Spinach Artichoke Chicken Casserole (Printable)
Creamy chicken baked with spinach, artichokes, and melted cheese for a comforting family meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 3 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or cubed
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 cups fresh baby 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 to room temperature
07 - 1 cup sour cream
08 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
09 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
→ Pantry & Seasonings
10 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
11 - 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
12 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
13 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
14 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
15 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
# Directions:
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 and translucent, 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 completely 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 vigorously until smooth and well blended.
05 - Fold the shredded chicken, chopped artichoke hearts, spinach-onion mixture, half of the mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, oregano, basil, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using) into the cream base. Mix until everything is evenly distributed.
06 - Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining half of the mozzarella cheese evenly across the top.
07 - Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, or until the edges are bubbling and the cheese topping is melted and golden brown.
08 - Remove from the oven and let the casserole rest for 5 minutes to allow the filling to set before slicing and serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It tastes like something you spent all day on, but the actual hands on time is barely twenty minutes.
- The combination of cream cheese, sour cream, and two cheeses makes a sauce so rich and tangy that no one will believe it is gluten free.
02 -
- Make sure to drain the artichoke hearts thoroughly because excess liquid will make the casserole soupy instead of creamy.
- If you want to prep this ahead, assemble everything up to the baking step, cover it tightly, and refrigerate for up to a day before popping it in the oven.
03 -
- Take the cream cheese out of the fridge at least an hour before you start because cold cream cheese will leave you with a lumpy sauce no matter how hard you stir.
- Rotisserie chicken is the ultimate time saver here and actually adds more flavor than plain chicken breast because the seasoned skin has done half the work for you.