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Artichoke Chicken Bake
Artichoke Chicken Bake is an easy casserole that’s perfect for a busy weeknight dinner. It combines cooked chicken with artichoke hearts, tomatoes, black olives, pasta, and mozzarella cheese for a hearty meal that’s simple to put together.
This is also a great recipe to keep in mind when you have leftover chicken or pasta in the refrigerator. Instead of letting those leftovers go to waste, you can turn them into a completely different meal with just a few additional ingredients.
I like recipes like this because they don’t require a lot of complicated preparation. Once everything is combined, you just layer it in a casserole dish, add the cheese, and let the oven do the rest of the work.
Artichoke Chicken Bake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 chopped onion
- 2 cups cooked chicken
- 1 can diced tomatoes with Italian herbs, undrained
- 1 cup pasta or tomato sauce
- 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
- 1/2 cup sliced black olives
- 2 cups prepared pasta (penne, fusilli, or rotini recommended)
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic pepper seasoning, or salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
How to Make Artichoke Chicken Bake
1. Prepare the oven and baking dish
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Cook the onion
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ½ chopped onion and cook for a few minutes, until the onion starts to soften.
3. Add the chicken and sauce
Add 2 cups of cooked chicken to the skillet. Leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken works great for this recipe.
Add one can of diced tomatoes with Italian herbs, including the liquid, and 1 cup of pasta or tomato sauce. Stir to combine.
4. Add the remaining ingredients
Add the 14-ounce can of drained and quartered artichoke hearts, ½ cup sliced black olives, and 2 cups of prepared pasta.
Penne, fusilli, or rotini all work well.
5. Season the mixture
Add 1 teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning and 1 teaspoon of garlic pepper seasoning, or adjust the seasonings to your taste.
Stir everything together until the chicken, pasta, vegetables, and sauce are evenly combined.
6. Layer the casserole
Transfer about half of the mixture to the prepared 9×13-inch baking dish.
Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top.
Add the remaining chicken mixture and finish with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.
7. Bake
Cover the casserole with foil and bake for about 35 minutes, or until it is hot and bubbly and the cheese has melted.
8. Let it rest and serve
Let the Artichoke Chicken Bake sit for a few minutes before serving. This gives the casserole a chance to settle and makes it easier to scoop onto plates.
Tips for Making Artichoke Chicken Bake
Use leftover chicken. This is one of the easiest ways to make this recipe. Leftover baked or grilled chicken works well, and shredded rotisserie chicken is another convenient option.
Don’t drain the tomatoes. The liquid from the canned tomatoes adds moisture to the casserole as it bakes.
Don’t overcook the pasta. Cook the pasta just until al dente. It will continue cooking in the oven.
Use your favorite short pasta. Penne, fusilli, and rotini work particularly well, but you can use another short pasta shape if that’s what you have in the pantry.
Adjust the seasoning to your taste. Garlic pepper seasoning adds plenty of flavor, but you can use regular salt and pepper if you prefer.
Can I Use Leftover Pasta?
Absolutely! This is a good recipe to make when you have leftover pasta that needs to be used.
I recommend short pasta such as penne, rotini, or fusilli because it mixes easily with the chicken and other ingredients. You don’t need to make the pasta specifically for this recipe if you already have some cooked in the refrigerator.
Can I Use Rotisserie Chicken?
Yes. Rotisserie chicken is an easy shortcut for this recipe. Remove the meat from the bones, shred or chop it, and use it in place of the cooked chicken.
Using rotisserie chicken makes this casserole especially convenient when you need an easy dinner without starting with raw chicken.
Easy Variations
There are several ways you can change this casserole based on what you have available.
- Add chopped mushrooms, spinach, or bell peppers for additional vegetables.
- Add some grated Parmesan along with the mozzarella for extra cheesy flavor.
- Leave out the black olives if your family doesn’t care for them.
- Use a different short pasta shape.
- Add a little extra mozzarella cheese if you like a really cheesy casserole.
Can I Make Artichoke Chicken Bake Ahead of Time?
Yes. You can assemble the casserole, cover it, and refrigerate it until you’re ready to bake.
If you’re baking it directly from the refrigerator, you may need to add some extra baking time. The casserole should be heated all the way through and hot and bubbly in the center before serving.
How to Store Leftovers
Store leftover Artichoke Chicken Bake in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
The leftovers make an easy lunch or dinner and can be reheated in the microwave or oven. I like dividing leftovers into individual portions so they’re ready to grab for an easy meal.
