Spinach Artichoke Chicken Bake
181 Comments
Updated Oct 16, 2024
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This spinach artichoke chicken bake is seriously packed with flavor! It’s a mix of diced chicken breast, artichoke hearts, bell pepper, and a creamy lemon-herb sauce that makes the whole dish even better as it cooks in the oven.
I find myself making this spinach artichoke chicken bake ALL the time. The inspiration for this recipe came when I was looking for a way to use up canned artichoke hearts in my pantry. And given how much I love my spinach artichoke dip and chicken broccoli casserole, I decided to meld those together into this tasty new recipe.
But the best part about this chicken bake recipe is how darn easy it is. I’m a big proponent of simple, meal-prep-friendly ideas, and this definitely checks that box. It’s wonderful served for a family dinner over mashed potatoes, rice or lentils, and the leftovers are just as good to enjoy throughout the week.
Spinach Artichoke Chicken Bake Ingredients
- Chicken: This recipe calls for boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you could also use chicken thighs.
- Artichoke Hearts: To make the process easier, I’m using canned artichoke hearts that are already sliced and quartered.
- Fresh Vegetables: I’m using a combination of red bell pepper, onions, and spinach. If you’re not a fan of spinach, you can swap it for kale, Swiss chard, or another leafy green.
- Mayonnaise: Mayonnaise forms the base of the sauce, keeping this recipe dairy-free if you don’t add the cheese. And while you can use a store-bought version, it’s so easy to make homemade mayonnaise.
- Cheese: This is optional, but adding some freshly grated parmesan into the sauce helps to create a slightly cheesy, and creamy texture. And it’s not an overpowering cream sauce like other chicken casseroles.
- Garlic & Lemon: Just four cloves are needed, but feel free to add one more if you like an extra punch of garlic. As for lemon, you’ll need both lemon zest and lemon juice to give the sauce a bright punch of flavor.
- Dried Herbs: Dried oregano and thyme are the ultimate duo to give the sauce a delicious herby spin.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Spinach Artichoke Chicken Bake
Prep the chicken. First, grab a 9×13-inch baking pan so that everything fits perfectly. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C), slice the chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces, and place them in a large mixing bowl.
Add the veggies. Chop up bell pepper, onion, and spinach. Then, add them to the bowl with the artichoke hearts and parmesan cheese (if using).
Mix up the sauce. In a small bowl, stir the mayonnaise, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, salt, and black pepper. Then, pour the sauce on top of the chicken and veggie mix and gently stir everything until it’s well combined.
Time to bake. Place the mixture into an even layer in the casserole pan. Then bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Make sure to give it a taste test, and always feel free to add more salt and pepper if you’d like!
Common Questions
For a light meal, I’ll often eat this on its own or on top of salad greens. For a heartier meal, I’ll serve this over mashed potatoes, rice, or lentils.
There will be liquid that accumulates in the bottom of the pan from the veggies and chicken, that’s normal. But it helps to keep the chicken moist while cooking! Just use a slotted spoon to scoop out the chicken and veggies. And if you’re serving with mashed potatoes, rice or lentils, I love to drizzle those extra juices on top!
Storage Options
Let me emphasize how great of a meal prep recipe this is. It makes six servings, which is perfect for a two-person meal prep. For a family of four or more, bake a second batch to enjoy later in the week or freeze!
- To store for the week: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
- To freeze for later: Store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. To reheat, simply microwave a portion for about 2 minutes. You can also add the whole thing back into a casserole pan and reheat in the oven at 400°F (200°C) for 15 minutes.
More Chicken Recipes
I’ve got quite a few options of one-pan recipes listed below to help make weeknight dinners easy. And if you need even more ideas, check out my full list of chicken breast recipes or chicken thigh recipes.
- Chicken Stir Fry
- One Pan Chicken and Rice
- Greek Sheet Pan Chicken
- Balsamic Chicken with Brussels Sprouts
I hope you enjoy this spinach artichoke chicken bake as much as I do! Once you cook this up, let me know your thoughts in the comment box below. Your review will help other readers in the community.
Spinach Artichoke Chicken Bake
Description
Video
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 3 to 4 chicken breasts)
- 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
- ½ medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 (13.5-ounce) cans quartered artichoke hearts, drained and excess liquid gently squeezed out
- 2 cups (lightly packed) baby spinach, roughly chopped
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan (optional)
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced (about 1 tablespoon zest and 3 tablespoons juice)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cut the chicken. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces, and place in a large mixing bowl.
- Dice the veggies. Add the bell pepper, onion, artichoke hearts, spinach, and parmesan cheese (if using) to the mixing bowl on top of the chicken.
- Make the dressing. In a separate small mixing bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, garlic, lemon zest and juice, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Stir it all together. Pour the dressing on top of the chicken and veggies and gently stir until well combined.
