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Cheesy Spinach Dip Chicken Pasta

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Cheesy Spinach Dip Chicken Pasta – your new favorite dinner! Spinach dip and pasta get together to create one cheesy and creamy dish! You need to make it!

 

Spinach Dip Chicken Pasta a Cheesy Spinach Dip Chicken Pasta

SPINACH DIP CHICKEN PASTA

How about a creamy pasta topped with gooey cheese for dinner? What if we added spinach dip to the equation? I’ll tell you what – your new favorite weeknight dinner! It’s absolutely delicious and the whole family loves it!

This has been our favorite weeknight dinner. I make it on Tuesdays, our busiest time in the week when our girls have dance classes and we get back home late. I do all of the prep during the day. When we get home, I top it with cheese and bake while we make a salad and the dinner is ready in 15 minutes. Talk about a time-saver!

HOW TO MAKE SPINACH DIP CHICKEN PASTA?

  • Start by buttering a 2-quart baking dish. Set aside.
  • Cook pasta according to the instructions on the packaging. Drain and keep warm.
  • Dice chicken, season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle flour over chicken and toss to coat.
  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink.
  • Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, mix together sour cream, cream cheese, Ranch mix, half and half and spinach. Add cooked pasta and chicken to the spinach mixture and stir all together. Transfer the mixture into the prepared dish. At this point, you can cover the dish with saran wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
  • If serving right away, top the dish with cheese and bake for 10 minutes at 375 degree F oven. The cheese should be melted. You can then turn the oven to broiler (on low setting) and broil for 2 to 3 minutes or until the cheese bubbles up and gets golden brown spots. Let stand in room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

Cheesy Spinach Dip Pasta Cheesy Spinach Dip Chicken Pasta

PASTA DINNER THAT TASTES LIKE YOUR FAVORITE DIP

Pasta dinners are one of our favorites for weeknights. They are so versatile and so easy to make. This one is inspired by my Hubby. One of his favorite dips is the spinach dip (I skip the artichokes as I do not like them, but if you do – feel free to include them). It’s football season so naturally, we have game day food on our minds. Hence the cheesy bread and it’s jalapeno brother.

Creamy and Cheesy Spinach Dip Chicken Pasta Cheesy Spinach Dip Chicken Pasta

WHAT SPINACH TO USE IN THIS RECIPE?

But let’s talk about this dinner! I combined the spinach dip and all of its creamy goodness with cooked penne and cooked chicken. Then I topped it all with mozzarella and baked into one glorious meal! It is so crazy good – it’s crazy!

This dish is also great to take to neighbors that just had a baby, or friends that are sick. Everyone will love it! It’s a hit with kids even though it has spinach. And we all know how kids react to spinach.

You can use fresh or frozen spinach in this dish. I tried both and didn’t notice much difference. Go with fresh is it’s in season and frozen when you can’t find it. Don’t forget to thaw it before using in the recipe.

Spinach Chicken Pasta Bake creamy and cheesy dinner idea Cheesy Spinach Dip Chicken Pasta

Spinach dip plus chicken pasta – who wouldn’t love it? Save this recipe to make this week! You can thank me later. 🙂 Enjoy, friends!

If you like this recipe and make it, snap a photo and share it on INSTAGRAM! Tag me @crunchycreamysweet so I can check it out and leave a comment! 😀

 Related Recipes:

The Best Sauteed Spinach

Pasta Carbonara

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce

Spaghetti alla Carbonara with Ham

CHEESY SPINACH DIP CHICKEN PASTA RECIPE:

5 from 9 votes
Spinach Dip Chicken Pasta a 150x150 Cheesy Spinach Dip Chicken Pasta
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Cheesy Spinach Dip Chicken Pasta
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 

Your new favorite dinner! Spinach dip and pasta get together to create one cheesy and creamy dish! You need to make it!

Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: spinach dip chicken pasta
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 261 kcal
Author: Anna
Ingredients
  • 2 and 1/2 cups uncooked penne rigate
  • 2 chicken breasts
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • 4 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1/4 cup half and half or whole milk
  • 1 pkg dry Ranch mix
  • 5 oz frozen spinach or half of a batch of fresh
  • 1 and 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Butter a 2 quart baking dish. Set aside.
  2. Cook pasta according to the instructions on the packaging. Drain and keep warm.
  3. Dice chicken, season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle flour over chicken and toss to coat.
  4. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink.
  5. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, mix together sour cream, cream cheese, Ranch mix, half and half and spinach.
  6. Add cooked pasta and chicken to the spinach mixture and stir all together. Transfer the mixture into the prepared dish.
  7. At this point, you can cover the dish with saran wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
  8. If serving right away, top the dish with cheese and bake for 10 minutes at 375 degree F oven. The cheese should be melted. You can then turn the oven to broiler (on low setting) and broil for 2 to 3 minutes or until the cheese bubbles up and gets golden brown spots.
  9. Let stand in room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

You can use fresh or frozen spinach in this dish. I tried both and didn’t notice much difference. Go with fresh is it’s in season and frozen when you can’t find it.

