Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Chicken is a must make for dinner! This easy artichoke chicken is the best dinner that’s secretly healthy!
Spinach Artichoke Chicken Bake is a healthy chicken casserole recipe, inspired by the our healthy spinach artichoke dip. This cheesy, flavorful, protein-packed meal is easy to make, and everyone who tries it says it’s delicious!
Casseroles are a convenient comfort food meal, but not all are wholesome and healthy. Depending on the ingredients in them, some can be very high in calories and sodium, and full of unhealthy fats and starches.
This chicken artichoke casserole features a cozy cheese sauce that is secretly healthy, due to protein we add to the sauce. With almost 4 cups of veggies and lean chicken breast, this is a healthier comfort food recipe that you can feel good about!
3 reasons to try this recipe
- Balanced nutrition. Instead of being carb-heavy, we include extra protein, eliminate some of the fat, and use plenty of nutrient-rich spinach.
- Comes together quickly. From start to finish, this recipe takes just 40 minutes to make.
- Healthy indulgence! A traditional spinach artichoke chicken recipe usually includes mayo, sour cream, and/or cream cheese, making a calorie-dense, high fat dinner. In this lightened up version, we use healthier, low fat and high protein ingredients. The dinner tastes indulgent, but it’s much better for you.
Ingredients:
For this spinach artichoke chicken you’ll need:
- chicken breasts – you could also use chicken thighs, but we prefer it with chicken breasts!
- olive oil
- neufchâtel cheese – this has 1/3 the amount of fat of regular cream cheese. You could also use regular cream cheese.
- greek yogurt – this is high in protein and helps add moisture to the dish
- cottage cheese – cottage cheese is high in protein and low in fat which makes it perfect for a casserole!
- mozzarella cheese & shredded parmesan – Use pre-shredded or shred a fresh wedge. Avoid using shelf stable grated parmesan – the flavor and texture are just not the same.
- spices
- artichoke hearts – make sure they’re drained well!
- spinach
SUBSTITUTIONS
Chicken Breast – This recipe will need 1.5 lbs of chicken breast, which is about 3 large chicken breasts. You can use chicken tenders or boneless chicken thighs.
Neufchâtel Cheese – Neufchatel cheese is very similar to cream cheese but with lower fat content. Reduced fat cream cheese can also be used.
Greek Yogurt – Fat free Greek yogurt is going to taste less creamy and more like sour cream, so choose whichever suites your tastes.
Cottage Cheese – Cottage cheese is a high protein, low calorie way to add to the creaminess of this recipe. Any percentage of milkfat will work. Do not use non fat cottage cheese because it will separate.
Mozzarella – We use low moisture shredded mozzarella to avoid a watery casserole. You can use fresh mozzarella which will melt better because it generally contains more fat, but it may be more watery. If you have leftover fresh mozzarella try this Caprese Chicken Recipe.
Parmesan – Use pre-shredded or freshly shredded parmesan. Avoid shelf stable grated parmesan.
Dried Basil – 2 tbsp of finely chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning can be used in place of dried basil.
Spinach – You can use thawed and drained frozen spinach in this recipe instead of fresh. You will need about 8 ounces (roughly 2 cups frozen or 1 rounded cup thawed). If using frozen spinach be sure to squeeze as much moisture from it as possible before mixing it with the cheese.
Artichokes – Canned water-packed artichokes hearts are the best option for this recipe. Marinated artichoke hearts will work, but rinse and pat them dry to prevent adding oil.
Low salt – this recipe is naturally high in salt due to all the cheese/dairy. Look for lower salt cheese and omit the salt on the chicken if you need a lower sodium recipe!
How to make Spinach Artichoke Chicken
- Heat olive oil over medium heat. Place the sliced chicken into the pan and cook until opaque (6-8 minutes) turning as needed. Drain the excess liquid from the pan. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Mix the softened Neufchâtel cheese, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, ½ cup mozzarella, ¼ cup parmesan cheese, and spices until everything is well incorporated. Chop the drained artichoke hearts and spinach and mix them into the cheese.
- Mix the chicken in the cheese mixture until well coated. Transfer to a prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Top with remaining mozzarella and parmesan.
- Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
How long does it take to cook chicken breast in the oven?
In this recipe, the chicken is partially cooked before baking at 400° for 20-25 minutes to finish cooking and be safe to eat.
Can I prepare this ahead of time?
Absolutely! Follow the recipe up to the point of baking, instead of popping it in the oven simply cover it with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
Remove the plastic and bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes.
Serving suggestions:
This recipe can be enjoyed as a complete meal as-is, but it also pairs really well with these side dishes:
- Salad – Something light and refreshing is a good option, like a HealthyCaesar Salad or Kale Salad with Lemon Dressing
- Vegetables – You can save time by cooking asparagus in the oven right along with the spinach artichoke chicken. Roasted Brussels sprouts with parmesan is another great option.
