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About This Recipe
This Healthy Spinach and Artichoke Pasta Bake is a fun take on classic spinach and artichoke dip! Made with juicy chicken, lots of cheese, fresh spinach, and canned chopped artichokes, it’s perfect for a quick 30 minute dinner that everyone will love!
I love spinach and artichoke dip on game day. But as delicious as my favorite dip is, it isn’t the most macro-friendly. I was determined to find a way to enjoy all the delicious flavors on a weeknight while still hitting my goals! Plus, who doesn’t love healthy pasta?
It uses a combination of reduced-fat cream cheese, greek yogurt and light mayo to get that classic creamy flavor without all the extra calories of heavy cream and traditional cream cheese. Plus, I used my favorite protein pasta to give it an extra protein boost!
Just like any pasta dish, this meal is the perfect comfort food! And it reheats super easily (dare I say the leftovers are better?) so it’s a great option for meal prep or you can freeze for later!
This baked pasta pairs perfectly with my favorite side dishes like my Air Fryer Green Beans, Charred Broccoli or Roasted Cauliflower and Carrots for a full and complete meal!
Why You’ll Love This Spinach and Artichoke Pasta Bake
- Creamy, cheesy pasta paired with fresh spinach and juicy chicken for the most delicious dinner casserole!
- You’re favorite game day dip made into a high protein pasta dish!
- Macro-friendly and 31 grams of protein per serving!
- Ready in just 30 minutes and perfect for a weeknight meal on busy nights.
- Great for meal prep. Reheats super well!
- Pasta – I used Protein Plus penne pasta. Any kind of pasta works here!
- Cream cheese – I used reduced-fat cream cheese.
- Greek yogurt – you’ll need plain Greek yogurt or sub for more light mayo.
- Light mayo
- Seasonings: Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.
- Fresh baby spinach
- Chicken – any cooked chicken will work ! I used shredded rotisserie chicken but you can also use my LFF Basic Shredded Chicken or any other leftover chicken you have on hand.
- Artichoke hearts
- Cheese – I used shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan
- Use any kind of pasta! Use regular, whole wheat, chickpea, or a gluten-free pasta option if you prefer!
- Add extra veggies! Add in extra veggies like mushrooms, onions, tomatoes or more leafy greens like kale or extra chopped spinach, etc.
- Mix up the cheese! Use your favorite cheese like feta, goat or gouda for extra deliciousness.
- Garlic goodness! If you love things garlicky, add 1-2 cloves of fresh garlic when making your pasta mixture.
How To Make
The full printable recipe is below, but let me walk you through the process so you know what to expect when you’re making it!
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 9×13” casserole dish with cooking spray. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Sprinkle generously with salt. Add the pasta and cook for 10 minutes or the minimum time according to package directions (the pasta will still cook some in the oven). When done, rinse with cool water then set aside.
2. With a hand mixer, mix together the cream cheese, Greek yogurt, mayo and all the seasonings.
3. Then either in a large bowl or directly in the greased baking dish, add the cream cheese mixture, cooked pasta, spinach, chicken, artichoke hearts, parmesan cheese and 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese.
4. Stir until combined.
5. Add the mixture to the dish and sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.
6. Bake for 8-10 minutes, then broil for 2-3 minutes at the end to brown to cheesy perfection! Sprinkle it with more grated parmesan cheese (if desired) and freshly cracked black pepper then serve and enjoy!
Don’t Overcook Your Noodles!
Be sure to cook your pasta to al dente (or right before) so that it doesn’t overcook and become mushy when it bakes in the oven!
Can I freeze this spinach artichoke pasta recipe?
Yes, this spinach and artichoke pasta bake freezes great. Just be sure to let cool completely to room temperature then cover or place in an airtight container and place in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, let sit in the fridge overnight then reheat in the oven until heated through. You can also freeze before baking. Just wrap tightly, store in freezer and bake as directed (or until heated through) when ready to eat.
Can I use frozen spinach instead of fresh spinach?
I personally prefer using fresh spinach so it doesn’t get to watery. However, if you want to use frozen spinach, I recommend heating it up a little bit and squeezing out any excess moisture before adding to pasta mixture.
What type of pasta works best for this spinach artichoke pasta bake recipe?
Any short pasta works great for this bake! I love using protein pasta for added protein but you can use regular, whole wheat pasta, any gluten-free pastas, chickpea pasta, etc. Just be sure to cook pasta only until al dente so it doesn’t overcook when baking in the oven. Different pastas will have different cook times.
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure leave a review, tag me on Instagram or TikTok at @LaurenFitFoodie or hashtag #LaurenFitFoodie so I can see your creations!
Healthy Spinach and Artichoke Chicken Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- 10 oz. penne pasta I used Protein Plus
- 4 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (120g)
- 1/2 cup light mayo (120g)
- 1 tsp EACH: Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper
- 4 oz. fresh baby spinach
- 4 cups cooked shredded rotisserie chicken (500g) or my LFF Basic Shredded Chicken
- 1 14-oz. can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
- 1.5 cup shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese plus more for topping
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 9×13” casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Sprinkle generously with salt. Add the pasta and cook for 10 minutes or the minimum time according to package directions (the pasta will still cook some in the oven). When done, rinse with cool water then set aside.
- With a hand mixer, mix together the cream cheese, Greek yogurt, mayo and all the seasonings. Then either in a large bowl or directly in the greased baking dish, mix the cream cheese mixture, cooked pasta, spinach, chicken, artichoke hearts, parmesan cheese and 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese.
- Add the mixture to the dish and sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, then broil for 2-3 minutes at the end to brown to cheesy perfection! Sprinkle it with more grated parmesan cheese (if desired) and freshly cracked black pepper then serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition is hand-calculated and accurate. No autocalulations! However, note that values can vary based on the brands you use and if you substitute ingredients.
