Spinach Artichoke Chicken Casserole (Printable View)
Creamy chicken bake with spinach, artichokes, and cheese. Ready in under an hour.
# What You Need:
→ Proteins
01 - 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced
02 - 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
03 - 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
04 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Vegetables
05 - 7 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
06 - 14 oz canned artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
07 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Dairy & Sauces
09 - 1/2 cup light cream cheese, softened
10 - 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
→ Seasonings
11 - 1 tsp dried Italian herbs
12 - 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
13 - 1/2 tsp salt
14 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
→ Topping
15 - 1/3 cup gluten-free panko breadcrumbs
16 - 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
17 - Olive oil spray
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray or olive oil.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté diced onion for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Add diced chicken to the skillet. Cook 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently, until just cooked through. Remove from heat.
04 - Combine cream cheese, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, mozzarella, 1/4 cup Parmesan, Italian herbs, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes in a large bowl. Mix until smooth.
05 - Fold cooked chicken, thawed spinach, and chopped artichoke hearts into the cheese mixture until evenly distributed.
06 - Spread mixture evenly into the prepared casserole dish.
07 - Mix panko breadcrumbs with 2 tbsp Parmesan in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over casserole and mist lightly with olive oil spray.
08 - Bake for 30-35 minutes until bubbly and golden brown on top.
09 - Let casserole rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- You get all the creamy comfort of spinach artichoke dip but with 45 grams of protein per serving
- The cottage cheese secret makes it ridiculously creamy without the heavy cream guilt
- Leftovers actually taste better the next day, if they last that long
02 -
- Squeezing every bit of water out of the thawed spinach is the most important step for a thick, creamy texture
- The casserole is done when the edges are bubbling vigorously and the topping is deep golden brown
- Letting it rest for 10 minutes seems like forever but prevents it from being too loose when you serve it
03 -
- Use paper towels to squeeze the spinach, then squeeze again with your hands to get it bone dry
- Room temperature cream cheese mixes much smoother than cold straight from the fridge