Mexican Stuffed Shells
with Green Chili Sauce
Setting out to make chicken enchiladas with a green chili sauce took a quick spin when I realized I didn’t have tortilla shells. Whooops! Kind of an important ingredient for enchiladas, but with a fun-filled yet tiring weekend behind us I wasn’t up for a trip to the store.
A quick scan of the pantry led me to a package of Grand Shells by Tinkyada. Hmmm, stuffed
Mexican pasta shells instead? What a wonderful change of plan!
The key to this dish is the sauce…creamy green chili sauce without the cream. A quick roux with chicken broth and light sour cream gives the creaminess and allows a no-guilt (well maybe some guilt), but overall a fairly light meal given it’s pasta and it’s creamy. Also, Brown Rice Pasta, our gluten free sub for Semolina Pasta, is a healthier option anyway. A two-ounce portion contains about 200 calories, 4 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber. Lastly, the shredded chicken breast is another light choice.
Now that I’ve convinced myself that this recipe is light enough to enjoy…let’s get started.
You can make the Green Chili Sauce ahead of time if you choose…that’s what I did and it was fabulous two days later (store in airtight container in frig).
I also poached two bone-in chicken breasts and shred the chicken but you can certainly use a broasted chicken instead.
Here we go….
First, the Sauce:
Start by making a roux…melt the butter in the bottom of a heavy sauce pan then add the flour and whisk over the heat until bubbly for a few minutes to break down the floury taste
Continue whisking and add the chicken broth. The roux will become nice and creamy and start bubbling with yumminess.
Mmmmm…I love cream sauces
Add the ‘secret’ creamy ingredient…light sour cream (Daisy brand is my favorite).
This is also where I add the diced green chilis, Co-Jack cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, Mrs. Dash Fiesta Lime seasoning, and hot sauce.
I added some brown sugar as it just needed a little…sweet.
Mmmm, now it was perfect. Remove from heat and set aside.
The quickest way to prepare this recipe is to use a broasted chicken and shred. Happily at home with my slippers on I poached my own. Here’s how: In a saucepan with lid, add about 3/4 cup of water, some chopped onion, a little salt and pepper, then add your two bone-in breasts and cover with a lid. Cook slowly on low for about an hour…the chicken came out nicely tender and easy to remove from the bones. Be sure to remove the skin then ‘pull’ the chicken from the bones with two forks, shredding the meat.
Now you’ll season the chicken which is the ‘stuffing’ for the shells.
Add the Mrs. Dash Fiesta Lime, a little fine sea salt, a can of green chilis, chopped green onions, and the Co-Jack cheese. Set aside.
Making the shells. Read the box! I started to make my pasta shells like every other pasta and when I looked to see the suggested time, it had very different directions which I’m assuming is to retain the shape of these large shells. You bring the water to a boil…then add the shells and stir for about 2-3 minutes. Then turn the heat off and cover allowing to sit for 20 minutes. I stirred the noodles during the process about every 5 minutes and only cooked them for 16 minutes.
When the shells were done I removed each one from the pan separately (and carefully) and placed them on the cutting board so they wouldn’t stick together. As you can see some were broken…it’s okay! Just hold the broken ones in the cup of your hand and stuff like the others…they work just fine. Remember, we’re just cooking here…no worries.
Before you start stuffing the shells, pour just a little (1/4 cup) of the Green Chili Sauce in the bottom of the casserole dish. Then as you fill each shell, place it stuffed side up in the dish on top of the sauce. Mmmm…can’t wait.
Pour the rest of the Green Chili Sauce over the top of all the stuffed shells and top with the cheese. Don’t add too much cheese, the 3/4 cup I listed is plenty…remember the sauce has a little and so does the filling.
Cover and bake in the preheated 350 degree oven for 18 minutes, then uncover and cook an additional 15 minutes just to get the cheese nicely bubbled and melty.
I should have plated a few of these heavenly stuffed shells and taken a beautiful picture for you, but we were reeeeally hungry and really anxious to give it a try. Oh…my…goodness.
YUM. I just couldn’t make Mr. Spinner wait for a photoshoot on this one…
Enjoy!!
I listed the sauce and the stuffed shells separately in the recipe should you want to make the sauce ahead of time.
Recipe: Serves 4-6
Green Chili Sauce:
Ingredients:
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 3 Tbsp all purpose GF flour
- 2 Cups GF chicken broth
- 1 cup light sour cream (Daisy)
- 1/4 cup Co-Jack cheese
- 1 (4oz) can fire roasted diced green chilis
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder (not salt)
- 1/2 tsp onion powder (not salt)
- 1 tsp Mrs. Dash Fiesta Lime seasoning (or your favorite southwest seasoning)
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- Few dashes of Frankies hot sauce (or your favorite)
- a few chopped green onions
Directions:
Melt the butter in the bottom of a heavy sauce pan then add the flour and whisk over medium heat until bubbly for a few minutes to break down the floury taste. Continue whisking and add the chicken broth. The roux will become nice and creamy and start bubbling. As it begins to thicken, add the light sour cream and whisk into the sauce. Then add the diced green chilis, Co-Jack cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, Mrs. Dash Fiesta Lime seasoning, brown sugar, and hot sauce. Remove from the heat and set aside or allow to cool a bit and store in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator until ready to prepare the dish.
Stuffed shells:
Ingredients:
- 1 pkg of Tinkyada Brown Rice Pasta Grand Shells – prepare according to directions on package
- 2 bone-in chicken breasts, poached, skinned, de-boned, and shredded (or use a GF deli-broasted chicken and shred. About 2 1/2-3 cups
- 2 tsp Mrs. Dash Fiesta Lime seasoning (or your favorite Southwest seasoning)
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 (4 oz) can fire roasted diced green chilis
- 2 green onions chopped
- 3/4 cup shredded Co-Jack cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Set the prepared pasta shells individually in a prep area ready to stuff. Pour about 1/4-1/3 cup of the green chili sauce in the bottom of a casserole dish that has been lightly sprayed with non-stick spray. Set remaining sauce aside.
In a medium glass bowl combine the shredded chicken, Mrs. Dash Fiesta Lime, fine sea salt, green chilis, chopped green onions, and the Co-Jack cheese.
Gently stuff each shell with the chicken filling. Place each shell, stuffed side up in the prepared pan on top of the light layer of sauce. When all shells are filled, pour the green chili sauce over the top of all stuffed shells. Sprinkle with the 3/4 cup of Co-Jack cheese.
Cover the casserole dish with lid or foil and bake in preheated oven for 18 minutes. Uncover and cook an additional 15 minutes or until the cheese becomes nicely bubbled and melty. Allow to set for 5 minutes before serving.
