Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large eggs
- 2 ribs celery, finely chopped
- ½ small onion, finely chopped
- 3 cups chopped cooked chicken
- 1½ cups shredded white Cheddar cheese
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons heavy cream, divided
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
- 20 jumbo pasta shells (½ of a 12-ounce box)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2⅓ cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk eggs until smooth. Add celery, onion, chicken, cheese, 2 tablespoons cream, and ¼ cup parsley; stir until well combined.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta shells according to package instructions; drain.
- Meanwhile, heat butter over medium heat. Add garlic; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add flour; cook for 2 minutes or until light golden brown, stirring constantly.
- Whisk in milk and remaining 1 cup cream. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until sauce thickens, whisking constantly. Remove from heat; whisk in lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
- Place a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a cast iron skillet or baking dish. Fill pasta shells with chicken mixture and place in skillet. Spoon remaining sauce evenly over shells.
- Transfer to oven and bake for 25 minutes or until edges are bubbly. Let stand for 5 minutes; serve garnished with parsley.
Notes
- Prep the Garlic Butter Chicken Alfredo filling while the pasta shells are cooking to save time.
- Don’t overcook the pasta shells – aim for al dente so they hold their shape when stuffed.
- Cool the shells slightly before handling to avoid burns.
- For extra richness, add a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese on top before baking.
- The lemon zest is my secret weapon – don’t skip it! It brightens up the creamy sauce beautifully.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Approximately 1/6 of the recipe
- Calories: 750 kcal
- Sugar: 5 grams
- Sodium: 850 milligrams
- Fat: 41 grams
- Saturated Fat: 23 grams
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 grams
- Trans Fat: 1 gram
- Carbohydrates: 31 grams
- Fiber: 2 grams
- Protein: 35 grams
- Cholesterol: 175 milligrams