Recipe
Chicken Pistachio Lumaconi
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 1 hr
Serves: 10
These chicken and pistachio-stuffed pasta shells are delicious bathed in a thick, garlicky pasta sauce. This dish is a great everyday recipe to have on hand.
Contributed By: Submitted by Dana Olsen, Calgary, Alberta
Ingredients
Chicken Pistachio Lumaconi:
2 cups (500 mL)
chicken, cooked, diced
1 1/2 tbsp (25 mL)
olive oil
2 tbsp (30 mL)
garlic, minced
1
zucchini, small, diced
1
pkg cream cheese, cubed
1 cup (250 mL)
35% (whipping) cream
3/4 cups (175 mL)
pistachio nuts, shelled
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
1
box large pasta shells (lumaconi)
mozzarella cheese, grated, to taste
1 tsp (5 mL)
Italian seasoning
Tomato Sauce:
1 1/2 tbsp (25 mL)
olive oil
2 tsp (10 mL)
garlic, minced
1
can canned diced tomatoes
1 tsp (5 mL)
basil, dried
1 tsp (5 mL)
basil, fresh
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
1 tsp (5 mL)
sugar
Instructions
Chicken Pistachio Lumaconi
1
Sauté garlic & zucchini with olive oil until tender.
2
Add cream cheese into pot with garlic and zucchini.
3
Add heavy cream, whisking until cream cheese melts into cream.
4
Add chicken, pistachio nuts, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
5
Set mixture aside.
6
Cook pasta according to package directions, then rinse with cold water.
7
Spread the bottom of a casserole dish with a third of the tomato sauce.
8
Stuff the pasta shells with the chicken and cream cheese mixture.
9
When all shells are stuffed, cover them with the remaining tomato basil sauce.
10
Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top.
11
Cover dish with tin foil. Cook at 375ºF (190ºC) for about 60 minutes, uncovering the dish for the last 10 minutes.
Tomato Sauce
1
Sauté garlic in oil until tender. Take care not to burn it!
2
Using a blender, blend the diced tomatoes, then add to pot with garlic.
3
Stir in salt, pepper, sugar, and basil.
4
Simmer about 10 minutes until flavours are combined.