Make a wonderful dinner for family or guests with this recipe. Make the chicken in the slow cooker and then stuff the cooked shells with the shredded chicken and bake in a yummy, roasted garlic cream sauce. You will be glad that you did.
Stuffing:
3 chicken breasts
salt & pepper, to taste
1 t. chili powder
2 T. chives minced
4 cloves garlic
10 oz. can Rotel tomatoes, drained
½ c. Ricotta cheese
¼ c. freshly chopped parsley
1 box jumbo shells (cooked according to package directions)
Sauce:
4 T. butter
2 T. flour
2 c. milk
½ c. Parmesan cheese
1 whole head of garlic
Place a slow cooker liner in the base of the slow cooker for easy clean up.
Wash chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Season chicken with salt, pepper and chili powder; place chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add chives and 4 garlic cloves on top.
Cook on low 6 hours or until the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily.
When chicken is done, shred and stir the chicken into the juices that was created.
Pour all into a bowl; add tomatoes, parsley and Ricotta cheese; stir; set aside.
Cook pasta shells al dente according to package directions.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
Stuff the cooked pasta shells with the chicken mixture; place the prepared baking dish.
Cut off 1/4 inch off of the top of the head of garlic, exposing the cloves; drizzle with olive oil, salt & pepper to taste; wrap in aluminum foil; bake 30 – 35 minutes or until the cloves feel soft when pressed. Allow to cool; squeeze the garlic out of the cloves into a small bowl; mash with a fork; set aside.
In a medium sized pot, add butter; melt. whisk in the flour; cook several minutes to cook off the flour taste; whisk in the milk; bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce to a simmer; allow to thicken. Stir in mashed roasted garlic and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt & pepper, to taste. Pour the roasted garlic sauce over the stuffed shells; reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees; cover; bake 30 minutes or until bubbly.
If you want a crunchy, brown top, uncover after the 30 minutes and place under the broiler for a little bit.
6 servings.