Lemon Chicken & Mushroom Stuffed Shells

Hello, dear reader!

I hope that you had a lovely spring weekend. In our rustic studio kitchen, we made a delicious and comforting dish, a lemon chicken and mushroom stuffed shell pasta. This recipe is the perfect way to enjoy the flavors of spring with fresh chives and spinach. The bright citrus notes and earthy mushrooms are perfectly nestled in each tender pasta shell. I love this for an easy cozy weeknight meal!

the method:

To begin making this dish, you will want to gather all of your ingredients. I wanted this recipe to feel perfectly lemony with tender, juicy chicken and a big stringy bite of gooey cheese! You will need jumbo pasta shells, chicken breast, crimini mushrooms, garlic, spinach, chives, cream cheese, and mozzarella as the main flavor components.

This recipe is perfect for a weeknight meal. First, the jumbo shells are cooked until al dente. While the pasta is cooking, you can make the cheese sauce and filling. The shells are then cooled and stuffed with chicken and spinach cream cheese filling and covered in the mushroom sauce.

After assembling the dish, it’s covered and baked in a preheated oven for about 30 minutes. In total, this recipe should take you about an hour and a half.

This lemon chicken and mushroom stuffed pasta shells recipe is a perfect fit for cottagecore cooking - it's rustic, comforting, and full of wholesome, homemade goodness. So grab your apron and head to the kitchen, because it's time to get cooking! Enjoy, dear reader.

xoxo Kayla

Lemon Chicken & Mushroom Stuffed Shells

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Yield: 6

Author: Kayla Lobermeier

Prep time: 30 MinCook time: 50 HourTotal time: 50 H & 30 M

Ingredients

Chicken & Spinach Stuffed Shells

• 1 pound jumbo pasta shells
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 heaping cups fresh baby spinach
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 cup parmesan, shredded

Mushroom Cheese Sauce:

• 1/2 cup salted butter
• 2 cups crimini mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

Instructions

To make the stuffed shells:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Set aside a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the jumbo pasta shells and cook until al dente, according to package directions. Drain and cool until you are able to handle them. You may want to toss them with a bit of olive oil to prevent them from sticking together.
3. Meanwhile, make the filling. Pat the chicken dry and season the chicken on all sides with the salt and pepper. Chop the chicken into 1-inch cubes and set aside. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat until it begins to shimmer in the pan. Cook the chicken in the oil until no longer pink in the middle or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165° F, about 5 to 7 minutes. Then, add the spinach and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes or until it is fully wilted. Remove the pan from heat, drain off any excess liquid and set the pan aside.
4. In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, and parmesan cheese. Stir in the chicken and spinach until evenly incorporated. Set these aside while you make the sauce.

To make the sauce:

1. In the same large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until browned and they begin emitting their own juices, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook another minute or two. Season everything with the salt and pepper.
2. Stir in the flour, coating all of the mushrooms, and cook until it turns light brown in color and gives off a nutty aroma.
3. Pour in the white wine and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. It should thicken rather quickly. Then, add the milk and bring to a boil, followed by the cream. Bring the sauce up to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer, cooking until the sauce has thickened slightly. It should not be too thick, as it will thicken in the oven.
4. Remove the pan from heat and stir in 2 cups of the mozzarella cheese until melted.

To assemble the casserole:

1. Pour about half of the sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
2. Then, begin filling the pasta shells with the chicken and cream cheese filling either with your hands or a spoon. Place the filled shells into the sauce in the dish. Once all of the shells are filled, cover them with the remaining sauce.
3. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese over the top of the dish. Cover the dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes. Uncover the pan and bake for a further 15 to 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and lightly golden.
4. Serve the pasta hot!

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