Chicken and Spinach Bake

Ingredients List

• cooking spray

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 ½ cups chopped yellow onion

• 6 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced

• 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning

• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

• 1 ¾ teaspoons kosher salt

• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour

• 2½ cups whole milk

• 4 ounces chive and onion cream cheese

• 4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken

• 3 cups cooked long-grain white rice

• 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
  

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

• 8 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Cooking Instructions

Prepare all the ingredients ahead of time.

In a large nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper, and ¾ teaspoon of salt. Stir frequently and cook until the onions become soft and translucent, about 4 minutes.

Stir in the flour and cook, stirring continuously, for 1 minute. Gradually add the milk, and continue cooking and stirring until the mixture thickens slightly, about 3 minutes.

Add the cream cheese and the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until smooth and fully combined. Remove from heat and mix in the shredded chicken, cooked rice, spinach, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Once fully combined, transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly. Top with a generous layer of mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, until the cheese has melted. Then, switch on the broiler and broil for 2 to 3 minutes until the cheese turns golden brown.

Nutritional Information (per serving)