Ultra-creamy, comforting, weeknight-friendly bake
This Chicken Spinach Casserole with Cream Cheese is the kind of cozy, creamy comfort food your Pinterest boards are made for. Tender chicken, melty cream cheese, and sautéed spinach come together in a rich, velvety sauce that bakes into pure weeknight perfection. It’s easy enough for busy evenings but delicious enough to serve at gatherings or potlucks. With minimal prep and simple ingredients, you get a hearty, family-friendly dinner that tastes like it came from a homestyle café. Save this recipe for those nights when you want something warm, creamy, and incredibly satisfying. 🍗✨
⏱️ Time Breakdown
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 6
📝 Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or cubed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups fresh spinach (or 1 cup frozen, thawed & drained)
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- ½ cup shredded parmesan
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp salt (or to taste)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
✨ Kitchen Tools You’ll Need
This recipe doesn’t require fancy gadgets, just a few reliable kitchen basics to keep everything simple and stress-free.
- Large skillet
- Mixing bowls
- 9×13 baking dish
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Wooden spoon or spatula
👩🍳 Step-by-Step Beginner-Friendly Instructions
- Prep the chicken. If you haven’t already, shred or cube your cooked chicken (rotisserie works great!).
- Sauté aromatics. Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add onion and cook 3 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant. 🧄
- Wilt the spinach. Add spinach and cook until wilted (or warm through if using frozen and drained).
- Make the creamy base. Turn heat to low. Stir in cream cheese, sour cream, heavy cream, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth and creamy.
- Add cheeses. Stir in half of the mozzarella and all the parmesan until melted and glossy.
- Combine. Add cooked chicken to the skillet and toss to coat in the creamy spinach sauce.
- Bake. Transfer everything to a 9×13 dish. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella on top. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20–22 minutes, or until bubbly and lightly golden. 🧀
- Rest & serve. Let the casserole sit for 5 minutes so it sets slightly before scooping.
💡 Pro Tips
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers up to 3–4 days.
- Freezer-friendly: Assemble fully (without baking), wrap well, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight and bake.
- Swap-ins: Use kale, Swiss chard, or broccoli if you don’t have spinach.
- More flavor: Add cooked bacon? (Use beef or turkey bacon following your pork substitution rule!)
- Low-carb meal: Serve over cauliflower rice or with roasted veggies.