Baked Spinach Artichoke Chicken Penne Recipe

Do you have a favorite appetizer, one that you crave at parties? What if you could turn into a main dish? Last week I did just that, and have to share!

Pretty much every party, potluck, and gathering that I have ever been invited to over the last 10+ years, I always bring Alton Brown’s Hot Spinach & Artichoke Dip with a side of Roasted Garlic Bread cubes for dipping. Rarely there are leftovers, except the one time when I brought it to a gathering with mostly vegan attendants (oops!).

Well, last week I had a craving but nowhere to go and no one to share it with, so I decided to make it for myself and got creative for dinner.

I took my favorite appetizer recipe, mixed in pasta and leftover chicken and now have a new favorite dinner option! SCORE!

Not sure what to make for dinner? Try this one out and let me know what you think!

Baked Spinach Artichoke Chicken Penne Recipe

About 8 Servings

Ingredients

1lb box of your favorite Pasta (Penne or Bowtie work great)

2 Cups Chopped Cooked Chicken (optional if you have some on hand but still tastes great without it!)

5 oz frozen chopped Spinach

13.75 oz can Quartered Artichoke Hearts

2 cups Water

8 oz Cream Cheese

¼ cup Sour Cream

¼ cup Mayonnaise

1 oz Grated Parmesan Cheese

2 cups Mozzarella Cheese (divided in half)

½ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

¼ teaspoon Salt

¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder

Directions

**Pre-Heat Oven to 350 degrees

1.Cook Pasta according to package instructions, in a large pot. Complete the following steps as pasta is cooking.

2.Put Frozen Chopped Spinach block into a medium saucepan with about 2 cups over medium-high heat.

3.Drain and chop canned Artichokes, then throw them into saucepan with Spinach to heat together. Stir occasionally to avoid bubbling over. Trust me 🙂

4.Meanwhile, microwave block of cream cheese for 1 minute in a microwave safe bowl.

5.When Spinach has thoroughly thawed and artichokes softened, pour into a strainer/colander. Don’t wash out the saucepan yet!

6.Don’t dirty another bowl…Throw the following ingredients into that saucepan- Heated Cream Cheese, Sour Cream, Mayo, Parmesan Cheese, One cup of Mozzarella Cheese, Red Pepper Flakes, Salt, and Garlic Powder. Stir until well blended.

7.Add Cooked Chicken, and drained Spinach and Artichokes to creamy mixture, then stir.

8.Drain cooked pasta and return to its pot.

9.Dump the creamy goodness mixture into the pot of pasta and mix together until pasta is thoroughly covered.

10.Pour into an ungreased 13 X 9 casserole dish.

11.Top with remaining cup of mozzarella cheese.

12.Bake for 10 minutes.

13.Broil for just a couple minutes at the end if you would like the top cheese to have a bit of color to it.

Enjoy then tell me what you thought of it!