Chicken Artichoke Casserole

If the first thing you look for at a party is the artichoke dip, then you’ll love this chicken artichoke casserole. It captures the flavors you love from the dip and adds diced chicken to create a hearty, comforting meal.

The whole thing comes together quickly and takes just a half-hour or so in the oven, so it’s something you can pull off on a weeknight or plan as a make-ahead meal. It’s a can’t-miss recipe that you’ll come back to again.

Ingredients for Chicken Artichoke Casserole

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• Bow tie pasta: Most casseroles use a starchy ingredient to provide bulk and a comforting heartiness. The bowtie pasta in this recipe makes a fun change from macaroni or fusilli.
• Chicken: Chicken provides the casserole with much of its protein, and its low-key flavor plays nicely with the seasonings in the recipe.
• Artichoke hearts: Artichoke hearts are an under-appreciated ingredient. Here they add a mild flavor, moisture, a textural contrast, and a surprising quantity of dietary fiber.
• Cream of chicken soup: The creamy soup provides the casserole a base for its sauce and much of the flavor.
• Parmesan cheese: Parmesan cheese provides a concentrated cheesy and savory umami flavor.
• Mayonnaise: Mayonnaise adds a rich creaminess and to the casserole.
• Milk: Milk thins the casserole’s sauce, helping it coat the other ingredients evenly. The pasta will also absorb some milk as the casserole bakes and take on the flavors infused into the milk.
• Garlic: Minced garlic perfumes the entire casserole with its pungent scent and aroma, supporting and enhancing the other flavors.
• Onion powder: The onion powder brings a mellow flavor to the sauce but doesn’t need to be cooked separately as fresh, raw onions would.
• Salad croutons: Soft, creamy casseroles often benefit from some sort of crumb topping, which provides a textural contrast and a beautiful golden color. In this case, the croutons pack along a big burst of flavor in their own right.

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the ingredients

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Set your oven to 350°F. While it heats, bring a large saucepan to a boil and cook the pasta according to the manufacturer’s instructions. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, artichokes, soup, Parmesan, mayonnaise, garlic, onion powder and pepper. Once the pasta is cooked to al dente, drain it and add it to the chicken mixture. Fold the pasta and chicken mixture together.

Step 2: Bake the casserole

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Transfer the casserole ingredients to a greased 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle the crushed croutons over the top and bake the casserole, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes until the topping is golden and the filling is heated through and bubbly.

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Chicken Artichoke Casserole Variations

• Swap the chicken: Though the recipe is written for chicken, it works just as well for turkey. In fact, it’s a great way to use up some of your leftover holiday bird. Resist the temptation to use leftover stuffing as a topping for the casserole, since it will overwhelm the delicate flavor of the artichokes (unless you really, really love stuffing, in which case go right ahead).
• Change the soup, change the casserole: Cream of chicken soup is a natural choice here because it doubles down on the chicken flavor, but it’s not your only option. If cream of mushroom is your favorite, use it. Cream of celery is good, too. Any cream soup, including your homemade versions, will work as long as its flavor isn’t bold enough to overwhelm the dish.
• Go deluxe with crab: This casserole very deliberately echoes the flavors of the ever-popular artichoke dip, so any add-ins that work in the dip will also work in the casserole. Swapping out the diced chicken for lump crab meat turns a simple casserole into a luxe company-worthy dish. Imitation “krab” works just as well for a weeknight meal (and it’s easier on your budget).

How to Store Chicken and Artichoke Casserole

Casseroles are one of the most “leftover-able” foods, and part of their charm is that they reheat well for no-fuss meals over the coming days. You can refrigerate the uneaten portion in its casserole dish, or transfer your leftovers to portion-sized containers with tight-fitting lids. Always make sure it’s covered.

Can I make this casserole ahead of time?

Yes, absolutely. You can make it a day in advance or even two. The croutons will lose their crisp texture in the refrigerator, so omit those when baking and add them when you reheat it. Any leftovers should be heated to a temperature of 165° before serving.

How long will my artichoke chicken casserole last?

You can store leftovers for up to five days in the refrigerator, provided you refrigerate them immediately after the meal. If your leftovers sat out for an hour or so, eat them for no more than two or three days. If the casserole was out for two hours or more or left out at a temperature of more than 90°, it’s safest to throw out any portion that hasn’t been eaten.

Can I freeze the casserole?

Yes, the casserole freezes beautifully. You can freeze it unbaked in a freezer-to-oven casserole dish and pop it into the oven (after applying the crouton topping) when you need a quick meal. Alternatively, you can freeze the leftovers of the cooked casserole in airtight freezer containers. Label and date them and try to eat them within three to four months for the best quality.

Chicken and Artichoke Casserole Recipe Tips

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Can I use marinated artichoke hearts?

Unfortunately, marinated artichoke hearts are a completely different product. They’re not as tangy as pickles, but they still aren’t a good fit for the comforting, savory flavors of this casserole.

Can I use other kinds of pasta?

Absolutely. Straight or elbow macaroni is never a bad choice. Ridged spiral shapes like fusilli or rotini catch and hold the sauce beautifully. You could also consider a longer noodle like spaghetti or fettuccine, left whole or broken in half. Don’t overlook filled pasta, like spinach-and-ricotta raviolini or agnolotti, which make for an unusual and heartier casserole.

Can I add spinach to the casserole like I do with my artichoke dip?

You can add either fresh or frozen spinach to this casserole, whichever you have on hand. Baby spinach can be used as-is, but full-sized leaves should be coarsely chopped into bite-sized pieces. If you go with fresh spinach rather than frozen, wilt it first in a hot skillet with a few drops of oil. Otherwise, it will take up too much space in your casserole dish and can cause spillage.