Baked Shells with Mushroom Cream

Think of this as tuna noodle casserole’s smarter cousin. Cooked pasta shells, chicken, peas, sliced mushrooms, and pimento bits all bind together in a cornstarch-thickened milk and chicken broth sauce. A Parmesan breadcrumb topping goes on before it hits the oven for that classic casserole crust.

The cornstarch slurry is what separates this from heavier baked pasta dishes. Instead of a roux (butter + flour) or a cream-based sauce, the sauce uses cornstarch dissolved in cold milk to thicken the rest of the warm liquid. Fewer calories, less fat, still plenty of comfort.

Rinsing the cooked pasta under cold water before adding to the sauce might feel counterintuitive, but it stops the cooking immediately and prevents the pasta from turning soft during the oven bake. The casserole finishes hot and bubbling without overcooked noodles.

Use leftover roast chicken, a rotisserie bird, or skip the meat entirely for a vegetarian version.

Pro Tips

• Dissolve cornstarch completely in cold milk before adding to heat; added dry or in warm milk, it clumps.
• Don’t overbake. 15 minutes is plenty; the filling is already cooked, you’re just setting the top.
• Use medium pasta shells or orecchiette; they catch the peas and mushroom pieces.
• Switch on the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes at the end if the crumb topping hasn’t browned.

Variations

• Sub canned tuna, cooked turkey, or diced ham for the chicken.
• Add ¼ cup white wine or sherry to the sauce for deeper flavor.
• Top with shredded mozzarella under the breadcrumbs for extra gooey melt.