Chicken Scampi Stuffed Shells (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Chicken Filling
01 -
1.5 cups grated cheese, pick your favorite (cheddar, mozzarella, monterey jack)
02 -
3 tablespoons olive oil, split up
03 -
900 g chicken tenders, cut into bite-sized bits
→ Chicken Seasoning
04 -
0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
05 -
2 teaspoons paprika
06 -
1 teaspoon onion powder
07 -
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
08 -
1 teaspoon garlic powder
09 -
0.5 teaspoon salt
10 -
0.5 teaspoon fresh black pepper
→ Jumbo Shells
11 -
340 g jumbo pasta shells
→ Scampi Sauce
12 -
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
13 -
1 lemon, zest and juice
14 -
160 ml chicken broth or stock
15 -
80 ml water from cooking the pasta
16 -
0.5 teaspoon red chili flakes
17 -
salt and black pepper to your liking
18 -
240 ml dry white wine
19 -
30 g fine parmesan cheese
20 -
160 ml heavy cream
21 -
85 g unsalted butter, split
22 -
5 cloves garlic, minced
23 -
1 teaspoon leftover chicken seasoning
→ Cheese Topping
24 -
1.5 cups shredded cheese, your choice
# Instructions:
01 -
Mix oregano, paprika, onion powder, cayenne, garlic powder, pepper, and salt in a little bowl. Scoop out a teaspoon and set that aside. The rest is for your chicken.
02 -
Drizzle diced chicken with 1 tablespoon of the oil, then sprinkle on most of your spice mix. Give it a good toss so everything's coated. Pour 2 more tablespoons oil into a big pan, then crank it up to medium-high. Get your chicken in there and stir it up till it's browned and cooked through (hit that 74°C mark!). Pop it all in a bowl, cover with foil, and put aside for now.
03 -
Get a big pot of salty water bubbling. Toss in those jumbo shells and cook till they're just firm (al dente). Drain well, but be sure to save 80 ml of that starchy pasta water.
04 -
Use the chicken pan again and melt 28 g of butter over medium. Let garlic cook for about 2 minutes, give it a stir so it doesn't burn. Splash in the wine and let it bubble away till you’ve got about 160 ml left. Add the rest of the butter, some chili flakes, the saved spice blend, salt, pepper, chicken broth, lemon zest and juice, cream, parmesan, and parsley. Let the sauce gently thicken, pour in reserved pasta water too. Stir till it thickens a bit more. Taste and add extra salt or pepper if it needs it.
05 -
Dump 1.5 cups of your cheese into the bowl of cooked chicken, stir till it's all mixed in. Grease a 33x23 cm baking dish and spoon in about 120 ml of your sauce to cover the bottom. Grab a shell, stuff it with chicken-cheese, and line them all up in the dish in one layer.
06 -
Cover the filled shells with the rest of your sauce, spreading it all over. Sprinkle on another 1.5 cups of cheese. Slide the dish into a 190°C oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes till the cheese melts and looks bubbly, with golden spots on top.
# Notes:
01 -
Want to prep ahead? Put everything together, wrap it up, and stash in the fridge. When it’s go time, just bake right before dinner.