Description
Homemade spinach chicken casserole with cream cheese and mozzarella delivers comfort and flavor in one hearty dish. Creamy textures and rich ingredients create a satisfying meal perfect for family dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 oz (115 g) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Preparation: Calibrate oven to 375°F (190°C) with center rack placement and lightly lubricate a 9×13-inch baking vessel with olive oil or non-stick spray.
- Mixture Creation: Amalgamate shredded chicken with cream cheese in a spacious mixing receptacle, blending until uniformly smooth, then gently integrate fresh spinach leaves, ensuring comprehensive distribution throughout the creamy foundation.
- Seasoning Integration: Infuse the chicken-spinach blend with aromatic minced garlic, selected dried herbs, nuanced salt, and freshly cracked black pepper, stirring delicately to achieve balanced flavor profile.
- Assembly: Meticulously transfer the seasoned mixture into prepared baking dish, crafting an even landscape and crowning the surface with lavish mozzarella cheese layer for optimal golden-brown coverage.
- Culinary Transformation: Slide the casserole into preheated oven, allowing 25-30 minutes of transformative heat exposure until cheese achieves a molten, caramelized appearance and internal temperature reaches optimal warmth.
- Finalization: Extract from oven, permit a brief 5-minute resting period to harmonize flavors, then optionally embellish with verdant herb garnish like parsley or chives before presenting this sumptuous dish.
Notes
- Optimize Chicken Texture: Shred chicken while still warm to ensure maximum moisture and tenderness, preventing dry and stringy meat.
- Prevent Watery Spinach: Pat spinach leaves dry with paper towels before adding to mixture, reducing excess moisture that could make casserole soggy.
- Enhance Flavor Depth: Allow cream cheese to reach room temperature before mixing, enabling smoother blending and more uniform seasoning distribution.
- Dietary Adaptation Options: Substitute cream cheese with Greek yogurt for lower-fat version, or use dairy-free alternatives like cashew cream for lactose-intolerant individuals.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 610 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 33 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg