This Healthy Spinach Chicken Artichoke Casserole recipe brings your favorite dip and hearty chicken together for a satisfying meal that's ready to be served in 30 minutes! It's a healthier twist on classic comfort food with chicken, spinach, and artichoke hearts with creamy cottage cheese for an extra boost of protein.
Looking for more easy chicken recipes?
Check out Chicken Potato Casserole, Sheet-Pan Balsamic Chicken, and Healthy Butter Chicken.
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Recipe Overview
- Prep and Cook Time: 10 minutes to prep and 15-20 minutes to bake
- Cooking Method: Oven-baked
- Dietary Info: Low Carb and Keto, Primal, Gluten-free and Grain-Free, WAPF
- Tools Needed: sharp knife, cutting board, and medium-size baking dish
- Skill Level: Easy
What is WAPF? Read my post on what nourishing foods are based on the traditional dietary principles of the Weston A. Price Foundation.
Reasons to Love this Artichoke Chicken Casserole
Every time I make this dish, it's always a hit. It's incredibly satiating (45 grams of protein in one serving!) and has a refreshing flavor profile (that says a lot for a creamy chicken casserole -- the lemon is the real hero here!).
My favorite part about this spinach artichoke chicken casserole is that it takes just 10 minutes to prep and can be made in one bowl or dish!
Think of this like a hearty spinach artichoke dip but made into a meal. It also offers sophistication in cottage cheese, Gruyere cheese, and crispy prosciutto, making it a flavorful and protein-packed dish any time of the week.
Ingredients
- Chicken breasts: Skinless, boneless chicken breasts are lean, high in protein, and cook quickly, matching the short cooking time of the other ingredients.
- Cottage cheese: Adding whole-milk cottage cheese increases the protein and helps to make it creamy and satisfying.
- Mayonnaise: Adds richness and creaminess to the casserole and helps to bind the ingredients together, creating a smooth texture. Use homemade avocado oil mayonnaise for the best flavor and quality.
- Lemon: Lemon zest and juice helps to balance the richness of the other ingredients.
- Artichoke hearts: Use brined or water-packed artichoke hearts, not marinated in oil artichoke hearts. You'll need just one can, drained.
- Seasonings: A simple blend of garlic powder and dried parsley adds a savory and herby flavor.
- Spinach: Chicken spinach artichoke casserole won't be the same without spinach. Fresh spinach is best, but frozen spinach would work in a pinch (just thaw and squeeze out the liquid first).
- Gruyere cheese: Rich, nutty cheese that melts beautifully and adds wonderful flavor.
- Parmesan cheese: Adds salty and slightly crispy texture on top as it bakes.
- Prosciutto (not pictured): This is optional but adds a nice finishing touch, slight crunch, and depth of flavor.
Substitutions and Variations
- Chicken thighs - Because I'm trying to meet my daily protein goal, I used boneless skinless chicken breasts here, but I much prefer chicken thighs, and they would be a better meat option for their flavor and texture. Note: If subbing with chicken thighs, add 5-10 more minutes to cooking time.
- Roast chicken meat - Use about 3 cups of leftover roast chicken meat if you don't want to mess with raw chicken and reduce the bake time by 5-7 minutes, just until everything is heated through and melted.
- Make it more creamy - Add cream cheese or sour cream to give it more creaminess.
- Deluxe - Top with bacon crumbles, green onions, and bread crumbs to give it more of that loaded texture.
- Use a different cheese - I love Gruyere cheese for its rich, nutty flavor. But you can use a more common cheese like mozzarella cheese or shredded cheddar cheese. To bump up the flavor, try smoked gouda or manchego cheese.
Make it Nutrient-Dense
My favorite brand of cottage cheese is the Good Culture or Nancy's because they have the highest quality cottage cheese on the market with incredible flavor.
Good culture has the double cream classic with 6% milkfat and you can almost see the yellow hue in the extra cream.
That is a sign of carotenoids from the cow's diet of fresh pure grass and is particularly rich with fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K2.
How to Make Chicken Spinach Artichoke Casserole
The complete printable recipe is below in the recipe card for your convenience. Follow these simple step-by-step instructions for the best results.
Step 1. Mix
In a large mixing bowl, combine cottage cheese, mayonnaise, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic powder, and dried parsley.
Step 2. Cut
Pat dry chicken breasts with a paper towel. Cube them into 1" pieces.
Step 3. Toss
Combine the chicken with the creamy mixture. Add drained artichoke hearts, roughly chopped spinach, and ¾ cups of shredded cheese. Fold all ingredients until evenly coated.
