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 features those classic comfort food flavors with chicken, spinach, and artichoke hearts but made healthier with cottage cheese. It's creamy, flavorful, packed with protein, and easy to make on a busy weeknight.
Add this chicken spinach artichoke casserole to your meal rotation! It has those beloved flavors that we all love in our go-to appetizer (spinach artichoke dip!) but amped up with protein to keep those blood sugar levels stable and keeping you fuller longer.
If you haven't heard, adding cottage cheese to savory dishes is a guaranteed way to boost your protein and offer creaminess to the dish. You can see that in these cottage cheese mashed potatoes and chicken cabbage casserole. And same is true in this chicken and artichoke casserole.
But not only does this chicken casserole feature classic comforting flavors with chicken, spinach, and artichoke hearts - it also offers sophistication in cottage cheese, Gruyere cheese, and crispy prosciutto, providing flavorful and protein-packed dish on busy weeknights or elegant dinner parties.
Plus, it's just a darn-good, mouthwatering chicken spinach artichoke casserole that the whole family will love!
Looking for more easy chicken recipes? Check out chicken scalloped potatoes, 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.
Key Features & Benefits
- Quick & easy - You'll only need 10 minutes of prep before popping it in the oven. This chicken artichoke casserole is easy and quick to whip up.
- High in protein - It's an incredibly satiating meal, offering 45 grams of protein in one serving.
- Versatile serving options - Enjoy it as a full meal or pair it with a side dish to make the night more satisfying.
- Refreshing flavor profile: For a creamy chicken casserole, this dish is surprisingly light and refreshing, thanks to that tangy lemon!
- Easy one-bowl prep - Start with a large bowl and add everything to it to minimize cleanup.
Ingredients for Chicken Spinach Artichoke Casserole
Learn how to make chicken and artichoke casserole with 9 simple ingredients. This easy recipe can be served on the table in 30 minutes.
- Chicken breasts: Skinless, boneless chicken breasts are naturally lean and high in protein. It also cooks quickly which is important since the other ingredients don't need long cooking time.
- Cottage cheese: Adding cottage cheese increases the protein in this chicken spinach artichoke casserole greatly. It also helps to make it creamy and satisfying. Keep in mind if you use low-fat cottage cheese, your casserole may end up too watery.
- 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 adds a bright, citrusy flavor that helps to balance the richness of the other ingredients and adds a refreshing twist to the dish.
- 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. It adds a vibrant green color and a mildly sweet flavor. Fresh spinach is best but frozen would work in a pinch.
- Gruyere cheese: Rich, nutty cheese that melts beautifully and adds wonderful flavor.
- Parmesan cheese: Adds salty and slightly crispy texture on the top of the casserole as it bakes.
- Prosciutto: This is optional but adds a sophisticated finishing touch, slight crunch, and depth of flavor.
See the recipe card for exact quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Chicken thighs - Because I'm personally 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 it's flavor and texture. Note: If subbing with chicken thighs, add 5-10 more minutes to cooking time.
- 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.
- Other add-ins - Experiment with other tasty ingredients like sun-dried tomatoes, sliced mushrooms, or kale instead of spinach.
💭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 Spinach Artichoke Chicken 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 small 1" pieces.
Step 3. Toss
Combine chicken with the creamy dressing. 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 for Spinach Chicken Casserole
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
💭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 invidivual 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.
More artichoke chicken casserole pairing suggestions:
- Cabbage Cucumber Salad20 Minutes
- Simple Oven Roasted Buttered Cabbage Recipe30 Minutes
- Classic Caesar Salad30 Minutes
- Crispy Oven Roasted Garlic Potatoes50 Minutes
Storage and Reheating Instructions
How long does chicken and artichoke casserole last in the refrigerator?
To store: Transfer leftover chicken casserole to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Storage containers: These glass snap containers are perfect for leftovers and they can go from fridge to oven.
To freeze: 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!
To reheat: It does reheat wonderfully though! Reheat in a small covered skillet 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Well, no. It's too chunky that it wouldn't work as a dip. Besides, the juices that naturally pool on the bottom aren't the creamy kind that we all love in a good dip. To turn this into a dippable casserole, you can try throwing in a block of cream cheese and dicing everything up finely.
There are a lot of ingredients here that have a naturally high moisture content. Try these tips to reduce watery casserole. Use whole milk cottage cheese as the low fat tends to be more runny. Coarsely chop the artichoke hearts and drain them well to remove as much water as possible. Lastly, use fresh spinach instead of frozen. If using frozen, thaw it out first and squeeze out all excess moisture.
Certainly. If you don't want to use raw chicken you can opt for roasted or store-bought rotisserie chicken. Just check the ingredient label to make sure it doesn't contain additives or preservatives.
Looking for more related recipes? Here are some ideas:
Did you make this Creamy Spinach Artichoke Chicken 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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