Spinach Artichoke Chicken Casserole (Printable)
Creamy chicken loaded with spinach and artichokes in a cheesy sauce, baked until golden.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 3 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or cubed
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
03 - 1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
04 - 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Dairy
06 - 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
07 - 1 cup sour cream
08 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
09 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Pantry and Seasonings
10 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
11 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
14 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
15 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
# How-To:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 additional minute until fragrant.
03 - Add the chopped spinach to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from heat and set aside.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and sour cream. Stir until smooth and well blended.
05 - Fold the shredded chicken, chopped artichoke hearts, spinach mixture, half of the mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, dried oregano, dried basil, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using) into the cream base. Mix until evenly incorporated.
06 - Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese evenly over the top.
07 - Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, or until the edges are bubbling and the cheese topping is golden brown.
08 - Remove from the oven and let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the filling to set.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- This is the kind of dish that makes people close their eyes at the first bite and ask what on earth you put in it.
- It reheats beautifully the next day, which means lunch at work suddenly becomes something worth looking forward to.
02 -
- Undercooking the onions is a mistake I made once and the crunch through the creamy casserole was deeply unsettling.
- Draining the artichoke hearts thoroughly is critical because excess liquid will turn your casserole into a soupy mess.
03 -
- Rotisserie chicken from the deli counter shaves twenty minutes off your prep time and honestly tastes better in this recipe than home cooked breast.
- Room temperature cream cheese blends seamlessly while cold cream cheese leaves stubborn lumps no amount of stirring can fix.