Creamy Artichoke Chicken

This chicken dish with spinach and artichokes blends juicy chicken with smooth cottage cheese, flavorful artichokes, and fresh spinach for a protein-loaded meal that'll fill you up without feeling heavy. It's just right for those busy nights when you want something tasty but don't have time to spend hours cooking.

I came up with this when I needed to use up cottage cheese and spinach before they went bad. What started as just throwing things together has turned into one of my family's favorite dinners, especially when we want something cozy without all the carbs.

What You'll Need

• Chicken breasts: go for fresh skinless boneless ones as they're the perfect base for all our tasty add-ins
• Cottage cheese: brings amazing creaminess and extra protein while keeping everything juicy. The full fat kind tastes best
• Fresh spinach: adds good stuff and pretty color. Pick bunches with bright leaves and no yellow spots
• Artichoke hearts: gives a nice tang that cuts through the richness. From a jar or can works fine just drain them well
• Garlic: fresh minced bits add wonderful aroma. Look for firm heads with no sprouts
• Parmesan cheese: brings that deep savory taste. Grate it yourself for way better flavor
• Olive oil: stops sticking and adds some richness. Extra virgin gives the nicest taste
• Salt and pepper: brings out all the other flavors. Try sea salt and fresh ground pepper for better results

How To Make It

Get Your Oven Hot and Prep Chicken:

Turn your oven to 400°F so it can heat up while you work. This temp lets everything cook fast without drying out. Meanwhile, chop your chicken into chunks about 1inch big so they all finish cooking at the same time. Getting them all similar sized means no bites will be overdone or raw in the middle.

Mix Up The Creamy Stuff:

Now we're putting together all the flavors that'll make the chicken amazing. Dump in the cottage cheese that'll keep everything moist and bump up the protein. Add the bright green spinach for color and good-for-you stuff. Mix in the chopped artichokes for their special zingy taste and the garlic that'll get all mellow when it bakes. Throw in the Parmesan which makes everything taste better and helps everything stick together. Mix it all up really good so you get all those flavors in every bite.

Get Your Baking Dish Ready:

The oil does two jobs here. It keeps stuff from sticking and makes everything taste richer. Pour it in your dish and swirl it around to coat the bottom and sides completely. When you add your chicken mixture, spread it out flat instead of piling it up. This way it'll all cook the same and you won't end up with raw spots in the middle.

Let It Bake:

During the next 25-30 minutes, something awesome happens in the oven. The chicken gets tender, the cottage cheese gets all melty and sauce-like, and all the flavors start mixing together. The chicken will let out some juice that mixes with everything else. Make sure the chicken gets to 165°F by checking a few pieces with a thermometer, especially those in the middle where it's coolest.

Dish It Up Right Away:

This tastes best straight out of the oven when everything's still bubbling and smells amazing. Throw a little fresh spinach on top for some color and fresh crunch that balances out all the warm, creamy stuff.

Pin it

What I love most about making this is watching cottage cheese do its magic in the oven. I wasn't sure it would work the first time I tried it in a hot dish, but it turns into this amazing creamy sauce that's way more interesting than plain old cream or cheese sauce. My husband always said he hated cottage cheese, but he couldn't even tell it was in there and now he asks for this dish all the time.

Saving It For Later

This chicken dish stays good in your fridge for about four days, so it's great for cooking ahead. Just put it in containers with tight lids to keep it fresh and stop it from picking up other smells from your fridge. The funny thing is, it often tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had time to mix more. When you want to eat it again, just pop single portions in the microwave for around 90 seconds or warm it in your oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes until it's hot through. Unlike a lot of chicken meals, this one stays juicy even after you reheat it.

Pin it

Mix It Up

You can switch things around in this dish depending on what you've got. Turkey breast works just as well as chicken and takes about the same time to cook. If you don't do dairy, you can try ricotta instead of cottage cheese, though it'll feel a bit different in your mouth. Want to skip meat? Use firm tofu chunks or white beans that are already cooked, but cut the baking time down to 20 minutes. You can swap the spinach for kale, baby arugula, or chard, just cut out any tough stems first. If you've got fresh herbs like basil, thyme, or oregano lying around, throw those in too.

What To Eat With It

This dish goes with lots of different sides depending on what you like to eat. For a low carb meal, serve it with a simple green salad with some lemon juice and olive oil drizzled on top. If you want some carbs too, it's great with roasted sweet potatoes or some crusty bread to soak up all that creamy sauce. For something that looks fancy, put it over zucchini noodles or riced cauliflower. When I have friends over, I often put it in little individual dishes with a small salad on the side, and it always looks like I tried much harder than I did.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Can I use frozen spinach for this?

Absolutely! Just make sure you thaw it completely and squeeze out the extra water before combining it with the rest of the ingredients.

→ What’s a good alternative to cottage cheese?

You can swap it with ricotta or cream cheese. Both add the same creamy touch to the dish.

→ How will I know when the chicken’s done cooking?

Use a meat thermometer to check that it’s 165°F (74°C). Or make sure it’s white and no longer pink inside.

→ Can I make this ahead of time?

Yep! Prep it the day before, keep it in the fridge for up to 24 hours, and bake when needed.

→ What sides go well with this meal?

It’s great with a simple green salad, roasted veggies, or some quinoa or rice on the side.