Creamy Spinach Chicken Casserole Recipe
Creamy Spinach Chicken Casserole is a delicious, comforting dish featuring tender seared chicken breasts layered with fresh spinach and a rich, creamy blend of cream cheese, sour cream, and garlic, topped with melted mozzarella cheese and baked to perfection.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Spinach Layer
- 4 cups fresh spinach
Cream Cheese Mixture
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
Topping
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Dish: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish to prevent sticking.
- Season Chicken: Season the chicken breasts evenly with salt, black pepper, paprika, and onion powder to infuse flavor.
- Sear Chicken: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken breasts for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown but not fully cooked. Remove from heat.
- Make Cream Cheese Mixture: In a bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, sour cream, minced garlic, and salt. Mix until smooth and well combined.
- Assemble Casserole: Layer the fresh spinach evenly in the greased baking dish. Place the seared chicken breasts on top of the spinach. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the chicken breasts.
- Add Cheese Topping: Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top to create a bubbly, golden crust when baked.
- Bake: Place the assembled casserole in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F) and the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the casserole from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld and make serving easier.
Notes
- Make sure the cream cheese is softened to avoid lumps in your mixture.
- You can substitute mozzarella with cheddar or a Mexican cheese blend for variation.
- Fresh spinach works best, but you can use frozen spinach that’s been thawed and drained.
- To ensure chicken is fully cooked, use a meat thermometer to check for an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven or microwave.
Keywords: Creamy Spinach Chicken Casserole, chicken casserole, spinach recipe, creamy chicken bake, baked chicken with cheese
