Spinach & Artichoke Casserole with Chicken and Cauliflower Rice

4.1

(15)

14 Reviews

This high-protein chicken casserole clocks in right around 400 calories to help you end your day feeling satisfied—not starved or overly full.

Andrea Mathis, M.A., RDN, LD

Updated on June 6, 2024

Tested by

EatingWell Test Kitchen

Reviewed by Dietitian

Jessica Ball, M.S., RD

Active Time:

20 mins

Total Time:

45 mins

Servings:

Nutrition Profile:

Nut-Free Healthy Pregnancy Soy-Free High-Protein Egg-Free Gluten-Free

Jump to Nutrition Facts

Our series, Hormones & Our Health: How What You Eat May Affect How They Work, explores the vast role hormones play in the body and the diet and lifestyle factors that help them function as they should.

This high-protein Cheesy Spinach & Artichoke Casserole with Chicken & Cauliflower Rice clocks in right around 400 calories to help you end your day feeling satisfied—not starved or overly full. Leptin is the hormone that signals fullness and tells your body to stop eating, and protein, be it chicken or beans, helps increase leptin sensitivity, or how effective your body is at picking up on those fullness cues.

The cauliflower rice, spinach and artichoke hearts provide fiber and help to keep this dinner on the lighter side, while still filling. This combination of protein and veggies is especially helpful when it comes to losing weight or simply maintaining a healthy weight. You won't feel deprived with a dinner like this! Plus, a little cheese goes a long way to help make this a comforting, cozy meal.

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Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, rinsed and chopped
4 cups fresh or frozen cauliflower rice (see Tip)
3 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach
4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
1 cup shredded dill Havarti cheese, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chicken, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until opaque on all sides, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Photographer: Jen Causey, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
Pat artichokes dry. Add to the pot along with cauliflower rice, spinach, cream cheese and ½ cup dill Havarti. Mix until the cream cheese is melted.

Photographer: Jen Causey, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup dill Havarti. Bake until the cheese is melted, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with dill before serving.

Photographer: Jen Causey, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer

Tip

Look for prepared cauliflower rice with other prepared vegetables in the supermarket produce or freezer section. To make your own, place cauliflower florets in a food processor and pulse until broken down into rice-size granules. One 2-pound head of cauliflower yields about 4 cups of cauliflower rice. If using frozen cauliflower rice, be sure to thaw and pat dry to remove excess moisture.

Recipe Updates

Based on earlier review and comments of this recipe, we've retested and made the following adjustments (and updated the nutritional analysis accordingly):

Removed the chicken broth (to reduce the amount of liquid).

Swapped the mozzarella cheese for dill Havarti (to boost flavor).

Added fresh dill (to boost flavor).

Swapped the Greek yogurt for reduced-fat cream cheese (for a creamier texture).

Originally appeared: EatingWell.com, September 2021; updated August 2022

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

428	Calories
22g	Fat
14g	Carbs
39g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Serving Size 2 cups
Calories 428
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 14g	5%
Dietary Fiber 5g	18%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 39g	78%
Total Fat 22g	28%
Saturated Fat 11g	55%
Cholesterol 136mg	45%
Vitamin A 3678IU	74%
Sodium 776mg	34%
Potassium 387mg	8%

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.

Spinach & Artichoke Casserole with Chicken and Cauliflower Rice

Ingredients

Directions

Tip

Recipe Updates

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

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