Nutrition Facts
Cheesy Spinach Dip Chicken Pasta
Amount Per Serving
Calories 261 Calories from Fat 162
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g 28%
Saturated Fat 10g 50%
Cholesterol 87mg 29%
Sodium 230mg 10%
Potassium 430mg 12%
Total Carbohydrates 7g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugars 2g
Protein 16g 32%
Vitamin A 95.7%
Vitamin C 3.5%
Calcium 12.4%
Iron 6.7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tracy says

    July 24, 2019 at 6:12 pm

    My family loves this recipe and I have made it many times. I double the sour cream, cream cheese and ranch mix. I also add some cheese to the mix as well as on top. Grade A recipe!!

    Reply

  3. Nettie Lewis says

    January 31, 2019 at 5:45 am

    Hi, I’m not really fond of the flavor of Ranch Dressing – any idea for a substitute? Thanks –

    * Even though I haven’t yet made this casserole it gets five stars for looks and the positive comments of those who have.

    Reply

  4. Sarah says

    December 18, 2018 at 7:19 pm

    I found this recipe on Facebook, made it and shared with the neighbors. All 4 of us agreed that it makes an amazing dinner. I always prep ahead, and my husband puts it in the oven while I am at work!

    Reply

    • C says

      January 28, 2019 at 12:32 pm

      Anna, looks yummy and easy. How did you come up with calorie count? I entered recipe into myfitnesspal and got 558 calories for one of 4 servings.

      Reply

  5. Donna Palmer says

    November 14, 2018 at 7:00 pm

    Absolutely delicious!!!
    So good in fact that my husband and I had to make ourselves stop after our 2nd helping!

    Super easy to make and truly delicious!!!

    Reply

  7. Susan says

    October 9, 2018 at 5:37 pm

    Yes, fresh spinach has no taste really, I use it in my fruit smoothies even. I don’t like frozen or canned spinach, you can really taste the difference with fresh versus frozen.

    Reply

  9. Margie says

    May 23, 2018 at 10:13 am

    This has got to be the BEST chicken casserole that I have made! We love it! Since we are big fans of spinach artichoke dip, I added artichokes to the recipe. This made it even better! Give it a try. You will be amazed!

    Reply

  11. Elizabeth says

    March 10, 2018 at 5:16 pm

    Could I freeze this? Thaw when I’m ready to use and bake like 30 mins, top with cheese and cook 5-10 minutes longer until golden & melted?

    Reply

  13. Renee Kelly says

    January 18, 2018 at 10:31 pm

    I’ve just found this recipe on Facebook, and while reading through the ingredients I’m questioning one of them: do you use ranch dip or dressing mix? There IS a difference.

    Reply

  15. Lisa says

    August 13, 2017 at 1:13 pm

    I loved the taste. It was a little dry the next day heated up so I think I will try to add a little more sauce part to it. It was delicious thank you for the recipe!

    Reply

  16. Kelly says

    August 2, 2017 at 1:53 am

    Thank you for this wonderful recipe!!! It is a great base. I enhanced by adding sauteed red and green bell peppers plus 4 cloves of crushed garlic. Also added jack and cheddar cheeses to the mozarella. Next time, I will increase the spinach. Thanks again for such great inspiration.

    Reply

  17. Julia Kruz says

    July 27, 2017 at 8:10 am

    Definitely Cheesy Spinach Dip Chicken Pasta – my new favorite dinner! I found your post from Pinterest ! Thanks for sharing, Anna!

    Reply

  18. Carol T says

    December 19, 2016 at 7:23 am

    This looks amazing. My favorite dip is Spinich dip. So I know it has to be good to add Chicken and pasta. And all that cheese. How could it not be fantastic. Looking so forward to it one night this week coming.
    Excited.

    Reply

  19. Bobbie says

    October 30, 2016 at 7:54 pm

    I made this tonight and have a question. Should I have washed/rinsed the frozen spinach? My kids aren’t too picky, but 3 of my 4 didn’t love this dish and my 9 year old said the spinach ruined it for her. I ate after my kids and have to admit, the spinach flavor was stronger than I would’ve liked. I couldn’t taste much of the ranch at all. Then I realized that maybe in my ignorance as a cook, I was supposed to have done something with the spinach beyond just thawing and tossing in. In theory, this recipe sounds like something my family should love. Would using fresh spinach help my problem?

