Creamy Artichoke Chicken Bake

This Creamy Artichoke Chicken Bake has the most tender juicy chicken breast smothered in a lusciously creamy mixture of tangy artichokes, delicious cheeses, chiles, and garlic. The comforting flavors are perfect for a cozy dinner in, but the best part of this meal is how incredibly simple it is to make. With just a few ingredients and a casserole dish you can have this chicken bake prepped and in the oven in no time!

this Recipe

 

Baked Artichoke Chicken- The EASY Way!

A chicken bakes was one of the first recipes I ever shared on the blog, and many of my chicken bakes have been among the most popular recipes on my site for many years! The combination of just a few ingredients with minutes of prep an dall cooking to perfection – no babysitting needed, is just a recipe for the perfect weeknight dinner.

This Artichoke Chicken Bake is based on a very popular creamy artichoke dip recipe that I have made for more than 20 years! The ingredients are simple, and when baked with chicken breast, it makes one heck of a delicious dinner.

If you need more of these quick, easy and delicious dinners, you can see more of our chicken bake dinners here!

Why I love this recipe

• Fast– It can go from fridge to oven in minutes!
• Easy– No special skills needed! This is a mix, dump, bake kinda recipe.
• Super comforting– The creamy, cheesy flavors are kinda like a warm hug, and oh so good!
• Hands off cooking– Once you get this in the oven, there is no need to stir, flip, watch, etc. It bakes hands off!
• Easy Clean up– With just one casserole dish and a mixing bowl, there is very little mess to clean up in the end.

What to Serve with Creamy Artichoke Chicken

Since this dish is extra creamy, I like to serve it with something to soak up all that delicious sauce, and a veggie, salad or something lighter to balance out the richness. You can add more to help stretch the meal if needed.

Side Dish Ideas

• Mashed Potatoes– serve them right on top!
• Rice– White, brown, or my personal favorite, wild rice all go well with the artichoke chicken.
• Garlic Bread– if you don’t do rice or potatoes, just whip up some garlic bread to dip in the sauce
• Roasted Veggies– This is my go to side. It is easy, healthy, and really delicious!
• Garlic Parmesan Broccoli– the best way to eat broccoli, in my opinion.
• Salad with homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette– This dressing takes less than 5 minutes to make and will make you LOVE salad!!

You can choose one or add a few sides to make a wholesome, well rounded dinner. 

Recipe Notes

This Creamy Artichoke Chicken Bake recipe is as simple as promised! Just a few ingredients and a few minutes for a family friendly meal.

In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use when making this recipe to get the absolute best and most delicious results.

Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.

Ingredients + Substitutions

• Chicken breast – This recipe is written for chicken breast, however you can use any boneless, skinless cut of chicken as a substitute. Chicken thighs and chicken tenderloins both work well in the recipe. Using a different cut can change the cooking time though based on size of the piece.
  
• Canned artichoke hearts– These should be found on the aisle with the canned vegetables. For the most complimentary flavor, you will want the artichoke hearts that are in water or bine, not marinated artichoke hearts, or artichokes that have been packed in oil. You can see an example of a kind I like to use here
  
  I like to get the artichoke hearts that have been quartered. This just saves time, effort, and mess with less chopping. If you can’t find quartered, you can also get halves or whole artichoke hearts, but the recipe works better if you chop them before mixing them in.
  
• Chopped green chiles– These add a punch of flavor to the creamy topping. Generally you can find chopped green chiles in the Mexican food section of the grocery store in a small can. I like to drain the chiles before adding to the mixture, however some brands have more liquid than others so it may not be necessary.
  
• Cream cheese– for the best results, use classic cream cheese. This will give you the best texture and richest flavor in the dish. If preferred, you can use neufchatel cheese (light cream cheese) but try to avoid using fat free cream cheese as it just doesn’t combine or melt in the same way.
  
• Mayonnaise– I prefer Hellmans or Best Foods but you can use your preferred brand.
  
