Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo Stuffed Shells

Third week of May. School is winding down, the days are getting long, the after-school energy in the house is peaking in the way it does when routine is loosening but hasn't broken yet. Diego had his final baseball games of the spring. His team made the district playoffs and lost in the first round, which was handled with the specific grace of a ten-year-old who is being raised by a football coach — he was disappointed for about four hours and then moved on. I've always believed that processing loss faster is a skill you can teach, and I've apparently been teaching it whether I meant to or not.

The summer 7-on-7 circuit starts in two weeks. My team will play in four tournaments this summer, which I oversee but don't run — that's the players' time, the player-led reps, the football they do for themselves. I drive by the field sometimes. I don't stop. Trust is the thing you have to keep giving even when you want to intervene.

Made a Sunday brisket this week that was arguably the best brisket I've made in Denver. I smoked it for fourteen hours over oak and cherry wood, hit it with my standard rub, and let it go until the bark was dark and the probe slid clean at one-ninety-eight internal. The flat was moist. The point was extraordinary. I sliced it at the table and the family went quiet, which is the silence of people who are eating something very good and not wanting to interrupt it with speech. I shared some with the family from next door. Kevin, who has been eating my brisket for three years, said it was the best one yet. Kevin says this every time. He might be right every time. The brisket does seem to improve each attempt. Practice makes the thing.

The brisket was the centerpiece this week, but it’s not the only thing I’ve been building in the kitchen — and for nights when the smoker isn’t running and I still want that same feeling of a meal that earns silence at the table, this is the recipe I reach for. Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo Stuffed Shells take some effort, the same kind of layered, deliberate effort that goes into a long smoke, and the payoff is the same: a dish that feels like you meant it. After a week of playoffs, late practices, and fourteen hours watching a brisket come together, this is the weeknight version of that same satisfaction.

Prep Time: 25 minutes | Cook Time: 40 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients

20 jumbo pasta shells
2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or finely chopped
2 cups broccoli florets, blanched and roughly chopped
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook jumbo shells 1—2 minutes less than package directions (they will finish cooking in the oven). Drain and lay flat on a lightly oiled baking sheet to prevent sticking.
Prepare the filling. In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, chopped broccoli, ricotta, 1 cup of mozzarella, 1/4 cup of Parmesan, egg, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Stir until evenly mixed.
Make the Alfredo sauce. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Whisk in the flour and cook for another minute. Slowly pour in the milk and heavy cream, whisking constantly. Cook, stirring frequently, for 4—5 minutes until the sauce thickens. Stir in the remaining Parmesan, nutmeg, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Preheat and prep the dish. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Spread about 1/2 cup of the Alfredo sauce evenly across the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Fill the shells. Spoon approximately 2 heaping tablespoons of filling into each cooked shell and arrange them in a single layer in the prepared baking dish, open side up.
Top and bake. Pour the remaining Alfredo sauce evenly over the stuffed shells. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella across the top. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
Broil for finish. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for an additional 10—15 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbling at the edges. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo Stuffed Shells — When the Table Goes Quiet, You Know You Got It Right