Creamy Chicken Stuffed Shells (Dairy Free)

Creamy chicken stuffed shells topped with parsley with an oval baking dish.

Creamy Chicken Stuffed Shells (Dairy Free)

You won't believe that these creamy chicken stuffed shells don't have any gluten or dairy! They're made with a creamy bechamel sauce, leeks, chicken, and gluten-free shells.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American, Italian American

Keyword stuffed shells

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1

Servings

Calories 606

Author Michelle

Ingredients

8 oz gluten free shells

For the filling

2 tbsp olive oil
1 leek halved, white and green parts only
1 shallot minced
2 cloves garlic minced
Salt and pepper
1 lb chicken finely diced
2 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried basil
8 oz dairy free ricotta

For the bechamel sauce

2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp arrowroot
½ cup dairy free heavy cream
1 ½ cup almond milk
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tbsp parsley chopped

Instructions

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the shells according to package instructions, cooking them until al dente. Strain and lightly coat with olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 F and lightly grease a large baking dish. Set aside.
While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large deep deep pan. Add the leeks and shallots and saute for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and lightly season with salt and pepper. Saute for another 3 minutes and set the cooked vegetables aside in a large bowl.
Toss the chicken with salt, pepper, and dried parsley and basil. Add the chicken to the pan (adding more oil if needed). Saute for 5 minutes or until cooked through to 165 F. Add the cooked chicken to the bowl with the vegetables. Clean out the pan.
Pour the dairy free ricotta into the bowl with the chicken and vegetable and stir to combine set aside.
To make the sauce, start by making a gluten-free roux by heating the oil over medium-low heat in the same large, deep pan, then sprinkling in the arrowroot starch, one tablespoon at a time, stirring with a whisk. Slowly stream in heavy cream, whisking constantly, then pour in the almond milk and nutritional yeast. Continously whisk to thicken the sauce. The sauce should be thick and creamy.
Spoon about 2 tbsp of the sauce into the chicken, vegetable, and ricotta filling and stir well. Add half of the remaining sauce to the bottom of the baking dish.
Spoon the filling into the cooked shells and place the shells in the baking dish. Repeat with all of the shells. Pour the remainder of the sauce over the shells.
Cover and transfer to the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly.
Remove from the oven and serve topped with chopped parsley. You can also add shredded cheese (or dairy free cheese) if desired!

Notes

Make sure you boil the shells until al dente, as they will cook further in the oven.

Nutrition