-flavored goodness, making it an easy go-to for busy weeknights. Whether you’re cooking for the family or just want a hearty meal with minimal effort, this dish never disappoints—and trust me, it’s become a top favorite for a reason!
Make it a meal and serve these shells with Roasted Brussels Sprouts (family favorite!) or a Chopped Salad. OR use regular noodles for a Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Totally customizable: Swap proteins, add veggies, or spice it up to suit your taste.
- Foolproof recipe: Perfect for both beginner and expert cooks.
- Kid-friendly: Get the little ones involved with the fun of stuffing shells.
- Weeknight win: Quick, easy, and full of flavor with minimal fuss.
“Made this for my husband for his birthday he wanted something mild and not spicy this was a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star that night it was yummy in the tummy for us. “
– Carol
If you’re looking for a recipe that’s guaranteed to please and doesn’t require you to spend all day in the kitchen, chicken bacon ranch stuffed sells is your new best friend. The best part? You can prep everything in advance! Just assemble, pop it in the fridge, and when dinnertime rolls around, all you have to do is bake. That means less stress during the busy dinner hour and more time to kick back while the oven does the work.
If you’ve got little ones running around, this is the perfect recipe to get them involved. Let them help stuff the shells—it’s a fun, hands-on task that even tiny hands can manage (with supervision, of course). Not only does it make them feel like a mini chef, but it might even get them excited about eating the final product. Trust me, once you make this, it’ll quickly become a regular on your menu rotation!
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Ingredients for Chicken Stuffed Shells
Here’s everything you’ll need to make these stuffed shells with chicken:
- Jumbo Pasta Shells: The bigger, the better! These shells hold all the delicious filling. Cook them al dente to avoid tearing when you stuff them.
- Chicken: Rotisserie, grilled, or leftover chicken works great here. Shred it finely so it mixes well and fills each shell evenly.
- Spinach: Add some sneaky greens! You can use fresh or frozen spinach. If using frozen, be sure to squeeze out excess water to avoid a soggy filling.
- Cheddar: Sharp cheddar brings a tangy bite to balance the creaminess. Grate fresh cheese for a smoother melt than pre-shredded.
- Green Onion: A subtle, fresh kick that pairs perfectly with the richness of the dish. Use both the white and green parts for extra flavor.
- Breadcrumbs: A crunchy topping to add texture. Mix with melted butter for a golden, crispy finish on top of the shells.
- Bacon: Because everything is better with bacon! Cook it until crispy, then crumble for a savory, crunchy topping.
- Creamy Ranch Alfredo Sauce: The ultimate sauce that brings it all together. Make a little extra—you’ll want to drizzle it on everything!
These ingredients create a flavorful, easy-to-make dish that’s perfect for family dinners or potlucks.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
One of the best things about this stuffed shells recipe with chicken is how customizable it is! Here are a few fun twists and substitutions to try:
- Different Cheeses: While sharp cheddar is a classic, you can switch it up with mozzarella, Monterey Jack, or even pepper jack for a spicier kick. You can mix and match to suit your cheese cravings!
- Other Spices: Feeling adventurous? Add a sprinkle of garlic powder, smoked paprika, or Italian seasoning to amp up the flavor. A little cayenne can bring a subtle heat if you like things spicy.
- Buffalo Variation: For a zesty twist, mix in some buffalo sauce with the chicken before stuffing the shells. It’s like buffalo chicken dip in pasta form—perfect for spice lovers!
- Turkey Swap: Don’t have chicken on hand? No problem! Swap in ground turkey for a leaner option that’s just as tasty.
- Broccoli and Cheddar: One reader made this dish with broccoli and cheddar, and it was a hit! You can mix in steamed broccoli with the filling for a cheesy, veggie-packed version.
These variations make it easy to tweak the recipe to your taste or adapt to whatever ingredients you have on hand!
How to Make Ranch Chicken Stuffed Shells Recipe
It is no surprise that the star of the show is the Alfredo. Creamy, rich, and a slight ranch flavor. It kicks this pasta dish up a notch and makes it drool worthy. Double for extra creamy goodness.
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F and mist a 9×13 pan with cooking spray.
- Cook the pasta shells al dente according to the package instructions.
