This creamy spinach artichoke chicken casserole is made with rotisserie chicken and frozen veggies, making prep a breeze! You can make this entire chicken casserole in under 1 hour.
Note: this post was originally published in 2019 and updated in 2021 with new photos and improved instructions. The recipe has also been improved based on user feedback.
Casseroles are the perfect dinner choice when you need something comforting and cozy. But, sometimes they can be a bit time consuming to prep, especially if you have to boil noodles first as the base. So, if you're looking for a creamy and hearty casserole but want to save time on prep, you have to try this creamy spinach artichoke chicken casserole!
Rather than a typical pasta or rice base, this casserole uses chunks of rotisserie chicken and tons of veggies. This makes this casserole the perfect choice if you're looking for a lower carb dinner option as well.
And, by using rotisserie chicken and frozen veggies, you can make this entire casserole in under 1 hour, start to finish! Serve with my recipe for oven roasted potatoes and green beans for a delicious veggie-filled dinner!
Recipe ingredients
Ingredient notes
- Rotisserie chicken: if you don't want to use rotisserie chicken, you can use any leftover chicken. Just make sure it's seasoned with salt and pepper!
- Monterey Jack cheese: if you don't like or don't have Monterey Jack cheese, you can substitute this with any semi-hard cheese that melts well, such as Colby. Here is a great list of substitution ideas for Monterey Jack!
- Kosher salt: this recipe uses kosher salt, which is coarse grained. If you would like to substitute fine grain salt, reduce the amount in the recipe from 2 teaspoons to 1 ½ teaspoons, or, salt to taste.
Step by step photos
Here is a breakdown of how to make the casserole. To see a brief slideshow how-to, check out my web story for this recipe!
1. After first preheating the oven, peel and finely chop the garlic, set aside.
2. Then, shred the rotisserie chicken or chop it into pieces, discarding the skin. Add the chicken to a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish or baking pan.
3. Squeeze the moisture out of the thawed spinach and add it to the pan.
4. Next, break the thawed artichoke hearts into smaller pieces, or chop them. Add the artichoke hearts to the pan with the chicken and spinach.
5. In a medium bowl, add the cream cheese, sour cream, kosher salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic. Also add in half of the Parmesan and Monterey Jack cheeses. Mix everything together until well combined.
6. Add the cheese filling to the casserole dish with the chicken, artichoke hearts and spinach. Mix everything together to combine well.
Make sure the ingredients are distributed evenly in the pan, but leave the top a bit textured, rather than completely smooth. This will help to get a nice brown crispy top!
7. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan and Monterey Jack cheeses on top and bake in the preheated oven until the casserole is bubbly and the top is nicely browned.
Tips and tricks
- If you have time, you can thaw the veggies in the fridge overnight to save time on prep. However, if you forgot or don't have time, the recipe includes instructions on how to thaw the veggies in the microwave!
- If you're using the microwave to thaw the vegetables, you can save time by prepping other ingredients while the veggies are thawing in the microwave. For example, shred the rotisserie chicken while the spinach is microwaving and shred the cheeses while the artichoke hearts are microwaving (if you didn't buy pre-shredded cheese).
- Speaking of cheese, I like to buy block cheese and shred it myself, since pre-shredded cheese has added fillers that can prevent the cheese from melting quite as smoothly. However, I have also made this casserole with pre-shredded cheese when short on time and it also tasted delicious!
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can substitute canned spinach and/or canned artichokes for frozen. However, you will need to drain the canned veggies well, and in the case of the spinach, squeeze out any extra moisture, just as was done for the frozen spinach.
In addition, check to see if your canned veggies have any added salt. If they do, cut down on the salt called for in the recipe to avoid over-salting the casserole.
Yes, you can freeze this casserole, with one caveat: the texture of the cream cheese and sour cream base was slightly affected, making the frozen and re-heated casserole a little less silky smooth than when freshly baked.
However, it still tasted amazing when re-heated! So, I would say if you have any casserole you want to save beyond the 3 - 4 days it can be kept in the fridge, go ahead and freeze the leftovers. It will be so nice to have for a busy day when you don't want to cook!
Full disclosure - I don't eat gluten free and I'm not an expert on any certain diet. Always do your own research and due diligence on ingredients you are eating! But, since it seems like it's harder to find gluten free casserole recipes since many contain pasta, breadcrumbs, etc., I thought it would be helpful to discuss here.
Since there are no ingredients that are inherently wheaty (is that a word?) like pasta, then you could make this recipe gluten free as long as you make sure all the individual ingredients are labeled gluten free. (Sounds obvious but I thought it couldn't hurt to say it!) For instance, not all rotisserie chicken is gluten free, so you need to check the label to make sure.
In addition, here is an interesting article about buying cheese when you have a gluten allergy/sensitivity. And here is another article discussing how to make sure frozen veggies are gluten free.
Related recipes
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Creamy Spinach Artichoke Chicken Casserole
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: main course, entree
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
This casserole uses rotisserie chicken, frozen spinach and frozen artichoke hearts to save time on prep. A creamy, cheesy comfort food that’s sure to please!
