Chicken Spinach Bake (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Base Ingredients
01 -
1 ¾ teaspoons Kosher Salt, split
02 -
2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning (Dried)
03 -
1 ½ cups Onions (Chopped Small, Yellow)
04 -
Cooking Spray
05 -
3 tablespoons Plain Butter (Not Salted)
06 -
6 Garlic Cloves, sliced thin
07 -
¼ teaspoon Crushed Red Chili Flakes
08 -
2 ½ cups Milk (Full Fat)
09 -
3 tablespoons Regular Flour
→ Main Components
10 -
4 cups Chicken (Shredded Rotisserie)
11 -
1 teaspoon Zest from Lemon
12 -
2 tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
13 -
2 packages (10 oz per package) Frozen Spinach (Thawed, Water Removed)
14 -
3 cups White Rice (Long Grain, Cooked)
15 -
4 ounces Cream Cheese (Chive & Onion flavor)
→ Topping
16 -
¼ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
17 -
8 oz Shredded Mozzarella (Part-Skim)
# Instructions:
01 -
Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) and move the oven rack to a higher position. Spray your 9x13-inch dish evenly with a light coat of cooking spray.
02 -
Warm the butter on medium in a big skillet. Toss in chopped onions, garlic slices, Italian seasoning, chili flakes, and ¾ teaspoon of the salt. Stir often, and once the onions are soft and see-through (around 4 minutes), you're ready.
03 -
Mix in the flour, stirring all the time for a minute. Then pour in the milk slowly, keeping the stirring constant to avoid clumps. Let it thicken up just a bit, about 3 minutes.
04 -
Stir the cream cheese and the extra 1 teaspoon of salt into the sauce. Once they're melted and combined, take the skillet off the heat. Add in the cooked rice, spinach (water squeezed), chicken, lemon zest, and juice, and stir till everything's even.
05 -
Spread the mixture out evenly in the prepared dish. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan and mozzarella over the top. Place in the oven and cook till the cheese melts, about 15 minutes.
06 -
Turn your oven to broil after baking. Let the top layer turn all bubbly and slightly golden by broiling for about 2 to 3 minutes.
# Notes:
01 -
Speed things up by using rice you've already cooked or store-bought pre-cooked rice.
02 -
Make sure to squeeze all the water out of the spinach to avoid a watery dish.
03 -
You can prep the casserole ahead of time. Just store it in the fridge and add around 10-15 more minutes to the baking time if chilled.
04 -
Keep leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 3 days.