Marry me stuffed shells take the viral sauce you love and turn it into a cozy, baked pasta moment. Think creamy chicken-stuffed shells, melty cheese, and just enough sun-dried tomatoes for that extra swoon-worthy touch.
Why This Recipe Gets All the Love
- Fan Favorite! You guys love my marry me chicken and my stuffed shells recipes, so why not combine them into one delicious dish!
- Perfect for sharing (or leftovers): This dish is great for family dinners, potlucks, entertaining, or making ahead and freezing when you need an easy win.
- So many ways to serve it: Pair it with a simple green salad, garlic bread, or roasted veggies, or serve it on its own and let the shells steal the show.
Ingredients for Marry Me Stuffed Shells
- Add Spinach: Stir 1–2 cups fresh baby spinach or 1 cup thawed, well-drained frozen spinach into the sauce during step 3 for a pop of green.
- Cooked Chicken: Rotisserie chicken works great, but leftover shredded, chopped chicken, or canned chicken works as well.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: I usually use julienne-cut sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, but dry-packed works too. If using dry-packed, soak them in the chicken broth for 15–20 minutes, then strain and use both as directed.
- Want extra sauce? Go for it! If you love a really saucy pasta, make 1½ to 2 times the sauce so there’s plenty to spoon over every shell.
How to Make Marry Me Stuffed Shells
My family can’t get enough of this dish. The creamy sun-dried tomato sauce is always a hit on busy weeknights. Pair it with focaccia bread for the ultimate meal.
Shells & Filling
- Boil the Pasta: Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Spray a 3-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil, then cook the jumbo pasta shells according to the package directions for al dente pasta. Drain the shells and rinse them in cold water to stop the cooking process. Toss lightly with 1-2 teaspoons of olive or vegetable oil to prevent sticking.
- Mix the Filling Ingredients: Add the chicken, ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to a large bowl and mix until combined. Set aside.
Sauce & Assembly
- Start the Sauce: Add the butter to a large skillet and melt over medium heat. Once melted, add the garlic and cook for about 30-60 seconds, until fragrant. Add flour and whisk to form a paste.
- Add Broth, Cream, and Cheese: Cook for 1-2 minutes before slowly whisking in the chicken broth, cream, and parmesan until smooth and combined. It will be quite thick as you first begin to whisk in the liquid.
- Add Tomatoes and Seasoning: Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Continue to whisk the sauce for a few minutes until it thickens.
- Start Assembly: Add about ¾ of the sauce to the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Stuff the Shells: Stuff each shell with about 2 tablespoons of the filling. Arrange the filled shells in an even layer on top of the sauce.
- Bake: Spoon the remaining sauce evenly over the top of the shells. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the shells are starting to brown. Let the marry-me stuffed shells rest for about 5 minutes before garnishing with fresh basil if desired, and serving.
Alyssa’s Recipe Tip
Don’t overcook the shells! Whatever you do, don’t overcook the shells. Boil them 2–3 minutes less than the package says, so they don’t fall apart when you stuff them. They will finish cooking in the oven.
Marry Me Stuffed Shells
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Creamy Marry Me Stuffed Shells baked in a rich, savory sauce. Cozy, indulgent, and always a crowd favorite.
Servings 6 servings
Calories 606kcal
Equipment
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1 3-quart baking dish or 9 x 13-inch baking dish
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1 Large Skillet
Ingredients
Shell Filling
- 1 (12-ounce) box jumbo shell pasta about 24 shells
- 1 ½ cups cooked, chopped chicken I used a rotisserie chicken
- 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- ⅓ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes drained
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Marry Me Sauce
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes drained
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- salt to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
- fresh basil optional garnish
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 3-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil, then cook 1 (12-ounce) box jumbo shell pasta according to the directions on the package for al dente pasta. If preferred, undercook by a few minutes to avoid overcooking in the oven.
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Drain the shells and rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking process. Toss lightly with 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil or vegetable oil to prevent them from sticking.
Filling
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Add 1 ½ cups cooked, chopped chicken, 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese, 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella, ½ cup grated parmesan, ⅓ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper to a large bowl and mix until combined. Set aside.
Sauce
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Add 3 tablespoons unsalted butter to a large skillet and melt over medium heat. Once melted, add 2 teaspoons minced garlic and cook for about 30-60 seconds, until fragrant. Add 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour and stir to form a paste.
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Cook for 1-2 minutes before slowly whisking in 2 cups chicken broth, 1 cup heavy whipping cream, and 1 cup grated parmesan cheese until smooth and combined. It will be quite thick as you first begin to whisk in the liquid.
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Stir in 1 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, 1 teaspoon paprika, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, salt, and ground black pepper. Continue to whisk the sauce for a few minutes until it thickens.
Assembly
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Add about ¾ of the sauce to the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
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Stuff each shell with about 2 tablespoons of the filling, then arrange the filled shells in an even layer on top of the sauce.
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Spoon the remaining sauce evenly over the top of the shells.
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Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the shells are starting to brown. Let the dish rest for about 5 minutes before garnishing with fresh basil if desired, and serving.
Notes
Storage & Make Ahead Instructions
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave in 30-second intervals until heated through, or bake at 350°F for 20–25 minutes.
- Freezer: Assemble the dish fully, then cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap and a layer of foil. Freeze until ready to bake.
- Make Ahead: Prepare through step 6 up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate. Bake as directed, adding 10–15 minutes to the bake time since it will be chilled.
Nutrition
Calories: 606kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 153mg | Sodium: 1100mg | Potassium: 1119mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1756IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 528mg | Iron: 4mg
