Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Shells
Get ready to stuff your face with these Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Shells. They’re stuffed with shredded Buffalo chicken, ricotta cheese, Colby Jack cheese, and ranch mix. Then, they’re topped with more ranch.
Did we say these shells are stuffed? Our bad. What we meant to say is that these shells are stuffed to capacity! The are absolutely overflowing with Buffalo flavor, and they make an amazing and simple appetizer or main course.
Everyone loves buffalo chicken dip and now you can turn it into dinner with these Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Shells. Shredded chicken, hot sauce, ricotta cheese, ranch dressing and colby cheese gets all mixed together and stuffed into shells before getting topped with more cheese and baked. These are so delicious and always a crowd pleaser.
Table of contents
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It only uses a few simple ingredients.
- It’s a quick and easy recipe ready in just over 30 minutes.
- It’s full of our favorite classic Buffalo chicken flavors.
- It makes a great appetizer, dinner, or potluck addition.
- It’s a great way to use leftover chicken.
🛒Ingredients
The ingredient list for this recipe is very simple. You’ll find everything you need easily at your local grocery store. Be sure to check out the recipe card at the end of the post for exact amounts.
- Jumbo pasta shells
- Buffalo wing sauce
- Ricotta cheese
- Egg
- Ranch dressing mix
- Shredded chicken breast
- Colby Jack cheese, divided
- Ranch dressing
- Scallions
🔪 How to Make Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Shells
Making these shells isn’t much different than making any other kind of stuffed shells. It only takes a few minutes and a few simple steps.
Step 1: Prep
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 13×9 glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Step 2: Boil the Shells
Cook the shells as directed on the package for al dente. Then, rinse with cool water.
Step 3: Stuff the Shells
Mix 1/2 cup of Buffalo sauce, ricotta cheese, egg, ranch dressing mix, chicken, and 2 cups of Colby Jack cheese in a large bowl until just combined. Then add the mixture evenly to all the shells.
Step 4: Bake the Shells
Spread 2 tablespoons of Buffalo sauce over the bottom of the baking dish. Then, add the shells to the dish. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Then, remove the foil and add the remaining Colby Jack cheese. Bake for another 5 minutes to melt the cheese. Top with ranch, hot sauce, and scallions and enjoy!
📝Variations
Do you want to change up this recipe and make it your own? Here are some ways that you can do that!
- Chicken – Use feshly baked chicken breast, leftover chicken, or rotisserie chicken for this recipe.
- Colby Jack – Use mozzarella, Colby Jack, cheddar Jack, or pepper Jack cheese.
- Extra Spicy – Try adding diced jalapenos to the Buffalo chicken mixture for an extra kick of heat.
If you think this looks good, then check out our Buffalo chicken stromboli!
🥄 Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoon
- Shredding claws or 2 forks
- Large mixing bowl
- 13×9 baking dish
- Large spoon for stuffing the shells
🥫 Storage
Store these in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an air-tight container. For longer storage, freeze them for up to 3 months in an air-tight, freezer-safe container.
💭 Tips
- Shred your chicken while hot. Cool or cold chicken is harder to shred.
- Be gentle when filling your shells to avoid tearing them.
- Be sure you cook your shells to al dente and no further to avoid tearing while stuffing them.
⁉️ FAQ
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
In North America, we just call them shells, but their real name is conchiglie, which, not surprisingly, translates to “shells”.
Generally speaking, there are 2 reasons this happens. They were either cooked too long or they’re being manhandled while being stuffed. Cook the shells to al dente and be gentle when stuffing them.
If you buy a low-grade ricotta cheese, it will be on the thin side. Look for high-quality ricotta cheese that has a lower moisture content. That moisture is generally what makes stuffed shells watery.
🍽 More Recipes
Do you enjoy stuffed shells? Then try these delicious recipes:
📌 PIN IT!!
🧾Recipe Card
Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.
Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Shells
Equipment
- measuring cups and spoon
- Shredding claws or 2 forks
- large mixing bowl
- 13×9 baking dish
- Large spoon for stuffing the shells
Ingredients
- 21 jumbo pasta shells
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons buffalo wing sauce
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup Mozzarella cheese (optional)
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon powdered ranch dressing mix
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
- 4 cups shredded colby jack cheese divided
- 1 cup ranch dressing
- Scallions for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook pasta as directed on package until al dente and rinse with cool water.
- Spray 13×9-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.
- Spread 2 tablespoons of the wing sauce over bottom of baking dish.
- In a large bowl, mix the ½ cup wing sauce, ricotta cheese, egg, powdered ranch, chicken and 2 cups of the cheese until just combined.
- Start filling the shells and evenly divide the filling among the 21 shells and place them in the pan.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and top with 1 cup mozzarella cheese and the rest of the Colby Jack cheese , Bake uncovered 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.
- Top with a drizzle of hot sauce, ranch salad dressing and scallions.
- Serve!
I posted a comment and now it’s gone. Is #9 a mistake? It was already cooked and there’s no mozzarella cheese in the recipe.
Thanks
#9 is sprinkled on top of the shells after it’s already cooked. Mozzarella is #4 and an optional ingredient. You can just use the remaining Colby jack cheese. If you don’t add it you just won’t have the extra stingy cheese on top.
That’s already done in step 8. I’m guessing step 9 is a mistake
Step 8 is supposed yo have the Mozzarella cheese and Colby jack cheese mixed in together. I think they got messed up thanks for pointing it out 🙂