Pesto Chicken Stuffed Shells Lite (Print Version)

Jumbo shells filled with pesto chicken and Greek yogurt, baked in marinara for a lighter Italian classic.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 jumbo pasta shells

→ Chicken Filling

02 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, finely shredded
03 - 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (2% or nonfat)
04 - 1/4 cup prepared basil pesto
05 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
07 - 1 large egg
08 - 1 garlic clove, minced
09 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Sauce and Topping

11 - 2 cups marinara sauce
12 - 1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add jumbo pasta shells and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and set aside to cool slightly.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine shredded chicken, Greek yogurt, basil pesto, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, egg, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix until fully incorporated.
04 - Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
05 - Fill each cooked shell with approximately 2 tablespoons of the chicken filling mixture. Arrange filled shells open side up in the baking dish over the sauce layer.
06 - Spoon remaining marinara sauce over the stuffed shells, covering them evenly. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese over the top.
07 - Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.
08 - Remove foil and bake for an additional 8 to 10 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and cheese is lightly golden.
09 - Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh chopped basil before serving if desired.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • It sneaks Greek yogurt into a dish that tastes completely decadent, so you're getting serious protein without feeling like you're eating "healthy food."
  • The pesto-chicken filling comes together in one bowl and tastes like you spent way more time in the kitchen than you actually did.
  • Rotisserie chicken makes this a weeknight lifesaver when you're short on prep time.
02 -
  • Don't cook the pasta all the way done—it will absolutely turn to mush because it finishes cooking in the oven, and there's no recovering from that.
  • Greek yogurt can split or become grainy if the filling gets too hot too quickly, so covering with foil for the first half of baking protects it and keeps the filling creamy.
03 -
  • Use rotisserie chicken from the grocery store—it's pre-cooked, saves you thirty minutes, and tastes amazing shredded into this filling.
  • If your pesto is particularly salty, use slightly less salt in the filling itself to avoid over-seasoning.
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