Spinach Artichoke Chicken Casserole (Print Page)

Tender chicken with spinach and artichokes baked in creamy cheesy sauce 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 & Seasonings

10 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
11 - 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
13 - 1/4 teaspoon 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 olive oil or cooking spray.
02 - In a large skillet, heat olive oil 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 completely wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and sour cream. Stir until smooth and fully incorporated.
05 - Fold in the cooked chicken, chopped artichoke hearts, spinach mixture, half of the mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, oregano, basil, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Mix until evenly combined.
06 - Spread the chicken mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese 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 rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the casserole to set.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It turns basic pantry staples and leftover chicken into something that tastes like you spent all day cooking.
  • The creamy, cheesy sauce reheats beautifully, making it the kind of recipe that feeds you twice with almost no extra effort.
02 -
  • Do not skip draining and squeezing the artichoke hearts, excess liquid is the enemy of a casserole that sets properly.
  • If you assemble this ahead and refrigerate it, add ten extra minutes to the bake time because it goes into the oven cold.
03 -
  • The single biggest improvement you can make is using rotisserie chicken with the skin removed, the seasoned meat adds depth that plain boiled chicken never will.
  • Let the cream cheese fully soften before mixing, cold cream cheese leaves lumps that no amount of stirring can fix.

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