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+ servings
Pasta shells filled with chicken and walnut and a cream sauce.
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5 from 1 vote

Stuffed Shells with Chicken and Walnut Cream

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 5 servings
Calories: 828kcal

Ingredients

Shells

  • 20 jumbo pasta shells
  • 4 cups cooked chicken breast or could be from a rotisserie chicken or leftover turkey
  • ½ cup walnut pieces
  • ¼ cup dry vermouth

Sauce

  • 2 Tbsps butter
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • ¼ cup dry vermouth optional
  • 2 cups light cream
  • 4 cups mushroom slices
  • 1 cup grated fontina or other mild cheese
  • 1 cup grated Gran Padano
  • 3 sprigs tarragon
  • 4 Tbsps flour
  • 4 Tbsps cream

Instructions

Stuffed Shells

  • Cook pasta shells to al dente according to package instructions. Cook a few extra in case some tear badly. Handle gently to avoid damage to the shells. When done cooking rinse gently in cold water.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 X 13" baking pan with cooking spray.
  • Pulse the chicken, walnuts and vermouth in food processor until they are uniformly small pieces. (Not a paste but a fine texture).
  • With a tablespoon fill each shell with chicken mixture and position filled shells in baking pan.
  • If you have chicken mixture left over sprinkle it evenly over the top of the shells in the baking pan.

Sauce

  • Melt the butter and saute the mushrooms about 8 minutes until the juices are released and slightly evaporated.
  • Remove the mushrooms and set aside. Add the chicken broth, vermouth if using and tarragon sprigs to the pan and simmer about 8 minutes.
  • Return mushrooms to the pan and and the cream. Heat through. Remove the tarragon sprigs. Add the fontina and gran padano cheeses stirring to melt evenly.
  • Make a slurry by adding the 4 Tbsps cream to the 4 Tbsps flour. Mix into the sauce stirring constantly. Simmer til thickened.
  • Pour the sauce over the stuffed shells and bake about 30 minutes till heated through.
  • Serve hot.

Notes

[nutrition-label]

Nutrition

Calories: 828kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 169mg | Sodium: 1343mg | Potassium: 438mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 4g