Pesto Chicken Shells

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.

For the sauce:
While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for a minute or two until fragrant. Blend in the flour and continue cooking over medium heat for about 2 minutes until bubbly. Slowly add the whole milk or half-and-half along with the Frank’s hot sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the grated Parmesan Cheese.

For the filling:
Heat olive oil in a medium-sized skillet, add red pepper and onion and saute for about 3 minutes until soft. Mix sauteed vegetables with the chicken, 1 1/2 cups Italian blend cheese, basil pesto and oregano.

In a lightly greased casserole dish (I used my 4-quart) place about 1/2 cup of the sauce in the bottom of the dish. Fill the pasta shells with the filling and place in the dish. Spoon the Parmesan cheese sauce over the shells and cover the shells as much as possible with the sauce so they don’t dry out when cooking. Sprinkle with remaining Italian blend cheese.

Bake at 350ºF for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with freshly minced Italian parsley if desired.

Enjoy!