Description
This Spinach Artichoke Chicken Casserole is a creamy, cheesy comfort-food dinner loaded with tender chicken, spinach, artichoke hearts, pasta, and plenty of melted mozzarella. A rich cream cheese sauce brings everything together before the casserole is baked until hot, bubbly, and golden. It’s an easy family-friendly dinner that’s perfect for busy weeknights, meal prep, or casual entertaining.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb short pasta, such as rigatoni, ziti, or penne, uncooked
- 2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup full-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 small onion, diced
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 10 oz frozen spinach, thawed and thoroughly drained
- 1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- 3–4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or oil.
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions, stopping about 1 minute before al dente. Drain well and transfer the pasta to the prepared baking dish.
- While the pasta cooks, add the softened cream cheese and sour cream to a medium mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Add the heavy cream and mix until combined. Pour in the whole milk and mix again until the sauce is smooth.
- Add the cooked chicken, drained spinach, chopped artichokes, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, diced onion, garlic, red pepper, salt, and black pepper. Stir until evenly combined.
- Pour the spinach-artichoke chicken mixture over the cooked pasta. Stir gently until the pasta is completely coated and the ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella over the top.
- Bake for about 25 minutes, checking at the 20-minute mark. The casserole is ready when the sauce is bubbling and the cheese has melted.
- For a golden, lightly crispy cheese topping, broil for the final 1–2 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning.
- Remove from the oven and let the casserole rest for 5–10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Drain the spinach well: Squeeze as much liquid as possible from the thawed spinach to keep the casserole creamy rather than watery.
- Don’t overcook the pasta: Cooking it about 1 minute less than al dente helps prevent soft or mushy pasta after baking.
- Chicken shortcut: Leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie-style chicken works well and saves prep time.
- Sour cream substitute: Full-fat Greek yogurt can be used in place of sour cream for a slightly tangier flavor.
- For extra browning: Broil the casserole for 1–2 minutes after baking for those irresistible golden cheese spots.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container and enjoy within 3–4 days.
- Reheating: Add a small splash of milk if the sauce has thickened in the refrigerator, then reheat until hot.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 casserole
- Calories: 660 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 22 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 51 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 125 mg