Chicken is a versatile protein that’s easy to cook and beloved by all, so it’s a great option for family dinners. Luckily, there are plenty of chicken recipes to choose from! We reach for this artichoke chicken recipe when we’re in the mood for a baked chicken dish that doesn’t require a lot of prep work. It uses pantry staples like marinated artichoke hearts and jarred mushrooms. These tender bites come together with lean chicken breasts and a rosemary-infused sauce to create a winning dish.
This chicken and artichoke recipe makes plenty of servings for feeding a crowd (or lots of leftovers if you’re doing meal prep for the week). It also freezes well, so don’t be afraid to make an extra casserole. It’s always nice to have an easy freezer meal for a rainy day!
Ingredients for Artichoke Chicken
- Chicken: We use boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe, but chicken thighs work just as well. If you decide to substitute bone-in chicken, keep in mind that these cuts take longer to cook. Adjust the cooking time as needed to reach the right temperature for cooked chicken.
- Artichoke hearts: Marinated artichoke hearts are tender and flavorful. Drain the excess liquid, but don’t throw it away. It’s great in salad dressings and marinades! If you can only find water-packed artichokes, try making homemade marinated artichokes.
- Mushrooms: We use jarred mushrooms for ease. Fresh mushrooms would also work; cook them in advance using your favorite mushroom recipe, or add sliced mushrooms to the pan when cooking the onions.
- Savory sauce: The chicken bakes in a homemade sauce made from onion, rosemary and chicken broth. The sauce gets a ton of flavor from the pan drippings and a thick consistency from all-purpose flour.
Directions
Step 1: Brown the chicken
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large skillet, brown the chicken in butter. Transfer the chicken to an ungreased 13×9-inch baking dish, leaving the drippings in the skillet. Arrange the artichokes and mushrooms on top of the chicken.
Editor’s Tip: The chicken will still be pink inside, but don’t worry about cooking it through. It will finish cooking in the oven.
Step 2: Make the sauce
Saute the onion in the pan juices until crisp-tender. In a small bowl, combine the flour, rosemary, salt and pepper. Stir the flour mixture into the pan until blended. Add the chicken broth, and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly, about two minutes.
Step 3: Bake the chicken
Spoon the sauce over the chicken and vegetables. Bake, uncovered, until a thermometer inserted in the chicken breast reads 165°, about 40 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley just before serving. If desired, serve with pasta.
Editor’s Tip: To make the flavors really pop, you can finish the dish off with a shaving of fresh Parmesan and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Recipe Variations
- Season the chicken: For added flavor, season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper before browning them in the skillet. You can also add seasonings like paprika or Italian seasoning, or marinate the chicken overnight (like we do in our marinated baked chicken recipe).
- Include add-ins: Give this dish a fun spin with add-ins like spinach, capers, chopped olives, roasted red peppers or cherry tomatoes.
- Get inspired by spinach artichoke dip: Swap in the creamy sauce from our artichoke and spinach casserole recipe.
How to Store Artichoke Chicken
Store leftover artichoke chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Warm the leftovers in the microwave or oven until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°.
How to Freeze Artichoke Chicken
Cool the unbaked casserole, then cover the dish, and freeze. To use, partially thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove the dish from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake as directed, increasing the time as necessary to heat through and for a thermometer inserted in the chicken breast to read 165°.
Artichoke Chicken Tips
How do you serve artichoke chicken?
Serve artichoke chicken with pasta (like farfalle or egg noodles) and a vegetable side dish. If you’re not in the mood for pasta, try zucchini noodles, cooked rice, polenta or mashed potatoes. No matter how you serve the chicken, make sure to spoon the delicious sauce over everything!
Do you have to brown chicken breasts before baking this chicken and artichoke recipe?
You could add the raw chicken breasts directly to the baking dish instead of browning them. However, the dish would lack a certain depth of flavor. Browning the chicken gives it a caramelized appearance. The process also creates flavorful drippings that add a lot of character to the sauce.
How do you keep the chicken breasts from drying out in artichoke chicken?
Chicken breasts are lean, so we like to bake them in a sauce to make sure they stay juicy. Then, make sure you don’t overcook the chicken breasts (a common chicken mistake). Use a meat thermometer to check the chicken’s internal temperature. Most chicken breasts are thicker on one end, so you can use a meat mallet to pound the meat into an even thickness.
