Pesto Spinach Artichoke Chicken Bake (Printable)
Tender chicken topped with creamy spinach, artichokes, pesto, and melted mozzarella.
# Ingredient List:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - ½ teaspoon salt
04 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
→ Creamy Spinach-Artichoke Mixture
05 - 1 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
06 - 1 cup canned artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
07 - ½ cup cream cheese, softened
08 - ¼ cup sour cream
09 - ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 - 1 garlic clove, minced
11 - ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
→ Topping
12 - ⅓ cup basil pesto
13 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
# How to Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or a small amount of oil.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Drizzle both sides with olive oil and season evenly with salt and pepper. Arrange in the baking dish in a single layer.
03 - In a medium bowl, combine spinach, artichoke hearts, cream cheese, sour cream, Parmesan, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes. Mix until thoroughly blended and smooth.
04 - Spread the spinach-artichoke mixture evenly over the top of each chicken breast, covering completely.
05 - Spoon basil pesto over the creamy topping on each chicken breast, spreading gently to create an even layer.
06 - Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the pesto layer on all chicken breasts.
07 - Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and cheese is golden and bubbly.
08 - Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes to allow juices to redistribute. Garnish with fresh basil leaves if desired.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- Its basically spinach artichoke dip but turned into a proper dinner
- Everything bakes in one pan while you pour yourself a glass of wine
02 -
- Watery spinach is the enemy so squeeze it twice as much as you think you need to
- Pounding the chicken to even thickness means everything finishes cooking at the same time
03 -
- Check the chicken at 25 minutes especially if your pieces are on the thinner side
- Broil for the last 2 minutes if you want extra golden cheese