Ingredients
- 16 ounces (454 g) frozen chopped spinach
- 16 ounces (454 g) frozen artichoke hearts
- 3 ½ cups (425 g) shredded rotisserie chicken, from about 1 medium rotisserie chicken (see note 1)
- 8 ounces (227 g) cream cheese
- 16 ounces (454 g) sour cream
- 2 cups (141 g) finely shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
- 2 cups (197 g) shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Pre-step: Place the spinach and artichoke hearts in the fridge the night before to thaw. Place on a plate or inside a gallon zip top bag to prevent leaks. (If you don’t have time to thaw the vegetables in the fridge, follow the microwave thawing directions below.)
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F/220 degrees C and take the cream cheese out of the fridge to soften.
- Finely chop the garlic, set aside.
- If your spinach is frozen, place it in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir, and microwave again for another 1 - 2 minutes, or until thawed. Stir again. Squeeze the moisture out of the thawed spinach and add to a 9 x 13 inch (33 x 23 cm) baking pan or casserole dish.
- Shred or chop the rotisserie chicken into large pieces, discarding the skin. Place the shredded or chopped chicken inside the casserole dish or baking pan. (If you are using the microwave to thaw the vegetables, this step can be completed while the spinach is microwaving!)
- If your artichoke hearts are frozen, place them into the same bowl the spinach was in (dump out the spinach water first!). Microwave on high for 2 minutes, stir, and microwave again for another 1 - 2 minutes, or until thawed. Stir again. (While the artichoke hearts are microwaving, you can shred the cheeses if not using pre-shredded cheese.)
- Tear or chop the artichokes into smaller pieces and add to the pan.
- Add the cream cheese, sour cream, kosher salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic, 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese and 1 cup Parmesan cheese to a medium bowl (if you used the microwave to thaw the vegetables, you can use that same bowl).
- Break up the cream cheese with a large spoon and stir until the ingredients are well combined. Add to the pan and stir to combine all the casserole ingredients together. Make sure the ingredients are distributed evenly in the pan but leave some texture on the top (do not smooth down the top of the casserole).
- Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and Monterey Jack cheeses and bake for 25 - 30 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbly around the edges and the top is browned. Serve immediately.
Notes
If you don’t want to use rotisserie chicken, you can use any leftover chicken (white and/or dark meat) or cook your own. You will need 3 ½ cups of cooked, shredded chicken. If you are cooking your own chicken, make sure to season it with salt and pepper!
This recipe uses kosher salt, which is coarse grained. If substituting with fine grain salt, use 1 ½ teaspoons salt instead of the 2 teaspoons called for to avoid over-salting the casserole, or, add salt to taste.
The nutrition information below is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator; the nutrition counts of your dish will vary based on the brand of ingredients used. This nutrition estimate should not be considered a substitute for professional medical, health, or nutritional advice. See our full nutrition disclosure policy.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/12 recipe
- Calories: 333
- Sugar: 0.8 g
- Sodium: 419 mg
- Fat: 24.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 14.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 8.5 g
- Fiber: 2.9 g
- Protein: 21.7 g
- Cholesterol: 87 mg
Keywords: chicken casserole, spinach artichoke casserole, spinach artichoke chicken casserole
Kathy
Looks delicious Kate!
Cathy
Wonderful recipe...Looks great to try for 4th of July for sure..Thanks
Kate
thank you I'm glad you like the recipe! 🙂
Kate
Thank you!! 🙂
Julie
This is my kind of casserole! I looove spinach and artichoke flavored anything, and I roast a whole chicken a few times a month and am always looking for new ways to use up the leftovers. Brilliant!
Tatiana
Oh my heavens. You've outdone yourself! Seriously so delicious! You have become my "go to" for recipes!!! YUMMMMM.
Jenni LeBaron
I love creamy casseroles like this. The fella follows a mostly keto diet so this would work well in our weekly meal planning - YUM!
Lori
I’d love to try this in a crockpot! What would you do differently? I can’t wait to try this!!!
Kate
Ooo that's a great idea Lori! I actually hadn't thought of that before but I don't see why it wouldn't work - as long as you use pre-cooked chicken (like rotisserie or leftover chicken), everything else is cooked so it's really just about warming everything together and melting the cheese. Since I haven't made it that way myself, I can't say for sure the perfect method, but I would definitely cook it on the lowest setting so that the cream cheese doesn't split, and maybe only cook it until it's warmed through and melty. Also, it would be a good idea to grease or use non-stick spray on the crock pot before adding the ingredients to make cleanup easier. If you do end up making it in the crockpot will you let me know how it turns out?
Marisa F. Stewart
This is one casserole that the entire family would love and devour in minutes. I love the idea of being able to make it ahead of time and then popping it in the oven. And I bet the non-spinach lovers wouldn't argue with all the other goodies in it. I'm pinning the recipe.
Jordan
My mom used to make something similar to this and serve it over pasta! I love the recipe step photos since I'm a visual learner. Can't wait to try this out on our meal plan this week.