- Make the Sauce: While they cook, make the sauce by melting butter, whisking in flour, and slowly adding milk. Once thickened, stir in Parmesan and ranch seasoning.
- Assemble the shells by mixing chicken, spinach, cheddar, green onions, and some sauce. Stuff the shells and place them in the pan. Pour remaining sauce over them, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and bacon (optional).
- Bake: Cover and bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove the cover and bake another 5-10 minutes until bubbly. Enjoy!
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Got leftovers? Lucky you! Here’s how to store and reheat your chicken stuffed shells recipe for best results:
- Storage: Once the shells have cooled completely, transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days. You can also freeze them for longer storage (up to 3 months). Just make sure to wrap the dish tightly in plastic wrap and then foil before freezing.
- Reheating: For refrigerated leftovers, preheat your oven to 350°F and bake the shells covered for 15-20 minutes or until heated through. If frozen, let them thaw overnight in the fridge, then bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes. You can also microwave individual portions in 1-minute intervals, but the oven will give you the best texture!
Expert Tips:
Make your own ranch seasoning: Skip the store-bought packets and whip up your own blend of dried herbs like parsley, dill, and chives with garlic and onion powder. It’s fresher, and you can adjust the flavors to your liking.
Rotisserie chicken shortcut: For ultimate ease, grab a rotisserie chicken from the store and shred it. But if you prefer, cook your own chicken by roasting or boiling it—either way works great!
Keep the sauce smooth: To avoid lumps, whisk the flour and butter together well before adding milk slowly. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of milk; if it’s too thin, let it cook a little longer to thicken.
Squeeze that spinach: If using frozen spinach, make sure to squeeze it out really well to get rid of excess moisture. Wet spinach can make your filling watery, which you definitely don’t want!
Prep in advance: Save time by cooking the pasta and prepping the filling a day ahead. You can even assemble the stuffed shells in the pan, cover them, and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake. It makes the dinner process smoother and quicker!
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can assemble the shells up to a day in advance. Just cover and refrigerate, then bake when you’re ready. If baking from the fridge, you may need to add a few extra minutes to the cooking time. Wait to add the sauce until just before.
You can substitute with large pasta shells, but they may require more shells to use up all the filling. Or, if you prefer, turn this into a pasta bake by using any type of pasta and layering the filling and sauce!
Absolutely! Assemble the dish as directed, but don’t bake it. Cover tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw overnight in the fridge and bake as instructed.
Yes! Ground turkey, beef, or even sausage works well in this recipe. It’s super versatile, so feel free to get creative!
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Ingredients
- 24 uncooked large pasta shells
- 2 cups cooked chicken shredded
- 1 cup frozen spinach thawed and chopped*
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup diced green onion
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs optional
- cooked bacon pieces optional
For the sauce:
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 1oz Ranch seasoning mix
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and mist a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Set it aside for later.
- Cook the pasta shells al dente (firm but cooked) according to the package instructions. This will usually take about 10-12 minutes. Be sure to stir the pasta occasionally to prevent sticking. Drain and set aside once done.
Sauce:
- While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in the flour until it forms a paste.
- Keep stirring frequently for 1-2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste but don’t let it brown. Slowly whisk in the milk, a little at a time, to avoid lumps.
- Lower the heat and cook the sauce until it starts to thicken (about 5-7 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese until it’s fully melted, then mix in the ranch seasoning packet.
Assembly:
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine shredded chicken, spinach, cheddar cheese, green onion, and 1/2 cup of the prepared sauce. Stir everything together well. Fill each shell with about a heaping tablespoon of the chicken mixture and place them neatly in the prepared 9×13 pan, open side up.
- Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the filled shells. If you’d like, sprinkle breadcrumbs and crumbled bacon over the top for added crunch and flavor.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes, until heated through.
- Remove the cover and bake an additional 5-10 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the top is slightly golden.
- Enjoy your delicious stuffed shells!
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Notes
Equipment
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Loretta Thomas says
made this with broccoli and cheddar and it was fabulous
Carol Strickland says
Made this for my husband for his birthday he wanted something mild and not spicy this was a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star that night it was yummy in the tummy for us. 😜❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Miss. Jones says
Any suggestions for sides w this or is this enough lol
Jesseca says
We like to serve this with a salad and, if we are in a garb mood, garlic bread.
John says
Forced to subscribe before it will give the recipe…no thanks
Jesseca says
Hi John, my most popular recipes do have a subscribe option. It’s free, costs you nothing, and gets you access to the recipe plus recipes to thousands of other sites that have the same options.
Laurie says
By chance can you use fresh spinach versus the frozen spinach? I always seem not to get all of the water squeezed out of the spinach.
Jesseca says
You can use fresh spinach. I suggest cooking it slightly stovetop so it softens before adding to the dish.
MJ says
It took me over 2 hours from start to finish so clearly I did something wrong!
Probably should’ve cooked the shells when I boiled the chicken before shredding it.
Also I used a jar of Alfredo sauce with seasonings and a little ranch dressing in the mix. Very good, just wish I didn’t take so long making it!
Jesseca says
Hi MJ. Thanks for pointing out that timeline. I’ll have to add this recipe to our weekly menu and see if I can simplify the instructions to make it more of a “quick and easy” solution to all skill levels. I always love feedback and am glad you still loved the recipe.
Stacie says
I’m not your mother but… don’t make it richer, with bacon grease, extra … etc
Try healthy, it’s great!!!
Jesseca says
This is definitely a recipe that falls more in the comfort food category. If you’re looking for something healthier I have some amazingly talented health food blogger friends I can point you to.
Stacie says
Delicious. Everyone loved it.
Paige says
I usually don’t make comments on anything I make from here but this was so good I had to! My family loved it. I doubled the Alfredo sauce though and I’m definitely glad I did- it wouldn’t have been enough if I didn’t double it. Amazing, can’t wait to make it again!
Jesseca says
Hi Paige, thank you for commenting! I will have to try doubling the sauce next time we make this recipe. It is definitely one of our family favorites.
Mojoblogs says
This looks really delicious. This is going to be perfect for a family dinner. Thank you so much for sharing this! 🙂
Jen says
I made this for dinner tonight for my family and we really enjoyed it. My three boys said that they would like it better without the spinach. But my husband and I thought everything about this recipe was excellent. I have made a similar recipe such as this one by a very popular brand. And I must admit that your sauce isn’t as heavy as theirs. Which I loved, because with the other recipe I always felt so full when eating it. I did double the sauce and cooked my chicken in the bacon grease. The other thing that I did differently is using a box of penne pasta instead of the big shells. I really didn’t feel like taking the time to fill each shell. So, I think that the recipe went faster this way. This recipe is so very easy to follow. Thanks for sharing!
Jesseca says
I can understand the kids not loving the spinach. My 11 year old agrees. I’ll have to try it out as a bake. What a great idea.
Abbie says
I made these last night, they were time consuming to make but 110% worth the effort. I used bacon grease vs butter, I also used heavy whipping cream vs whole milk. It made the sauce thicker but I thinned it out with 2% before baking. I would add more bacon- DON’T SKIP THE BACON! Family loved it!
Jesseca says
Hi Abbie. This recipe can be a tad time consuming, I agree. But it is well worth it. I will have to try it with cream!
Lauren says
We don’t ever use whole milk at my house. Do you think the sauce would be fine using 2%?
Jesseca says
You can use 2%. It just won’t be quite as creamy, but it’s not a huge difference. I wouldn’t use anything under 2%.
Lee says
For a lot of recipes using frozen spinach, you are supposed to squeeze as much water out of it as possible….is this a necessary step for this recipe??
Jesseca says
Yes. Thanks for catching that. I will add that into the recipe instructions.
Sue Perkins says
Any “make ahead” tips? I wondered if I could prep & fill the shells the night before & then make the sauce & bake just before serving.
Jesseca says
We’ve done this before! I just suggest waiting until the day of to make the sauce. When it sits in the fridge it tends to thicken and doesn’t give you that thinner (seriously looking for a better word) consistency you need. We have even made the entire thing the day before and tossed it in the oven. It is just a smidge dryer than I like when we do it this way, but gets rave reviews from my husband and kid.
Craig McDonald says
Nutrition info?
Jesseca says
I don’t have nutritional info available for this recipe, but you can search and find nutrition calculators online.