marilynpeight
What could be better than creamy stuffed shells made with chicken, bacon and Ranch?! The best part about these stuffed shells is that they can be made in the slow cooker or baked in the oven, and the prep time is super minimal! You may also enjoy Mozzarella stuffed meatballs on the side, or roasted veggies and fresh homemade bread.
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Crack chicken stuffed shells (slow cooker or baked)
Equipment
- 7 quart slow cooker (linked below)
- baking dish (linked below)
- Mixing bowl (linked below)
- Spatula (linked below)
Ingredients
- 26 large stuffing shells
Filling:
- 1 1/2 cups Ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream *see note
- 2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 oz. Ranch seasoning mix Add to taste *see notes
- 12.5 oz. canned chicken breast, drained. or 1 1/2 cups shredded chicken
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar or Mozzarella cheese (divided)
Toppings:
- 16 oz. jarred alfredo sauce
- crumbled bacon or bacon bits
Instructions
Baked method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook the pasta shells until soft and pliable, then drain and allow to cool. Combine ricotta and parmesan cheeses, sour cream, Ranch mix, shredded chicken and 3/4 cup shredded cheese until all the ingredients are well incorporated. *see note.
- Fill each shell with around a tablespoon of filling and then place into a 13 by 9 inch baking dish. Pour alfredo sauce over the stuffed shells, then top with the remaining shredded cheese and bacon.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until the filling in the shells is heated through and the cheese has melted.
Slow cooker method:
- Cook the pasta shells for only 5-7 minutes until pliable enough to fill, but not completely cooked though. Drain and allow to cool. Combine ricotta and parmesan cheeses, sour cream, Ranch mix, shredded chicken and 3/4 cup shredded cheese until all the ingredients are well incorporated. *see note.
- Fill each shell with around a tablespoon of filling and then place into a 6-7 quart slow cooker. Pour alfredo sauce over the stuffed shells, then cover with the lid.
- Cook the stuffed shells for 2-3 hours on low until the filling is heated through and the shells have cooked through (do not overcook to avoid the shells becoming mushy). Top the shells with the remaining shredded cheese and bacon at the last 10 minutes of cooking. Allow the cheese to melt, then serve and enjoy!
Notes
Equipment needed for these Crack chicken stuffed shells:
- 7 quart slow cooker If using the slow cooker method, you will need a 6-7 quart slow cooker. If you wish to halve the recipe you can use a 3-4 quart slow cooker.
- Baking dish For the baked method, a 13 by 9 inch baking dish will be needed to bake the stuffed shells in.
- Mixing bowl A medium sized mixing bowl is useful for combining the filling ingredients. I prefer to use stainless steel mixing bowls because mine are easy to clean and dish washer friendly!
- Spatula I prefer to use a whisk or a spatula for mixing up the cheese, chicken and Ranch filling.
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Ingredients needed for these crack chicken stuffed shells: Ranch dressing mix, jumbo stuffing shells, canned or shredded chicken, bacon, shredded cheese, sour cream, grated parmesan, Ricotta cheese and alfredo sauce.
Step 1: Cook the shells according to the directions given, then combine the filling ingredients, reserving half of the shredded cheese for topping.
Will the crack chicken stuffed shells be too salty with extra salt added?
We generally like our dishes pretty flavorful, but using a full packet of Ranch dressing mix. plus salt and pepper a little too salty for me. Feel free to adjust the seasoning in the filling to taste, be sure to have the filling to your preference before stuffing the shells.
Step 2: Fill each shell with a tablespoon or so of the filling, then place into a 7 quart slow cooker or 13 by 9 inch baking dish.
What is the best method for filling the stuffed shells?
You can use a piping bag to fill the shells with if you wish. I find using a tablespoon to be my preferred method, because the piping bag can be a bit more messy to clean up.
Step 2 continued: Pour sauce over the shells and top with bacon and shredded cheese if baking (add bacon and shredded cheese later if using the slow cooker method).
Step 3: Bake the shells for 30-35 minutes until the shredded cheese has melted and the filling is hot. Slow cook the stuffed shells for 2-3 hours until the filling is hot and the shells are soft and cooked through. Top with shredded cheese and bacon at the last ten minutes and allow to melt.
Serve with the side dishes of your choice and enjoy!
Some dessert options you may enjoy are Reese’s peanut butter skillet cookie, Amish pumpkin custard pie, or chocolate chip cookies.
Feel free to pin for later and leave a rating if you tried the recipe. You can also tag me on Instagram to show off your creation of these crack chicken stuffed shells!
I don’t like giving only one star. This recipe was not well received, because of it’s extraordinary saltiness. I am assuming it is because of all the different cheeses. Sadly, I will not be making it again. It’s definitely not for a family dealing with high blood pressure.
I’m sorry to hear it did not turn out well for you! I would suggest cutting back on the Ranch seasoning and either omitting it completely or adding it to taste (as recommended in the recipe). We have tested these crack chicken stuffed shells multiple times and our preference is to use a full Ranch powder packet, this can vary to family preference so be sure to taste the filling as you go. Better luck next time!