Cozy, creamy, and cheesy, this chicken and spinach casserole bakes up bubbly with a golden top. It’s a weeknight favorite with simple pantry ingredients.
1.5lbboneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1tbspolive oilfor searing
1.25tspkosher saltdivided, to taste
0.5tspblack pepper
1tspItalian seasoning
0.5tspsmoked paprikaoptional
2tbspunsalted butter
0.75cupdiced yellow onionfinely chopped
8ozsliced cremini mushroomsoptional but recommended
1tbspminced garlic
1tbspall-purpose flourfor thickening
1cuplow-sodium chicken broth
4ozcream cheese, softenedcut into cubes
1cupheavy cream
4cupfresh baby spinachloosely packed
0.25tspcrushed red pepper flakesoptional
0.25cupgrated Parmesan cheeseplus more to taste
1.5cupshredded mozzarella cheesefor topping
2tbspchopped fresh parsleyfor garnish
Instructions
Preparation Steps
Heat oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Season chicken with 1 tsp salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika.
Warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken until lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Melt butter in the same skillet. Cook onion and mushrooms until tender and lightly golden, 4 to 5 minutes.
Stir in garlic and flour. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds to remove raw flour taste.
Whisk in chicken broth. Simmer until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.
Reduce heat to low. Add cream cheese and heavy cream, stirring until smooth and creamy.
Fold in spinach until wilted. Season sauce with remaining salt and red pepper flakes to taste.
Return chicken with any juices to the skillet. Stir to coat evenly in the sauce.
Spread mixture in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle Parmesan and top with mozzarella.
Bake until bubbly and chicken is cooked through, 18 to 22 minutes. Broil 1 to 2 minutes for extra browning if desired.
Rest 5 minutes. Finish with parsley and serve warm.
Notes
Variation: Swap mozzarella for provolone or fontina, or add crisp bacon bits on top. For a shortcut, use shredded rotisserie chicken and bake 12–15 minutes, just until hot and melty.Serving tip: Spoon over buttered egg noodles or serve with crusty bread to catch the sauce. Leftovers keep 3–4 days in the fridge; reheat gently at 300°F, covered.This recipe is an original creation inspired by classic Creamy Chicken and Spinach Casserole Recipe flavors. All ingredient ratios and instructions are independently developed.