Step 4. Bake
Transfer the mixture to a medium-size casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese, tear up prosciutto into small pieces, and tuck them evenly across the top of casserole. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake in a preheated oven until chicken is cooked through.
Helpful Tips
- Start with dry chicken - Be sure to pat it dry with paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible. This helps reduce the overall moisture content in this easy chicken dinner and helps the seasonings adhere better.
- Coarsely chop - Use quartered artichoke hearts and roughly chop spinach to evenly distribute it throughout the chicken bake.
- Go easy on garnish - I keep it simple with torn prosciutto pieces tucked on top of the chicken casserole, and finished with freshly grated parmesan. The best part is that it crisps up during baking.
Troubleshooting
- Chicken too dry? The biggest reason for dry chicken is overcooking it. Cubed chicken only needs 15-20 minutes in an oven. Use an instant-read thermometer and remove it at 165°F.
- Casserole too watery? To reduce a watery casserole, use whole milk cottage cheese instead of low-fat cottage cheese. Use for fresh spinach. If using frozen spinach, thaw and squeeze out excess moisture.
Product Highlight!
Instant-Read Meat Thermometer
Never settle for dry chicken ever again and use a meat thermometer. This one is super inexpensive and will save you lots of trouble from overcooked chicken.
💭Meal Prep Suggestion!
This artichoke chicken bake comfortably feeds four. But you can easily scale it up for easy lunches throughout the week. Portion out the baked casserole into individual servings for grab and go lunch.
Serving Suggestions
This chicken spinach artichoke casserole is more like hearty main entree for family dinner or weekend get together. A single serving of this clocks in at 45 grams of protein - incredibly hearty and satisfying!
Serve it directly in the baking dish garnished with fresh herbs and slices of lemon for a beautiful presentation. To make it a complete meal, serve over al dente pasta or consider these ideas:
Hearty sides: Serve with your favorite grain and let them absorb the tangy and refreshing juices from the casserole. Try millet Instant Pot or fluffy white rice. If you want a low-carb and grain-free option, serve this chicken casserole over long strands of spaghetti squash.
Fresh salads: Or to keep things light, serve it with a fresh salad like chopped Mediterranean salad or cucumber tomato salad. Or if you want to finish up that prosciutto, whip up this salad with arugula and goat cheese.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftover chicken casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. These glass snap containers are perfect for leftovers. To reheat, transfer to a small covered skillet and reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat. If it seems a little dry, add a splash of cream, water, or chicken feet bone broth to soften it up a bit.
Unfortunately, this casserole won't freeze well because of the cottage cheese. Dairy will separate upon thawing so enjoy this spinach artichoke chicken casserole fresh!
No, it's too chunky to work as a dip, and the juices aren't creamy. To make it dippable, add cream cheese and finely dice everything.
Looking for more related recipes? Here are some ideas:
Did you make this Spinach Chicken Artichoke Casserole? Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ recipe rating in the recipe card below and leave a review in the comments. Thank you!💚
Printable Recipe
Spinach Chicken Artichoke Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 lemon, small about 2 teaspoons lemon zest and 3 tablespoons juice
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast approximately 3 breasts
- 1 cup Gruyere cheese shredded
- 8 ounces artichoke hearts, brined drained and quartered
- 2 cups spinach
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
- 3 strips prosciutto
Instructions
- Mix: Preheat the oven to 400°F. oven to In a large bowl, combine cottage cheese, mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice, garlic powder, and dried parsley. Stir until combined well.
- Cut: Pat dry chicken breasts with a paper towel. Cube the chicken breasts into small 1" pieces.
- Combine: Transfer the chicken to the creamy dressing. Add drained artichoke hearts, roughly chopped spinach, and ¾ cup of shredded cheese. Fold all ingredients until they are all evenly coated with the creamy mixture.
- Bake: Transfer the mixture to a medium-size baking dish. Top with remaining shredded cheese, tuck in torn pieces of prosciutto and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
Notes
- Start with dry chicken - Be sure to pat it dry with paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible. This helps reduce the overall moisture content in the easy chicken dinner and helps the seasonings to adhere better.
- Minimize moisture. Use whole milk cottage cheese, fresh spinach, and drain the artichokes well. If using frozen spinach, it's a good idea to squeeze out excess water.
- Don't overcook it. The biggest culprit with chicken breast is the tendency to dry it out with excessive heat. Don't do it. Cubed chicken breast really does need only 15-20 minutes in a hot oven. If in doubt, insert an instant-read thermometer into a chicken piece and pull it out when it registers 165°F.
- Meal Prep Suggestion: This recipe comfortably feeds four. But you can easily scale it up for easy lunches throughout the week. Portion out the baked casserole into invidivual servings for grab and go lunch.
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