Description
Creamy chicken and spinach casserole brings comfort to midweek dinner tables with unexpected richness. Mediterranean-inspired ingredients combine seamlessly, delivering hearty satisfaction you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups chicken, shredded or diced (rotisserie chicken works well)
- 1 (8 oz / 226 g) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded (plus extra for topping)
- ¼ cup heavy cream (or milk)
- 2 cups spinach, fresh, chopped (or 1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and drained)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- Chopped parsley or fresh basil (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat the oven to 375F (190C) and lightly grease a 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray to prevent adhesion.
- Sauce Creation: Blend softened cream cheese, sour cream, Parmesan, mozzarella, heavy cream, garlic, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes into a velvety, homogeneous sauce, whisking until smooth and fully incorporated.
- Ingredient Integration: Gently fold shredded chicken and chopped spinach into the creamy mixture, ensuring even distribution and a harmonious flavor profile throughout the casserole.
- Assembly and Topping: Spread the mixed ingredients evenly in the prepared baking dish, then lavishly sprinkle additional mozzarella cheese on top to create a decadent, golden-brown crust.
- Baking and Finishing: Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, watching for bubbly edges and a rich, caramelized cheese topping. Once complete, let the casserole rest for 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld and intensify. Optionally, garnish with fresh parsley or basil for an aromatic flourish before serving.
Notes
- Optimize Cheese Temperature: Allow cream cheese to soften at room temperature for smoother blending, preventing lumpy sauce texture.
- Control Moisture Levels: Drain excess liquid from spinach by gently squeezing with paper towels to prevent watery casserole consistency.
- Customize Protein Options: Swap chicken with turkey, rotisserie chicken, or plant-based alternatives like tofu for diverse dietary preferences.
- Enhance Flavor Depth: Toast garlic and onion powder briefly in pan before mixing to intensify their aromatic characteristics and develop richer taste profile.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 670 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg