Creamy Spinach and Chicken Casserole | Virtually Homemade: Creamy Spinach and Chicken Casserole

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Creamy Spinach and Chicken Casserole

When I was growing up I looooved creamed spinach, so this spinach and chicken casserole takes me right back to my childhood.  Now don’t get me wrong – I did not like spinach.  But when you chop up this nutritious veggie with cream, garlic and a touch of nutmeg – magic!  I could not get enough of it, and still consider it a true comfort food.









Essentially this recipe takes one of my favorite side dishes and turns it into a wonderful and hearty entrĂ©e.  Chunks of chicken and hunks of French bread, toasted up golden brown, tie this dish together.   Plus it’s super simple for a weeknight meal.  A great shortcut is picking up a rotisserie chicken at the market instead of cooking your own.  Or if you have leftover chicken in the fridge, this is a great way to dress it up and reuse.

You may just get your kids to eat their spinach with this recipe – it worked for my Mom!





Creamy Spinach and Chicken Casserole

Recipe by Liz Hughes
Prep time: 15 - 20 minutes
Cook time: 8 - 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 cups torn French bread
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • kosher salt to taste
  • 3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 4 cups baby spinach leaves
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups half and half
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 cup shredded chicken
  •  Kosher salt and ground pepper to taste
Cooking Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In a medium bowl combine bread with olive oil and kosher salt.
  2. In a medium pot heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil over medium high heat. Add spinach and cook stirring, until wilted about 2 minutes. Transfer to a colander, let cool and squeeze out any extra moisture. Coarsley chop.
  3. Wipe pot clean and heat 1 1/2 teaspoons of oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper. Cook stirring occasionally until onions are soft, about 8 minutes. Stir in nutmeg.
  4. Add wine to pot and cook until almost evaporated about 3 minutes. Add flour and cook for thirty seconds while stirring. Gradually add in half and half. Add lemon juice and bring mixture to a boil over high.
  5. Remove from heat and stir in spinach and chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a 2 quart baking dish and top with bread pieces. Bake until bread is golden brown and mixture is bubbling. About 8 to 10 minutes.
Based on recipe from Martha Stewart:  Chicken and Spinach Casserole

More wonderful spinach recipes from food bloggers participating in FN Dish's Fall Fest:
Feed Me Phoebe: Healthy Creamed Spinach
The Heritage Cook: Fresh Spinach with Maple Vinegar Vinaigrette
Big Girls, Small Kitchen: Za'atar Roasted Salmon with Greens
Blue Apron Blog: Saag Paneer at Home
Weelicious: Spinach Cake Muffins
Virtually Homemade: Creamy Spinach and Chicken Casserole
Haute Apple Pie: Parmesan Spinach, Broccoli and Chicken Bake
Red or Green: Spinach-Walnut Pesto on Bruschetta with Fried Egg
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Spinach with Sausage, Peppers and Tomatoes
The Sensitive Epicure: Spanakopita Minus the -Opita
Taste With The Eyes: Spinach and Chickpeas in a Bengali Mustard Sauce
Domesticate Me: Warm Spinach Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette and a Fried Egg
In Jennie's Kitchen: Crispy Spinach Latkes 
Devour: How to Make Spinach Gnocchi
Dishin & Dishes: Pear, Walnut and Blue Cheese Salad with Arugula and Baby Spinach
FN Dish: Eat Your Spinach Sides
Liz


2 comments:

  1. Sounds good Liz! I love spinach and I've discovered Kale and I like the way it holds up when it cooks. What makes a really good topping is if you use your food processor and make your croutons a little smaller and then pour a little bit of butter on top - Yummoooo!! Your cauliflower recipe sounds scrumptious also :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love the idea of smaller croutons and especially an added bit of butter! Sounds crunchy and yummy :)

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