Pesto Spinach Artichoke Chicken Bake (Printable)

Creamy spinach-artichoke topped chicken with pesto and melted cheese, baked to golden perfection.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - ½ teaspoon salt
04 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Creamy Spinach-Artichoke Mixture

05 - 1 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
06 - 1 cup canned artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
07 - ½ cup cream cheese, softened
08 - ¼ cup sour cream
09 - ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 - 1 garlic clove, minced
11 - ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

→ Topping

12 - ⅓ cup basil pesto
13 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or a small amount of olive oil.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Drizzle both sides with olive oil, then season evenly with salt and black pepper. Arrange chicken in the prepared baking dish in a single layer.
03 - In a medium bowl, combine thawed spinach, chopped artichoke hearts, softened cream cheese, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, minced garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes. Mix until thoroughly blended and smooth.
04 - Spread the spinach-artichoke mixture evenly over each chicken breast, creating a thick layer on top of the meat.
05 - Spoon basil pesto over the creamy spinach-artichoke topping. Spread gently in an even layer, being careful not to mix the pesto completely into the creamy base.
06 - Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the pesto layer, covering the entire surface of each chicken breast.
07 - Bake uncovered for 30–35 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. The cheese should be golden brown and bubbling.
08 - Remove from oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute. Garnish with fresh basil leaves if desired.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The creamy spinach-artichoke layer transforms ordinary chicken into something restaurant-worthy with almost zero effort
  • It reheats beautifully for lunch the next day, if there is actually any left
02 -
  • Water in the spinach is your enemy here, wrap it in a clean towel and twist until your hands hurt
  • If your chicken breasts are massive, cut them in half horizontally or they will take forever to cook through
03 -
  • A meat thermometer takes all the guesswork out and prevents overcooked dry chicken
  • Let the cream cheese sit on the counter for at least an hour, trying to soften it in the microwave never ends well

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