    Reply

    • Susan says

      October 9, 2018 at 5:36 pm

      Yes, fresh spinach has no taste really, I use it in my fruit smoothies even. I don’t like frozen or canned spinach, you can really taste the difference with fresh versus frozen.

      Reply

  21. Jen says

    September 2, 2016 at 7:06 am

    Made this last night – yummo! I used fresh baby spinach, greek yogurt for the sour cream, and leftover grilled chicken. I was worried the dish might be bland but that ranch packet didn’t disappoint!

    Reply

    • Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says

      July 16, 2016 at 12:03 am

      Yay! I am so happy to know you and your family loves this dish! It’s a family favorite here too! 😀 Thank you so much for trying the recipe and for letting me know, Melissa! Have a beautiful weekend! 😀

      Reply

  26. Colleen says

    February 9, 2016 at 6:23 pm

    I just made this and both of my kids, 4 and 7, gave it two thumbs up! I made it with medium shells instead, just because they’re more mouth size for them, but it was delicious!! Thanks for a great recipe!

    Reply

  27. Bethany says

    January 28, 2016 at 3:00 pm

    I just made this dish, and it is SOOOOO good! And, my 2yr. old son loves it. Winning!!! Thanks for sharing this cheesy goodness:)

    Reply

  28. Cindy says

    November 20, 2014 at 6:55 pm

    Oh my goodness! Just made this for our supper and I totally agree with Kelsey – hubby and I could’ve eaten the entire recipe ourselves! SOOO good! Will definitely be making this again and again and again!!! I used a 10 oz package of thawed/squeezed frozen spinach and it was just fine – not too much spinach. Also used the fat-free plain Greek yogurt and 1/2% milk to cut down on the fat content. Delicious!

    Reply

  29. kelsey says

    November 18, 2014 at 3:12 pm

    I made this and it is seriously amazing. Probably the best thing I have ever made at home. My boyfriend was amazed and said it was like something you would expect to get at a restaurant. Embarrassing enough to admit between the two of us we ate the whole thing and then we’re sad we didn’t have leftovers. Not our proudest moment but it was SO good.

    Reply

    • Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says

      November 19, 2014 at 10:58 am

      Hi Kelsey! Haha! I love it! I am so glad that you tried the recipe. It is a huge favorite here and I totally get eating it all! It is crazy good! Thank you so much for visiting my blog and for letting me know!

      Reply

  30. Jennifer B says

    November 18, 2014 at 11:59 am

    I’m probably the only silly one who isn’t sure, since nobody else has asked, but is this calling for ranch dressing mix or ranch dip mix? 🙂 Thanks!

    Reply

    • Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says

      November 18, 2014 at 12:20 pm

      Hi Jennifer! Not silly at all! You can use either, but the one I used and included in the recipe is a salad dressing mix. Hope this helps! Thanks!

      Reply

  31. Liz says

    October 19, 2014 at 6:49 am

    Hi Anna,

    Love this meal. It looks divine. Just wondered if it was possible to freeze it and if so at what stage?

    Thanks xxxx

    Reply

    • Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says

      October 19, 2014 at 7:55 am

      Hi Liz! Yes, you can freeze this dish, just like you would with lasagna or any other pasta dish. Right after you place everything in the baking dish, let it cool to room temperature,then cover and freeze. You can top it with cheese before freezing or just before baking and serving. If you freeze it, let it stand in room temperature before baking. Let me know if you try it! I also posted a Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake that you might like! Thank you for stopping by and for the question!

      Reply

    • Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says

      October 7, 2014 at 5:18 pm

      Hi Kari! Yes, you need to defrost it. Just follow the instructions on the box or simply submerge in warm water and then drain. Hope this helps!

      Reply

  34. Sarah W. says

    October 3, 2014 at 10:01 pm

    If I’m using fresh spinach, do I need to saute it or wilt it down some how first? Thanks! Looks super good and want to use up some spinach. Was going to make spinach cheese dip but way not do this and make it dinner haha!

    Reply

    • Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says

      October 4, 2014 at 7:17 am

      Hi Sarah! No need to saute the spinach. It will cook during baking the dish. Let me know if you try it! Thank you!

      Reply

  39. Concetta Theado Schafhausen says

    September 24, 2014 at 9:02 pm

    If you refrigerate it, how long do you bake it, when you are ready to use. Doesn’t seem like 10 minutes would be enough to get it hot throughout.

    Reply

    • Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says

      September 24, 2014 at 9:26 pm

      If refrigerated, it should be heated up for about 20 minutes or until you hear it bubble or sizzle and the cheese melts. Hope this helps! I will include this in the recipe. Thank you!

      Reply

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