- Beverage – Serve this meal with a glass of white wine or our fall sangria.
Liz’s Recipe Tips
Cook the chicken to an internal temp of 165°F. Using an instant-read cooking thermometer is the best way to ensure that the meal is safe to eat. To be sure that there isn’t any pink inside, turn the breasts over often as the casserole is baking. But, avoid overcooking.
Drain the artichoke hearts before using them. This will result in a super creamy dish that isn’t watery.
If you don’t have an 8×8 baking dish, another size baking dish or oven-safe pan can be used. Look for something that can hold a similar volume. A medium-size cast iron skillet is another great option, and you will have less dishes to wash later.
Don’t broil the cheese if you plan on having leftovers. The cheese reheats best if it is just barely melted and not bubbly on top.
For a little kick, add ¼-½ tsp of crushed red pepper flakes to the cheese mixture.
Be careful adding salt. This recipe is naturally high in sodium due to all the cheese and dairy products. Look for lower salt cheese, and avoid salting the chicken if you need a low sodium recipe!
Chicken Artichoke Recipe FAQs
Yes, canned artichokes are typically pre cooked and ready to eat.
Storage
Storing: Any leftovers will last in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Just be sure to store them in an airtight container.
Freezing: We don’t recommend freezing this chicken casserole. Dairy products like cheese tend to separate as they thaw out, which can give the dish an odd texture and consistency.
Reheating: You can reheat the leftovers in the microwave on 50% power until they are hot all the way through. Or, reheat in a toaster oven or a regular oven at 350°F.
Other healthy chicken dinner recipes:
Looking for other easy meals? Check out these 40+ Healthy Dinner Recipes. Click here to grab our free healthy 30 minute dinners cookbook.
Spinach Artichoke Chicken Bake
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts about 3 large breast
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 8 oz Neufchâtel cheese
- 2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt I used full fat, but any % will work
- ½ cup small curd cottage cheese I used 2%
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 14 oz. can artichoke hearts packed in water, not oil – drained well (about 1 ½ cups chopped)
- 2 cups fresh spinach lightly packed (or about 8 ounces of frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove moisture)
To top –
- 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella
- 2 tablespoons shredded parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. Lightly spray an 8×8 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- Begin by slicing the chicken. Cut each breast lengthwise once and then thinly slice against the grain into about ¼ inch slices and set aside.
- Heat a skillet with 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, place the chicken into the pan and cook until opaque (6-8 minutes) turning the meat as needed.
- Once the chicken is cooked, drain the excess liquid from the pan. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, place the softened Neufchâtel cheese, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, ½ cup mozzarella, ¼ cup parmesan cheese, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp dried basil, and ½ tsp onion powder. Mix using a rubber spatula until everything is well incorporated.
- Chop the drained artichoke hearts and spinach into small pieces and mix into the bowl with the cheese.
- Add the cooked chicken to the mixing bowl and stir until it is well coated with the cheese mixture.
- Transfer the chicken/cheese mixture to the baking dish and spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Top with 1/3 cup of mozzarella and 2 tbsp of parmesan.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted. If you want the cheese on top to be bubbly, you can broil for 4-5 minutes towards the end of the cook time.
- Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
Alicen says
We made this and LOVED it! It was easy and full of flavor! We had it on top of angel hair pasta and had it with banza pasta the next night. Wil definitly be making again!
Liz Marino says
So glad you liked it, Alicen! Thank you so much!!
Sarah says
I’ve had this on my “to make” list for awhile and I wish I’d made it sooner. The combo of cheeses and yogurt make it so creamy. I’ll definitely be making it again. Thank you for another great recipe!!
Emily Yungblut says
This recipe is SO delicious!! Everyone in the family likes it and requests it often.
Catherine says
Delicious! I riced cauliflower and added that also-
Thank you for such a great recipe!
Monique R. says
Made this for supper tonight and it was amazing. I didn’t have any spinach but had kale I wanted to use up. Served it over some farro and a side of broccoli.
Rachel Roberts says
This recipe is great-
High in protein and delicious!!
A must try
Liz says
Beyond delicious!!! This will be a new staple in our home. I used frozen chopped spinach and I cheated by shredding a rotisserie chicken. I also added mushrooms and it was great!
Kevin says
Tried this recipe and with one exception it worked out great. We found the spinach under cooked the first time I made it. The second time I sauteed the spinach down just a little bit (about half the volume) then drained it and then added it to the mix.
Chris says
Excited to try this. I am bringing an appetizer to a gathering this weekend. I am going to shred the chicken and bring this!