What to Serve With Artichoke Chicken Bake
Since this casserole already contains chicken, pasta, vegetables, and cheese, it can easily stand on its own as a complete meal.
If you’d like to add a side dish, a simple green salad, steamed broccoli, green beans, or another favorite vegetable would work well. Garlic bread or crusty bread would also be a good addition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use rotisserie chicken?
Yes. Rotisserie chicken is a convenient substitute for the cooked chicken called for in the recipe.
Can I use leftover pasta?
Yes. This recipe is a great way to use leftover cooked pasta. Penne, rotini, and fusilli are especially good choices.
Do I have to use black olives?
No. If you don’t like black olives, you can simply leave them out.
Can I add other vegetables?
Yes. Mushrooms, spinach, and bell peppers would all be good additions.
How long will leftovers last?
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator and use them within a few days for the best quality.
An Easy Way to Use Leftovers
I love recipes that help turn leftovers into another meal, and this Artichoke Chicken Bake is a good example. Leftover chicken and pasta get combined with artichoke hearts, tomatoes, olives, and cheese to make a warm and filling casserole.
It’s an easy dinner to prepare when you don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, and it’s flexible enough that you can make small changes based on what you already have on hand.
An Easy Dinner for Busy Nights
Artichoke Chicken Bake is one of those recipes that’s especially useful when you don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. With cooked chicken, leftover pasta, canned tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and mozzarella, you can have a hearty casserole ready for the oven without a lot of extra preparation.
It’s also a great recipe to keep in mind when you have leftovers that need to be used. A few simple ingredients come together to make a warm, cheesy chicken dinner that’s easy to serve on a busy weeknight.
Artichoke Chicken Bake
Ingredients
- 1 Tbs butter
- ½ chopped onion
- 2 cups cooked chicken
- 1 can diced tomatoes w/italian herbs, undrained
- 1 cup pasta or tomato sauce
- 1 can (14-ounce can) artichoke hearts drained and quartered
- ½ cup sliced black olives
- 2 cups prepared pasta (I recommend Penne, Fusilli, or Rotini)
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic pepper seasoning (or salt and pepper to taste)
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Heat butter and onion in a large skillet over medium heat, for 3-5 minutes stirring until the onion starts to soften and turn translucent. Add all of the other ingredients (except cheese) and mix until combined.
- Pour 1/2 of the chicken mixture into the prepared dish. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Top with the rest of the chicken mixture. Sprinkle the remaining cup of cheese on top.
- Bake covered for 35 minutes until hot and bubbly.
Nutrition
- PREMIUM LARGE BAKING PAN SET: Our baking dishes are made of borosilicate glass, can be used in microwave, oven, freezer and dishwasher
- TIGHT FITTING LIDS: 8-piece baking dishes set includes 4 baking dishes and 4 gray plastic tight fitting lids, which are designed to keep your food fresher longer. Made with a special non-slip design, you can stack these 4 containers with lids on top of each other in your fridge or freezer for space saving storage. Also they are sloshproof to stop spilling while storing or on the go. The ideal set for baking, serving and storing food
- ELEGANT DESIGN: The clear glass baking pan makes a nice, attractive presentation for enjoyable baking time, a charming decoration in your dining table and kitchen. It also lets you monitor the baking process, serve your meals in a stylish and elegant fashion and easily identify leftovers
- CONVENIENT HANDLES: The edge of the bakeware is round and smooth, with a widened, thickened, and anti-scalding handle design, providing a secure grip while taking to and from the oven
- VERSATILE USE: This bakeware set includes 4 pieces bakeware of difference dimensions ( includes the ears' size): 1Quart (10 x 5.9 x 1.8-inch), 1.7Quart (11.6 x 6.7 x 2.1-inch), 2.3Quart (13.6 x 8.1 x 2.1-inch), and 3.2Quart (15.5 x 9.3 x 2.1-inch). Great for baking desserts, casseroles, stews, lasagna, spaghetti, brownies,chicken, meat, beef, fish, veggies, and all your favorite delicacies, as a serving dish for added convenience and reheating leftovers and etc
- Fat-free artichoke hearts
- Perfect for salads and pasta dishes
- Tender and delicious texture
- Cut from the center of the artichoke
- 14.1 ounce can
- USDA organic diced tomatoes with Italian herbs
- Vine-ripened in California's San Joaquin Valley
- Kosher and Non-GMO certified
- Seasoned with traditional Italian herbs
- Convenient 14.5 ounce can
