Pesto Chicken Stuffed Shells Lite (Print Version)

Tender shells filled with creamy pesto chicken, baked in marinara with melted cheese for a lighter comfort classic.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 16 jumbo pasta shells

→ Filling

02 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded
03 - 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, non-fat or low-fat
04 - 1/4 cup basil pesto
05 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
07 - 1 cup baby spinach, chopped
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
10 - 1 clove garlic, minced

→ Assembly & Topping

11 - 2 cups marinara sauce
12 - 1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
13 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish, optional

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Cook jumbo pasta shells in salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside to cool.
03 - In a large bowl, combine shredded chicken, Greek yogurt, pesto, Parmesan, ricotta, spinach, salt, pepper, and garlic. Mix until well blended.
04 - Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce evenly over the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
05 - Fill each cooled pasta shell with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture and arrange the shells in the dish, seam side up.
06 - Spoon the remaining marinara sauce over the stuffed shells.
07 - Sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly on top.
08 - Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
09 - Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
10 - Garnish with fresh basil leaves if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The Greek yogurt sneaks in creaminess without the heaviness of traditional ricotta-based fillings, so you actually feel energized after eating.
  • You get real basil flavor without a separate pesto-making project if you grab the store-bought kind.
  • It's one of those dishes where people won't believe you when you tell them how much protein is on their plate.
02 -
  • Don't skip cooling the pasta shells after draining—trying to fill hot pasta results in torn shells and a frustrating mess, plus the filling will get too warm and separate.
  • The Greek yogurt will look slightly curdled when you first mix it if the other ingredients are warm, so either let everything cool or use room-temperature yogurt straight from the fridge.
03 -
  • Taste your pesto before adding salt to the filling—some brands are aggressively salted, and you don't want an oversalted dish.
  • The key to creamy filling without curdling is keeping everything cool until you're ready to bake; warm yogurt gets weird when it bakes.
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