Spinach Artichoke Casserole for a Fantastic Healthy Meal
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You ever get that feeling like you really need hot, hearty comfort food but you also really need something healthy? That is why I started making spinach artichoke casserole for dinner.
It’s hot, gooey, creamy, and salty, and it ticks that comfort food craving box perfectly. There’s just enough fat to be filling, but not so much you hate how you feel after. And of course, it’s packed full of veggies and protein so you’re fueling your body kindly.
Bulk it Up with Spaghetti Squash
You could totally make this with rice or rotini, but when the evening calls for something lighter, why not spaghetti squash? This is an oldie but a goodie when it comes to low-carb substitutions.
In 2021, everyone is all about cauliflower rice, but let’s not forget our stringy, squashy friend. It’s pretty easy to make, and it adds a lot of bulk to meals where you would normally include pasta.
To cook it in the oven, you’ll want to cut it in half first. Then, give it a generous spritz of olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, and roast it in the oven for half an hour.
If you need to speed the process up a bit, get out the Instant Pot. You can cook your squash in about 8 minutes on High Pressure. I’d add a little water to the bottom of the pot to prevent burning.
Either way, give it about 5 minutes to cool, cut side up, before scraping out your squash with a fork. Super easy!
Everything You Love About Spinach Dip
Who doesn’t love spinach dip? It’s the first thing to disappear at any party, and usually the best appetizer on any menu.
To make the spinach artichoke dip for this recipe, here’s what you’ll do. Start by draining your artichoke hearts and giving them a rough chop. You might also want to weed out any particularly fibrous pieces. Those aren’t fun to chew.
Then, you’ll add them to the pot where you’re cooking your chicken with your frozen chopped spinach, garlic, and alfredo sauce. Seriously. It is that simple.
Spinach, artichokes, garlic, alfredo. That’s it!
You’ll mix in your spaghetti squash. Move the whole mess over to your casserole dish, and cover it in a light dusting of cheese. I use parmesan because it’s pretty easy to find no matter where you are, but if you can get your hands on asiago, just try it! It’s delicious!
Serving Up Spinach Artichoke Casserole
Once it’s heated through and the cheese is starting to brown, pull it out of the oven. Let it cool for 5 to 10 minutes. You don’t want to serve it while the liquid is still bubbling. No burnt tongues, please!
When it’s cooled enough to eat, serve it up with a sprinkle of crushed red pepper. Of course, this is optional, but it sure is delicious! That little bit of heat balances out the creaminess of the spinach artichoke casserole.
Save Time Making Your Spinach Artichoke Casserole
I do enjoy shortcuts, and I know you probably do, too. My favorite shortcut is getting a tub of rotisserie chicken breast leftovers in the deli section. It’s a nice way to make sure food doesn’t go to waste, but it also saves you a heck of a lot of time cooking chicken at home.
This is also a great recipe for leftover chicken or if you have meal prepped chicken in the fridge. If you just can’t with chicken anymore, this is also really good with frozen veggie grounds or crumbles (Boca, Morning Star, Quorn, and Kroger all have good ones).
Another way to save yourself some time is buying zoodles from the produce section and using those instead of spaghetti squash. Honestly, the flavor doesn’t change. The biggest difference will be the texture of the “noodles.”
What Goes Well with Spinach Artichoke Casserole
Most nights, this is a great meal all by itself. But sometimes, you just need something a little extra. Not everyone in your family is going to feel good about there not being bread or real pasta, so maybe you need a bread basket.
Here are some quick side dishes to round out your meal:
The Tools You’ll Need to Get Started
And here are the tools I recommend using to make your casserole.
- Instant Pot (optional for making the spaghetti squash)
- Sheet pan
- Silicone baking mat
- Large pot
- 2 qt Casserole dish
And that’s it! It’s a really simple recipe, and you can even use the shortcuts I mention above to make it even easier for yourself. Enjoy your healthy, comforting dinner and let me know how it turns out for you!
Comment below if you have questions, concerns, or opinions. And tag me @ellejayathome on Instagram or Twitter if you share pictures from any of my recipes. I love to hear from you!
SPINACH ARTICHOKE DIP CHICKEN CASSEROLE
Equipment
- Sheet pan
- Silicone baking mat
- Dutch Oven
- 2-qt Casserole dish
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 pound chicken cubed
- 1 jar artichoke hearts drained
- 3 cups frozen chopped spinach
- 1 medium spaghetti squash
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 jar light alfredo sauce
- 1/3 cup shredded parmesan
- Red pepper flakes
- Salt & pepper
Instructions
- To prepare your spaghetti squash, cut it in half and use a spoon to remove the seeds and guts. Heat the oven to 400°F. Grease a baking sheet and place the squash, cut-side down on the sheet. Bake for 30 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then scrape the spaghetti squash out with a fork. Set aside
- In your favorite pot or dutch oven, brown the cubed chicken in olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to season. Chop up the artichoke hearts and add to the pot along with the frozen spinach and spaghetti squash. Once the spinach has thawed, add in the garlic. Stir to combine. Turn off the heat and mix in the alfredo sauce.
- Coat a casserole dish with olive oil to prevent sticking. Pour the contents of the pot into it and sprinkle the parmesan on top. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes uncovered. Cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.
- This makes 4 large servings.
