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This Spinach Artichoke Chicken Is My Easy, Creamy Upgrade For Busy Nights
Ingredients & Substitutions
How To Make Spinach Artichoke Chicken
My Recipe Tips
Spinach Artichoke Chicken Recipe card
Serving Ideas
Recipe Reviews

This Spinach Artichoke Chicken Is My Easy, Creamy Upgrade For Busy Nights

Maya holding a dish of spinach artichoke chicken.

As life gets busier, I’ve been looking for ways to simplify some of my favorite healthy dinners without giving up flavor. This spinach artichoke chicken is my easier take on spinach stuffed chicken. It’s simpler, a little faster, and super cheesy. Here’s why you’ll love it:

Tastes just like the dip – The creamy topping is basically my spinach artichoke dip (minus the sour cream) baked right onto juicy chicken breasts. I love scooping up any extra with some baked tortilla chips!
Quick and easy prep – I love that I can throw this spinach artichoke chicken recipe together fast on busy nights. It uses simple ingredients I often have on hand, and the prep only takes me about 10 minutes.
High protein, comforting dinner – My spinach artichoke chicken has a little bit of everything. You’ve got 30 grams of protein with a touch of veggies, but also enough creamy goodness to make it feel like comfort food.

If you want a cheesy upgrade to your chicken that feels like something new but still familiar, this spinach artichoke chicken is for you. Make it with me!

Cheesy, tender spinach artichoke chicken sliced to show the creamy, melty topping.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for my spinach artichoke chicken recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.

Chicken – This recipe works with 2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts of any size, but I usually like to get four 8-ounce ones so that it’s easy to divide into 8 servings. (Normally I’d consider a whole chicken breast to be a serving, but with this rich topping, half is plenty.) You can also use the topping for boneless chicken thighs, baked salmon, or even pork chops.
Frozen Spinach – I used 5 ounces because stores usually have 10-ounce bags, so you can just take out half the bag without weighing it. If you want to use fresh, increase the amount to 8 ounces and you’ll need to cook it first. You can saute the spinach or just microwave it, then let it cool and squeeze very well before using in this spinach artichoke chicken recipe.
Artichoke Hearts – I used the canned kind in water, but marinated artichoke hearts in oil or even taking out the hearts from roasted artichokes works, too.
Creamy Ingredients – This is my go-to combo for a rich, creamy spinach artichoke chicken base: cream cheese, mayonnaise, and parmesan cheese.
Sun-Dried Tomatoes – For a little tangy, sweet contrast. I love using homemade sun-dried tomatoes when I have them, but store-bought are just fine.
Garlic – I mince fresh garlic for the best flavor, but 2 teaspoons of the jarred stuff still tastes great.
Mozzarella Cheese – I sprinkle this on top for that golden, bubbly layer. Any shredded cheese you like is fine, but I prefer mozzarella because it’s so melty.
Olive Oil – I brush a little on the chicken to keep it juicy. Avocado oil works just as well.
Sea Salt & Black Pepper

Labeled recipe ingredients: Chicken, frozen spinach, artichoke hearts, cream cheese, mayonnaise, parmesan cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, mozzarella cheese, olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper.

How To Make Spinach Artichoke Chicken

I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.

Season the chicken. Pat the chicken dry (surprisingly, this locks in juices!). Place it in a large baking dish, brush with oil, and season both sides with salt and pepper.
Make the creamy base. Heat the cream cheese in a double boiler on the stove or simply in the microwave, until soft enough to stir easily. Mix in the parmesan and then the mayo, until smooth and creamy.
Add the veggies and flavor. Chop and squeeze the spinach and artichokes really well to remove excess moisture. Stir them into the cream cheese mixture, along with the sun-dried tomatoes and garlic.

Seasoned chicken breasts in a baking dish.

Cream cheese, mayo, and parmesan stirred in a bowl, until creamy.

Drained spinach and artichokes chopped on a cutting board.

Creamy spinach artichoke dip base in the bowl, with sun-dried tomatoes and garlic added.

Assemble and bake. Spoon the mixture over the chicken and top with shredded cheese. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake until the chicken is nearly cooked through.
Uncover and bake again. Remove the foil and return the spinach artichoke chicken to the oven, until the cheese is browned and the chicken is cooked through. Rest before serving for the juiciest results. I like to garnish with fresh basil or parsley at the end!

Spreading spinach artichoke mixture on top of chicken.

Cheese added over the spinach artichoke chicken and covering it in foil.

Baked spinach artichoke chicken with golden brown cheese and parsley garnish.

My Recipe Tips

Squeeze the spinach and artichokes really well to avoid a watery topping. I usually get 1/4 cup or more out of each.
Make sure the cream cheese mixture is not extremely hot when you stir in the mayo. Otherwise the mayonnaise can separate. It helps to heat the cream cheese just until it’s easy to stir, not piping hot. I also add the parmesan first, which cools down the cream cheese before adding the mayo.
Choose a baking dish large enough that the chicken pieces are touching but not crammed together. I used this one (pictured above) and it’s the perfect size. Having the chicken pieces touch ensures that the topping won’t slide off, but if they’re too crowded, they can cook unevenly and take too long to cook through.
I also tested this recipe baked on a sheet pan, but the topping dries out more easily and/or can slide off. The baking dish method and cooking covered for most of the time keeps the chicken juicy and the topping creamy.
Don’t let the foil touch the cheese when covering the dish. Aside from the fact that I don’t like aluminum foil touching my food, the bigger issue here is the cheese will stick to it as it melts. So, if the foil is touching the cheese, you’ll pull off the cheese along with the foil when you remove it!
For the juiciest chicken, check the temp after the first (covered) bake. I use this probe thermometer to make it easy, so I don’t have to keep checking. But if you don’t have one, it’s fine to just move on to the second bake uncovered after the time I have listed. This recipe is pretty forgiving.
Remove the spinach and artichoke chicken from the oven at 162-163 degrees F. It will reach 165 degrees F while it rests, and this leaves it the juiciest. However, the topping locks in moisture very well, so you can easily just bake to 165 if you prefer.
Cheese got too dark before the inside is done? You can cover the top with foil again and continue baking.
I originally made this spinach artichoke chicken recipe with the filling stuffed inside, but now I just pile everything on top. Not only is it easier, it also locks the juices inside the chicken as it bakes. If you prefer, you can slice a pocket in each chicken breast and stuff the filling inside instead. I usually secure with toothpicks when I do this, and it takes a bit longer to bake through.
You can broil at the end if you want the cheese darker. For me, the cheese usually darkens enough during baking, as shown in my pictures here.