Riz
Ah! I'm so glad you shared this, I love love love artichokes, but I never feel that there are enough recipes out there that showcase them. I've added this to my to-make list 🙂 Thank you!
Michele
WOW! My mouth is watering over here. A casserole made out of my favorite dip! Sounds divine. So creative and flavorful!
Donna
Wow I can't believe you fit 2 pounds of veg in there!!! Such a good comforting casserole, and i mean who can say no to artichokes and cheese!?!
Nicole
I am definitely going to make this. This is perfect for Keto dieters.
Amanda
This is the ultimate comfort food! It’s so cheesy, delicious and simple to make. Thanks so much for sharing!
Jacqueline Debono
Love the combination of chicken, spinach, artichoke and cheese in this casserole! I've been buying rotisserie chickens quite often recently because it's been too hot to roast chicken myself. Plus our local supermarket sells organic rotisserie chicken which is really delicious! Can't wait to try this casserole the next time I get a chicken!
Eva Hughes
can you use canned artichokes?
Kate
yes for sure Eva, I'm sorry I should have mentioned that in the post. Canned artichokes would work just fine (but I would not use the marinated kind that usually come in jars). Just squeeze out the extra liquid and you are good to go!
Siobhan
Hi this was really good. I used 2 cans of artichokes. Everything else was good. My 20 year old son liked it. I liked it. Chockful of good vegetables. Thank you.
Kate
Hi Siobhan! I am so happy you and your son enjoyed the recipe! Thank you so much for sharing, I get really excited when someone lets me know they liked one of my recipes 🙂 🙂
Vicki
Looks great. Can I make this and freeze it and bake later?
Kate
Hi Vicki! I've actually never tried freezing it before baking, so I can't say whether that would work or not! My worry would be that the texture of the cream cheese wouldn't hold up well to freezing. I'm sorry I can't give you a better answer, if you end up trying the recipe though I hope you like it 🙂
Katie T
Any suggestions for a side with this? I am the worst at deciding on side dishes. This is so full of veggies it might just be a stand-alone dish!
Kate
Hi Katie! I would serve it with a green salad, and maybe even a side of crusty bread too. Yes I agree it has so many veggies already it doesn't seem like you would need another side of cooked veggies. I think the salad would add a nice contrast because it's cold, with some nice crunchy elements and it's lighter of course. I hope this helps and if you end up making the casserole I hope you like it! 🙂
Rachel Sloss
Can you top cooked pasta with this?
Kate
Hi Rachel! That's a great idea actually! I think if you wanted to do that, you would need to thin it out slightly, so maybe mix in a bit of extra sour cream or even a little milk just so that it turns a bit more saucy. If you end up trying it that way please let me know how you like it! 🙂
Kate
Hi Rachel, I'm back because I thought some more about your question and wanted to give a couple more thoughts! I think if you want to turn this into a pasta topping, I'm thinking you could mix up the ingredients as instructed, then rather than baking it in the pan in the oven, warm it up on low in a skillet, adding in some heavy cream, and maybe even more sour cream to make it saucy. Then, add the pasta to coat it. You could even mix in a little of the water from cooking the pasta to thin it out more if needed. You may want to half the recipe though, so you have room to fit it all in the pan. I haven't actually done this before, these are just some thoughts I had so if you do try it please let me know what you think! I hope this helps Rachel! 🙂
Amy
I’m known to make a mean spinach-artichoke dip so I was eager to give this a try... TOTAL winner!! I’ve shared this recipe with several friends and they too are thrilled with the results, especially my low-carb diet peeps! Have to confess though, I always add 2-3 pressed cloves of garlic to the cheese mixture. Aside from garlic being my favorite vegetable :^), it’s a match made in heaven with spinach. I serve it with wild rice to soak up all that goodness.. Thank you for a wonderful dish!
Kate
Amy I am absolutely delighted that you and your friends enjoyed this casserole! I think garlic sounds like a wonderful addition, I too am a huge garlic fan 🙂 Thank you for sharing!
Gloria
Nice recipe. Did not have sour cream so made my own. Did not have Monterey Jack so I used sharp cheddar. It was yummy.
Kate
Thank you Gloria! I've never made my own sour cream before I am so interested to learn how to do it, I'll have to look that up! And I think sharp cheddar would taste wonderful. I'm so happy you enjoyed the recipe!
Amanda
I was excited to try this and it is good, but there are no seasonings so it is kind of really bland.
Kate
Sorry the casserole was not to your liking Amanda, but I appreciate your feedback! You're right, this casserole is rather simple in its seasoning. If you like more complex flavors, there are so many ways you could customize the recipe to your tastes. Another reader commented that they enjoyed adding several cloves of garlic, or you could add garlic powder, onion powder, or even some cayenne if you like things hot!
Cathy P.
This recipe looks so good I'm planning on making this for super bowl. I saw the question about adding pasta to the recipe so I'll let you know how it turns out.
Kate
Ok great! I haven't tried it yet but I was just throwing out some ideas, so I would love to hear how it turns out for you!
Ali
Just mediocre in our opinion.
Kate
Sorry you didn't enjoy the recipe Ali, thank you for your feedback!