This Baked Tuscan Chicken Casserole is a delicious and comforting dish that brings the flavors of Tuscany right to your dinner table! Tender chicken breasts are topped with a creamy, cheesy spinach and sun-dried tomato mixture, then baked until golden and bubbly. I love how this recipe is both easy to make and incredibly satisfying. It’s perfect for a weeknight dinner, a special occasion, or anytime you’re craving a flavorful and comforting casserole.
Why You’ll Love This Tuscan Chicken Casserole
- Creamy and Flavorful: The combination of cream cheese, heavy cream, Parmesan, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes creates a rich and delicious topping.
- Tender Chicken: Baking the chicken covered initially helps keep it moist and tender.
- Easy to Make: This recipe uses simple ingredients and straightforward instructions.
- One-Dish Meal (Almost!): Most of the preparation happens right in the baking dish.
- Low-Carb Friendly: Delicious served with low-carb sides like cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles.
Ingredients for Baked Tuscan Chicken Casserole
Here’s what you’ll need to make this flavorful casserole. The full list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Main Ingredients
- Boneless skinless chicken breast (about 2 chicken breasts, sliced horizontally) (Meat)
- Frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (Vegetable)
- Cream cheese, softened (Dairy)
- Heavy cream (Dairy)
- Garlic, minced (Aromatic)
- Grated Parmesan cheese (Dairy)
- Jarred sun-dried tomatoes, drained (keep 1 tbsp oil), and chopped (Vegetable)
- Mozzarella cheese, grated (Dairy)
Seasoning
- Salt (Seasoning)
- Black pepper (Spice)
- Onion powder (Spice)
- Chili powder (Spice)
- Italian seasoning (Spice Blend)
Garnish
- Fresh chopped parsley
(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card below.)
Variations
I love this Baked Tuscan Chicken Casserole as is, but here are a few ideas for variations:
- Add Mushrooms: Sauté some sliced mushrooms and add them to the spinach and cream cheese mixture.
- Different Cheese: Use a blend of Italian cheeses, provolone, or fontina instead of mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Make it Spicy: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the cream cheese mixture.
- Use Chicken Thighs: Substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs for the breasts.
- Add Artichoke Hearts: Stir some chopped artichoke hearts into the cream cheese mixture.
How to Make Baked Tuscan Chicken Casserole
Let me show you how easy it is to make this Baked Tuscan Chicken Casserole:
Prepare Chicken and Baking Dish
- I lay the chicken breasts flat on the bottom of a large baking dish.
- I season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and half of the minced garlic.
Preheat Oven
- I preheat my oven to 400ºF (200ºC).
Make Cream Cheese Topping
- In a bowl, I mix the thawed and squeezed-dry spinach, softened cream cheese, and heavy cream.
- I add the remaining half of the minced garlic, salt, onion powder, chili powder, black pepper, and Italian seasoning. I beat everything to combine.
- I add the Parmesan cheese and half of the mozzarella cheese and continue beating to combine.
Assemble Casserole
- I spread the spinach and cream cheese mixture on top of the chicken breasts.
- I top with the chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
- Then I drizzle with a tablespoon of the reserved oil from the sun-dried tomatoes jar.
- I finish by topping the chicken casserole with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
Bake
- I bake the Tuscan chicken casserole for 35 minutes: I cook for 20 minutes loosely covered with foil.
- Then I uncover and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature should reach 165˚F / 74ºC) and the cheese is bubbly and golden.
Serve
- Garnish and serve
Tips and Tricks for the BEST Tuscan Chicken
Here are my secrets for making this casserole truly exceptional:
- Squeeze Spinach Dry: Removing as much moisture as possible from the thawed spinach is crucial to prevent a watery topping.
- Room Temperature Cream Cheese: Softened cream cheese mixes much more easily and smoothly.
- Don’t Overcook Chicken: Use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) without overcooking, keeping it tender and juicy.
- Sun-Dried Tomato Oil: Using the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar adds extra flavor.
- Freshly Grated Parmesan: Melts better and tastes superior to pre-shredded.
How to Serve
This Baked Tuscan Chicken Casserole is delicious served with:
- Cauliflower Rice: A great low-carb option, as pictured in the original recipe source.
- Zucchini Noodles: Another fantastic low-carb pairing.
- Pasta: Serve over angel hair pasta or linguine to soak up any extra sauce.
- Rice: White or brown rice works well too.
- Steamed Vegetables: Asparagus or green beans are lovely accompaniments.
- Crusty Bread: For dipping into the creamy sauce.
Make Ahead and Storage
You can assemble the casserole ahead of time (up to 24 hours) and store it, covered, in the refrigerator before baking. You may need to add a few extra minutes to the baking time if baking straight from the fridge. Leftover casserole can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the oven or microwave.
FAQs about Baked Tuscan Chicken Casserole
- Can I use fresh spinach instead of frozen?
- Yes, wilt fresh spinach by sautéing it briefly before adding it to the cream cheese mixture. Make sure to squeeze out excess moisture.
- Can I use chicken thighs?
- Absolutely! Boneless, skinless chicken thighs would be very flavorful and moist. Adjust baking time as needed.
- Can I freeze this casserole?
- Yes, you can freeze the baked and cooled casserole. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Enjoy this creamy, flavorful, and easy-to-make Baked Tuscan Chicken Casserole! It’s a perfect meal for any night of the week.
Print
Baked Tuscan Chicken Casserole
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main Course, Casserole, Chicken
- Cuisine: Italian-Inspired, American
Description
This Baked Tuscan Chicken Casserole features tender chicken breasts topped with a creamy spinach and cheese mixture, sun-dried tomatoes, and melted mozzarella. It’s a flavorful and easy-to-make dish inspired by Tuscan flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (450g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large breasts), sliced horizontally into 4 thinner cutlets
- 6 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed very dry (see notes)
- 3 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 4 cloves garlic, minced, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning chicken
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus more for seasoning chicken
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 8 ounce jar oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained (reserve 1 tbsp oil) and chopped
- 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally to create 4 thinner cutlets. Lay the chicken cutlets flat in the bottom of a large baking dish (9×13 inch recommended). Season the chicken generously with salt, pepper, and half of the minced garlic.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Make Cream Cheese Mixture: In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and heavy cream. Add the remaining half of the minced garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, onion powder, chili powder, black pepper, and Italian seasoning. Beat with a fork or electric mixer until well combined. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and 1/4 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese. Finally, stir in the thawed and well-drained spinach.
- Assemble Casserole: Spread the spinach and cream cheese mixture evenly over the top of the chicken breasts in the baking dish. Sprinkle the chopped sun-dried tomatoes over the cream cheese layer. Drizzle the reserved 1 tablespoon of oil from the sun-dried tomato jar over the tomatoes. Top evenly with the remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese.
- Bake (Covered): Cover the baking dish loosely with aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Bake (Uncovered): Remove the foil and continue baking for another 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F/74°C) and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from the oven. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Chicken: Slicing the chicken breasts horizontally helps them cook more evenly and quickly.
- Spinach: It’s crucial to squeeze out all excess moisture from the thawed frozen spinach to prevent a watery casserole. Place the thawed spinach in a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth and wring it out thoroughly.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes provide the best flavor. Remember to reserve 1 tablespoon of the oil for drizzling.
- Cheese: Use freshly shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan for the best melting quality.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve this Tuscan chicken casserole with cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, regular rice, pasta, or a side salad.
- Storage: store leftovers in fridge.