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Chicken and Spinach Casserole

This chicken and spinach casserole is creamy and delicious. It's easy to put together and ready in under an hour for a warm, comforting meal. Great for potluck dinners.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 8 people
Calories 1423.1 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 9x13 inch Baking Dish Essential for baking the casserole.
  • 1 Large Nonstick Skillet For preparing the sauce base and sautéing aromatics.
  • 1 Whisk Crucial for preventing lumps when making the roux and thickening the sauce.
  • 1 Spatula For stirring ingredients and scraping down the skillet.
  • 1 Measuring Cups and Spoons For accurate ingredient measurement.

Ingredients
  

Main

  • cooking spray
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 ½ cups chopped yellow onion
  • 6 medium cloves garlic thinly sliced
  • 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 ¾ teaspoons kosher salt
  • 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 2½ cups whole milk
  • 4 ounces chive and onion cream cheese
  • 4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
  • 3 cups cooked long-grain white rice
  • 2 10-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 8 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese shredded
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions
 

  • Gather all ingredients. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and arrange rack in the upper third position. Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  • Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper, and ¾ teaspoon of salt; cook, stirring often, until onions are softened and translucent, about 4 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Gradually add milk, and cook, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.  Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Add cream cheese, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring constantly, until fully combined. Remove from heat and stir in shredded chicken, cooked rice, spinach, lemon juice, and lemon zest until fully combined. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish and spread in an even layer. Sprinkle evenly with mozzarella and Parmesan. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil until cheese is browned, 2 to 3 minutes.  Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

Notes

Ensure the frozen spinach is thoroughly thawed and squeezed bone-dry to prevent a watery casserole, which can dilute the rich flavor. When making the roux, cook the flour for at least a minute after adding it to the butter to eliminate any raw flour taste. The chive and onion cream cheese is a fantastic flavor enhancer; do not substitute with plain cream cheese if possible, as it adds depth. The lemon juice and zest are crucial at the end for brightening the dish and cutting through the richness. When broiling, keep a close eye on the casserole as cheese can go from perfectly golden to burnt in seconds.