Weekend Cooking: Jalapeno Popper Chicken Stuffed Shells

I found this wonderful blog that has a Weekend Cooking meme. It looks like recipes are shared. I may run this a little differently. Some weeks I may share a recipe that I found that I think might be amazing (crediting where I found it of course). I also may just discuss the things I cooked during the week. I will probably go by my mood every week. I try to cook once a week and have meals on the ready during the week for when I don’t feel like cooking. Key word is try.

Image from: Google Images

Recipe by: Gina Davis

Ingredients


1 pkg jumbo shells cooked to half done, drained and rinsed with cold water. Cover and set aside.


FILLING FOR SHELLS
2 lb ground chicken
2 Tbsp olive oil or any oil you have on hand
8 oz cream cheese, softened
salt and pepper, to taste
3 small fresh jalapenos cleaned and seeded (more or less depending on your personal taste) I used the mild fresh from my garden since my peppers were late bloomers this year. If you don’t want the heat I would take it down to 2 small)
1 c cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic


TOPPING FOR SHELLS
1 c cheddar cheese shredded or whatever you like
1 c Mexican blend shredded cheese or again what you like
16 oz jar of salsa (I used my home canned from my all my own garden veggies so use whatever you like here, but my salsa is more to the runny or watery side so if using jarred from store I would add about 1/4 cup water to it and mix)
sour cream
diced green onions


Directions

  1. Cook jumbo shells according to directions except remove them when half cooked. Rinse and drain then cover and set to the side.
  2. Filling: Add oil and chicken to frying pan and cook over medium to medium high heat until cooked through. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Remove chicken and any pan drippings to a bowl. Add cream cheese mix well. Add diced jalapenos and 4 oz. of cheddar cheese, cumin, and garlic. Mix until combined.
  4. Get shells and start stuffing! If shells are sticky or dry rinse them again and then start filling them. Get them full without overdoing it because this will cause the shells to break apart. Line stuffed shells opening up, into a 9×13 or larger baking dish. (You will have a few shells leftover) Top with remaining 4 oz. of cheddar cheese. I put a little on each shell and push it into the filling a little.
    Jalapeno Popper Chicken Stuffed Shells
  5. Place into 375 degree oven for 10 mins just to melt the cheese on the shells this will keep it from floating up when you top the dish with the salsa.
  6. Remove from oven and pour 16 oz. salsa over all the shells and top with Mexican blend cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 25 mins. Remove foil and bump heat up to 425 degrees for 10 minutes more. If you like a browner cheese as we do just broil it for a few minutes keeping a close watch on it so it does not burn 🙂
  7. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Top with sour cream and chopped green onions.

2 thoughts on “Weekend Cooking: Jalapeno Popper Chicken Stuffed Shells

  1. Julie Savage

    Looks delicious! For a lower carb option, I bet using bell peppers or blanched cabbage leaves instead of pasta shells would work really well. I may have to give this one a whirl next month!

    Liked by 1 person

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