- Bake. Place the mixture into a 9×13-inch baking pan. Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
Lisa’s Tips
- Note that liquid will accumulate in the bottom of the pan. That’s normal and expected (and it helps to keep the chicken moist while cooking). Simply use a slotted spoon to scoop out the chicken and veggies. Though if I’m serving this bake on top of rice or lentils, I love to drizzle some of those extra juices on top!
Nutrition
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Another hit!!! So enjoyed this, as did our guests. Talk about easy…
Amazing! Happy to hear everyone enjoyed this chicken bake, Marie.
Someone once asked me what my least favorite vegetable was, and I said marinated artichoke hearts. I’ve never been disappointed when making one of your recipes, so I decided to give this one a go. What an absolute delight! My only complaint is that I wanted a higher ratio of artichokes in the dish .
Bravo, Lisa. You’ve done it again.
Amazing! I’m so glad you ended up loving the artichokes in this recipe, Barb.
Simply delicious, flavorful, tender, served with rice. Thank you
Glad you enjoyed this chicken bake recipe!
Can I swap out Greek yogurt for the mayo?
Hi Stacy – while I haven’t tried that, it may work just fine. Let us know how it turns out!
Great recipe! But my artichokes weren’t very good, not the recipes fault! Do you have a favorite brand? Love your recipes – I’m not a cook but I succeed if I just follow you!
I typically will buy the Whole Foods 365 brand.
Made this over the weekend for lunch and it was so good my husband also wanted to have it for dinner! We will definitely be using more Downshiftology recipes in the future.
Amazing! I’m glad you both enjoyed this chicken bake, Linda.
I made this dish after you showed it in your Insta stories this week – thanks for the inspiration. It was such a great casserole with all of our favorite ingredients on a fall evening. Great transition from summer to fall dinner!! Served with basmati rice.
Amazing! I’m so glad you enjoyed this spinach artichoke chicken bake, Lisa.
I loved this!! So easy and good!
I did add garlic salt to mine, and next time, a small block of cream cheese. :)
Thrilled to hear you loved this spinach artichoke chicken bake, Andrea!
This looks delicious. If I made it with cooked chicken how long should I cook it and would it still be good?
It’s best to cook this with raw chicken, as that’s the only way I’ve tested this!
I had a roasted chicken I needed to use, so I just added it to the pan during the last 15 minutes. Delicious!
Can I substitute shredded rotisserie chicken for cubed chicken and sour cream or yogurt for mayo?
Hi Gloria – Yes, you can use cubed chicken and yogurt for mayo!
This blew my expectations out of the water. So simple to put together but loaded with flavor! Adding this to the rotation!
Yay, happy you loved it, Maddie!
Made this tonight exactly like directions, my husband and I loved it. The chicken was super tender. Lisa you never fail me – thank you!
Thrilled to hear this spinach artichoke chicken bake was a success, Diane!
can you sub mayo for greek yogurt?
Did you try this? How was it?
Sounds wonderful. .Plan to make this soon but was wondering if I can use creamed spinach instead of fresh.
It’s best to use fresh spinach as cream spinach might make this too liquidy.
Delicious, we loved this so much! Only change I made was that I added some grape tomatoes (had some on hand) and the were a great addition.
Thank you so much for this amazing recipe; my husband made sure I saved it.
I love the idea of adding grape tomatoes, Jackie!
Delicious
Can freeze for a couple of day before cooking it?
This was easy and delicious! I think I will try a tsp of Italian seasoning next time instead of the tsp of oregano and tsp of thyme. Or maybe just cut the amount down because I found it a little strong for my taste. I used sweet red snacking peppers because I had them on hand and they tasted great.
I think this recipe would also be delicious with Greek seasoning and feta cheese and served with couscous!
I rarely write reviews, but when a recipe is this good, I want to thank the creator and let others know to try it!
Thank you!
Hi Joanna – Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review! I’m glad you enjoyed this chicken bake and know that there’s plenty of room for tweaking.
Super delicious and easy!! I forgot about the spinach until I saw it on my counter halfway through cooking, but I just mixed it in then and had no issues. It was especially good over some pasta with extra parmesan on top. Will definitely be adding it to my weeknight rotation!
Hi Maggie – Thrilled to hear you’re loving this chicken bake recipe!
Yummy, simple. We enjoyed it as a casserole type dish. I added halved cherry tomatoes and put them as a first layer in the pan. There are fibrous parts of artichokes we couldn’t chew through. Removing fibrous parts from your mouth is ok for family, not for entertaining. That’s why recipe is short one star.
Hi Kathleen – Totally understand! But happy to hear this chicken bake was delicious nonetheless.
I made this yesterday and it was sooo good – thank you Lisa! Plus I love that it makes tons of servings and is filled with veggies – great for healthy meal prep. I look forward to making this one regularly in the future :)
Hi Ang – This chicken bake really is such a great way to get more veggies and protein in!
Easy and delicious, love the lemon! Great for meal prep!
