Description
This Mexican Stuffed Shells recipe combines the bold flavors of ground chicken sausage seasoned with chili powder, cumin, and garlic with creamy cheeses and enchilada sauce, baked to perfection. Jumbo pasta shells are stuffed with a spicy, cheesy meat mixture, then baked in a salsa and enchilada sauce base, topped with melted cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses for a deliciously cheesy dinner with a Mexican twist.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat Mixture
- 1 lb. ground chicken sausage
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- dash cayenne powder
- 1 cup water
- 4 oz. reduced fat cream cheese
Pasta and Sauce
- 14-16 jumbo pasta shells
- 1.5 cups mild salsa
- 1 cup enchilada sauce
Cheeses and Garnishes
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- Diced green onions for serving
- Black olives for serving (optional)
- Sour cream for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare the sausage: Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a frying pan over medium heat, cook the ground chicken sausage until browned. Stir in chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne powder, and 1 cup water. Cook uncovered for about 20 minutes until the water evaporates completely.
- Add cream cheese and simmer: Add the cream cheese to the sausage mixture, cover the pan, and simmer on low heat until the cream cheese melts and blends smoothly with the meat. Stir well, then remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
- Cook pasta shells: Boil the jumbo pasta shells according to package directions until al dente. Drain well and lay them out individually on a cutting board or baking sheet to prevent sticking.
- Prepare baking dish: Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Pour the mild salsa evenly on the bottom of the dish to serve as a flavorful base.
- Stuff shells: Using a spoon, stuff each cooked pasta shell with the cooled sausage and cream cheese mixture. Arrange the stuffed shells in the baking dish with the open side facing up.
- Add sauce and cheese: Pour the enchilada sauce evenly over the stuffed shells. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses on top evenly.
- Bake covered: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld and cheese to melt.
- Bake uncovered: Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until the cheese bubbles and starts to brown lightly.
- Serve: Garnish with diced green onions. Serve warm with optional black olives and sour cream, and additional salsa as desired.
Notes
- This dish features a spicy and cheesy chicken sausage filling that pairs perfectly with enchilada sauce and melted cheeses for a comforting Mexican-inspired meal.
- You can adjust the spice level by modifying the amount of chili powder and cayenne powder used.
- Leftovers store well in the refrigerator and can be reheated for a quick meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed shell (approximate)
- Calories: 861 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 1662 mg
- Fat: 31 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 97 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 47 g
- Cholesterol: 128 mg
