Gluten-Free Shells Stuffed with Grilled Chicken Caprese
These gluten-free i Conchiglioni are the perfect size for stuffing. They fit easily in the palm of one’s hand, with an opening that accommodates either a piping bag of creamy ricotta cheese or a spoonful of whatever favorite ingredients you have chopped up. They are sturdy enough to use as a vehicle in an hors d’oeuvres application, which is what we have done here. But feel free to pour a little of our Sunday Sauce over the shells, top with your favorite melty cheese, and make a more traditional stuffed shell dish!
This recipe is a great way to beat the heat on a warm summer day. You can use a grill pan inside the house or fire up the grill to cook the chicken. It also pivots nicely to a vegetarian dish by omitting the chicken. We’re big fans of using fresh herbs as a way to brighten up any ingredients, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar over the top really makes everything pop!
Serves: 8-10 as an hors d’oeuvre, 6 as an entree Cooking time: 15 min.
Ingredients
1 package i Conchiglioni gluten-free shells
2 chicken breasts halved horizontally to create 4 thinner pieces of breast meat
1 large tomato, chopped
1 ball fresh mozzarella, diced
10 large leaves fresh basil
Aged balsamic vinegar
Olive Oil
1 jar Mom’s Sunday Sauce (for optional entree preparation)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil in a stockpot for the pasta. Meanwhile heat a grill pan or outdoor grill to medium high heat.
- While waiting for the pasta water to boil, dice the tomato and the fresh mozzarella. Stack the basil leaves, roll them into a tight cylinder, and thinly slice the roll, producing ribbons of basil.
- Season the chicken to your taste, grill until cooked through, let rest for 10 minutes to preserve juices, then chop.
-In a large bowl, mix chopped chicken, tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. Toss with a glug of olive oil, season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
-Using a soup spoon, fill each shell with a portion of the chicken mixture. Arrange on a plate, drizzle with aged balsamic vinegar and garnish with whole basil leaves.
OPTIONAL PREPARATION
-While mixing the chopped chicken with the other ingredients, add 1-2 cups of Mom’s Sunday Sauce. Fill the shells as directed above, arrange in an oiled baking dish, top with more mozzarella cheese, and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven until heated through and cheese is melty. Serve with extra tomato sauce if preferred.