Hi Debra – Thrilled to hear you’re loving this chicken bake! It truly is a great dish for meal prep.
I made this 2 days ago for supper and we found it delicious , I used 2 peppers ( I wanted as many veggies a possible )and a mix of white onion and purple onion, I cooked my spinach separate and added when casserole came out the oven and it just wilted.
Next day, reheated it and was every bit as good. I think next time I will add kale. This is definitely a keeper. Thank you.
Hi Constance – Thrilled to hear you’re loving this chicken bake!
I am wondering if the spinach overcooks when in the oven for 20 minutes, just wondered if it could be added after cooking as spinach quilts down so quickly? I trust your opinion as I make a lot of you recipes and have your cook book , which I love.
Hi Constance – I haven’t come across any issues with the cooked spinach in this recipe yet!
This sounds delicious as is but knowing my husband he would probably like a little more hardy casserole. Since there is ample liquid in the bottom could I add precooked rice before putting in the oven, or would that dry everything else out too much. Thanks
Hi Bonnie – I haven’t tested this with rice at the bottom, but you can always make rice on the side to serve with this!
This turned out SO good!! I subbed Greek yogurt for the mayo (just a personal preference) and added a little dried dill, then sprinkled a little lemon juice on top after I put it on my plate. Thank you for the recipe, this is going into regular rotation 😊
Hi Melanie – Wonderful! I’m glad you love this chicken bake.
I was pleasantly surprised!! It was so good everyone asked for the recipe, and I was happy to share it with them. Great Job!! Lisa Bryan…
Hi Brenda – Happy to hear everyone enjoyed this spinach artichoke chicken bake!
Mayonnaise is NOT dairy free!?? Where did you get that idea? It is made from eggs! Just saying.
Hi Yolanda – Eggs are not dairy. Dairy is anything made from milk (aka from the mammary glands of animals like cows, goats, etc). Eggs are from chickens.
May I ask if I can use frozen spinach?
Yes, you could use frozen and thawed spinach if you’d like.
Any suggestions for substitute for mayo? We have egg allergy and dairy.
Made this exactly as written (prep time took me longer). We always are looking for new casseroles to add into our rotation. My husband says “this is a keeper”! This will last us at least 3 meals and will try freezing some as well. Can’t wait to try more recipes.
Hi Gail – I’m so glad you and your husband love this chicken bake!
This recipe has become one of my weekly chicken meals.
Hi Chan – Wonderful! This is a great recipe to prep weekly :)
I used your recipe tonight and it was amazing. I did what you wrote except instead of mayonnaise I used Greek yogurt as my boyfriend doesn’t allow mayonnaise in the house lol. I also ended up using two baking pans because I added shredded mozzarella as well as the Parmesan. Before I put the mixture in, I put two tablespoons of butter in each baking pan. Then after I loaded it up I put mozzarella on top and baked it for 25 mins then broiled it for 2 mins. My boyfriend is very picky and boujee about his food and he had 3 helpings! Thank you!
Hi Ashley – I’m so glad you two enjoyed this chicken bake recipe! Sounds amazing with the added shredded mozzarella.
I really like this dish – 2nd time making it. I froze half this time and I didn’t think it was as good as just left-over fresh. Seems like when it was reheated from frozen it lost a lot of the good flavors from artichokes, etc.
I almost always freeze a portion of your recipes and they have all been great except this one.
Hi Katherine – Good to know on the frozen portion!
I made this tonight – adjustments based on ingredients on hand. 😀 Used chicken tenders (didn’t cut up – too lazy), only 1 can of baby artichoke hearts so added pint of halved grape tomatoes, and swapped out 6-cheese Italian blend rather than Parmesan only. I mixed everything in the baking dish rather than mixing bowl (again, lazy). Really good – loved the tartness from the artichokes and lemon. Will make again. Thanks @downshiftology 😘
Hi Misti – Glad your chicken bake turned out great with the few adjustments!
This was delicious! I didn’t have bell pepper or cheese so I left it out. I did half mayo, half plain Greek yogurt and it worked out great. I added some crushed red pepper to the sauce. I baked it in smaller glass dishes for meal prep. I will definitely make this again.
Hi Chelsea – Wonderful! I’m glad you enjoyed this chicken bake.
Lisa, every recipe I have ever tried of yours is delicious. But this one is over the top. It’s good hot and it’s good cold, and it’s even a good breakfast option. Thank you so much for sharing.
Hi there – Thanks for the review and happy to hear you’ve been enjoying this chicken bake in so many ways!
I madevthis for the first time and it turned out watery. I’m not sure what I did wrong. But the whole family loved it.
Hi Leona – There will be liquid that accumulates in the bottom of the pan from the veggies and chicken, that’s normal. But it helps to keep the chicken moist while cooking! Just use a slotted spoon to scoop out the chicken and veggies. And if you’re serving with mashed potatoes, rice or lentils, I love to drizzle those extra juices on top!