Creamy Chicken Spinach Casserole (Printable)
Tender chicken and fresh spinach baked in a rich three-cheese sauce for a comforting weeknight meal.
# What you need:
→ Protein
01 - 2 large chicken breasts, cooked and cubed (about 1.1 lb)
→ Vegetables
02 - 7 oz fresh spinach, roughly chopped
03 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
→ Dairy and Sauce
05 - 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
06 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
07 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
08 - 2 tbsp cream cheese
09 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter
10 - 1 tbsp olive oil
→ Seasonings and Topping
11 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme
12 - 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
13 - 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
14 - 1/2 cup gluten-free or regular breadcrumbs (optional, for topping)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a medium baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - In a large skillet, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. Sauté the onion for 3 to 4 minutes until translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add the chopped spinach to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Reduce heat to low and stir in the heavy cream, cream cheese, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper. Cook while stirring constantly until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
05 - Remove the skillet from heat. Fold in the cooked cubed chicken, half of the mozzarella, and half of the Parmesan. Mix until evenly combined.
06 - Transfer the chicken and spinach mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly. Top with the remaining mozzarella, remaining Parmesan, and breadcrumbs if using.
07 - Bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cheese topping is golden and bubbly throughout.
08 - Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve hot.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It uses one skillet and one baking dish, which means cleanup is almost nonexistent on a lazy Tuesday.
- The cream cheese trick makes the sauce taste like you spent an hour on a roux when you really just stirred it for three minutes.
- Leftovers reheat beautifully and somehow taste even richer the next day.
02 -
- Do not crank the heat when making the sauce or the cream will break and you will get a greasy separated mess instead of something silky.
- Squeeze excess moisture out of the spinach after wilting if your pan looks watery, because nobody wants a soupy casserole.
03 -
- Rotisserie chicken is the ultimate cheat code here, shred it or cube it and you have saved yourself twenty minutes of poaching and cooling.
- Let the casserole rest those full five minutes before digging in because the sauce thickens as it sits and you will get cleaner servings.