• Parmesan cheese– Grated or shredded will work in this recipe
  
• Spices– Keep it simple with just garlic powder, salt and pepper to season the dish.

Recipe Tips

1. Cut the chicken thin– This recipe works best with small, or thin chicken breast pieces. I generally cut my chicken breasts horizontally in half. You can also pound them to achieve the same thing. By doing this the dish will cook much more quickly and evenly, plus it makes serving easier!
   
2. Big dish- Make sure to use a dish big enough to lay all of the chicken flat. If you pile the chicken in, the artichoke chicken bake will still taste great, but it will take much longer to cook.
   
3. Use softened cream cheese- Using softened cream cheese is one of the easiest tricks you can use yo get great results. When cream cheese is softened, it will combine very easily with all of the ingredients. If it is not soft you will just end up with lumps of cream cheese throughout.
   
   If you don’t have time to let it soften naturally, you can microwave the cream cheese (take it out of the foil wrapper!) until it is heated through to make it quick!
   
4. Don’t over-cook– Cook the chicken until it just reaches 165˚F internal temp. By using a meat thermometer to get it just right, you also get the most tender juicy chicken. Over cooking chicken is the number one reason that chicken becomes dry, tough, and overly chewy.
   
5. Let it rest– The creamy topping is more thin when it is piping hot, out of the oven. By letting the Artichoke Chicken Bake rest 5-10 minutes before serving, you will end up with a thicker more luscious topping on the chicken.

Recipe Short Cuts

If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!

• Pre-mix artichoke mixture– The creamy artichoke mixture can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance so it is ready to go when you are ready to get cooking.
  
• Trim chicken in advance– Chicken can be trimmed and cut down into thin pieces days in advance. This makes it quick to grab and use when you need dinner fast.

Recipe Variations

If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!

• Spinach Artichoke Chicken– You can substitute chopped spinach for green chiles for a new twist, or check out the full recipe for my well-loved Spinach Artichoke Chicken Bake here.
• Spicy Artichoke Chicken– Add 1/4 cup diced jalapenos to the creamy mixture for a kick.
• Chicken with Artichokes and Mushrooms– Try substituting 1 cup of chopped mushrooms for the green chiles in the artichoke mixture.

Creamy Artichoke Chicken Bake Leftovers

If you have leftovers after making this Baked Artichoke Chicken, then it is your lucky day! They save and reheat well, and can make the start of another delicious dish.

To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:

• in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
• in the freezer up to a month

Leftover Recipes

Here are a few ways to repurpose those leftovers and give them a delicious makeover!

• Artichoke Chicken Paninis– Spread a thin layer of Hellmann’s Mayonnaise on the outside of two slices of French bread. Chop or slice leftover Creamy Artichoke Chicken Bake. On the inside, spread each slice with the artichoke mixture and add chopped or sliced chicken. Press in a panini press until golden on each side. You can also grill over medium heat in a skillet on each side until golden.
  
• Creamy Artichoke Chicken Stuffed Peppers– Chop the leftovers of the Creamy Artichoke Chicken. Mix equal parts chicken with prepared rice. Stuff the mixture into bell pepper halves with the seeds and ribs removed. Top with extra cheese. Bake in a large baking dish covered for 25-35 minutes or until the peppers are tender and the filling is heated through. Add a new twist, by mixing in crispy crumbled bacon.
  
• Artichoke Chicken Stuffed Baked Potatoes- Prepare baked potatoes. Split open and season with salt and pepper. Chop leftover Creamy Artichoke Chicken and stuff inside the potato. Top with cheese and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese on top is melted and the filling is heated through. Top with sour cream, bacon and chives.

More Easy Chicken Recipes

If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!

You can check out all of my Easy Chicken recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.

• Mississippi Chicken
• Blackened Chicken Breast
• Green Chile Chicken Casserole
• Asian Style Chicken Thighs