Can I use canned vegetables instead of frozen?

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.

Can I freeze this 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!

Is this casserole gluten free?

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 .

Creamy Spinach Artichoke Chicken Casserole

Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.6 from 12 reviews

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!

Author: Kate
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Yield: 12 servings 1x
Category: main course, entree
Method: bake
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

16 ounces (454 g) frozen chopped spinach
16 ounces (454 g) frozen artichoke hearts
3 1/2 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

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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 1/2 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 1/2 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

Find it online: https://nibbleanddine.com/creamy-spinach-artichoke-chicken-casserole/