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You are here: Home / Recipes / Main Dishes / Spanakopita Chicken Bake

Spanakopita Chicken Bake

Published: December 11, 2022 | Updated: January 9, 2023 | By: Jordan

142 shares

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Spanakopita Chicken Bake takes everything you love about the traditional Greek spinach pie and makes it into a full meal.

Made with spinach, feta, and orzo, this recipe will definitely make it into your weekly dinner rotation!

spanakopita chicken bake

Greek food is one of my favorite cuisines. My Mediterranean Mezze Platter is a go-to of mine to serve when I have guests over. 

What is spanakopita?

Spanakopita is a delicious Greek delicacy made with flaky phyllo dough and stuffed with spinach and feta cheese.

This spinach feta casserole recipe is a casserole version of spanakopita made with chicken and orzo and topped with phyllo dough to make it a filling meal.

Looking for more spinach recipes? Try my Spinach Lasagna Rolls next!

spanakopita chicken bake in a white baking dish and a wooden spatula

Feta Spinach Chicken Bake Recipe

Spinach feta chicken bake is a creamy casserole that’s packed with flavor and made in one dish. The rich spinach and cheese in each bite pairs perfectly with the lemony chicken.

Spinach feta casserole is great to serve for large gatherings, meal prep, or even weeknight dinners for the family. It truly is a satisfying and filling dish that everyone will love.

This Mediterranean Gluten Free Pasta Salad also is another one of my favorites to serve when I have guests!

spinach, chicken, butter, lemon, onions, and fresh herbs in small bowls

Ingredients you will need

Chicken breasts: I used boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe but you can also shred up a rotisserie chicken if you’re short on time. If you prefer to use chicken thighs, you can use those instead!

Chicken broth: poaching the chicken in broth will add more flavor while keeping it from drying out. You can also use chicken bone broth if you prefer.

Vegetables: I used yellow onion, shallots, and garlic to add flavor and texture to the casserole.

Wet ingredients: unsalted butter will help cook the veggies, while white cooking wine and lemon juice will add a tangy flavor while bringing out the rest of the spices. You’ll also need some half and half to make the sauce more creamy.

Flour: you’ll need just a little bit of flour to thicken the liquid.

Feta cheese: crumbled feta cheese is essential in this spinach feta casserole. Make sure you look for a good quality block of feta in brine rather than purchasing feta that is already crumbled.

Spinach: I used frozen spinach in this recipe. Make sure it’s thawed and thoroughly drained before using. If you want to use fresh spinach, you’ll want to cook it first, then let it cool completely, and then drain before adding it to the casserole.

Spices: fresh thyme and fresh parsley go perfectly in this recipe. You could also include some fresh dill if you like!

Orzo: orzo pasta makes a great addition to this casserole, but you can use another short pasta you prefer!

Phyllo dough: topping the casserole with phyllo dough really ties everything together and makes it really similar to the traditional spanakopita we all know and love.

how to make chicken bake

How to make this spinach feta casserole

1. Cook and shred the chicken. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and place them in a large pot. Cover them with one inch of broth, bring to a boil, and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165° F. Remove the chicken breasts from the pot and allow to cool before shredding with two forks or your stand mixer.

2. Prepare the casserole. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the vegetables and sauté until the shallots begin to soften. Add the cooking wine, whisk in the flour, then the chicken broth, whisking frequently until thick and bubbly.

Whisk in the half and half then mix in the feta, spinach, thyme, parsley, and lemon juice. Fold in the chicken and orzo and cook on medium low heat for 2-3 minutes.

3. Bake the casserole. Transfer the mixture to a 9×13 baking dish and tear the phyllo dough and arrange it over the top of the mixture.

Lightly spritz the phyllo dough with olive oil and bake for 15-20 minutes or until phyllo dough is brown and crispy and the chicken mixture is heated through. Remove from the oven, let it cool before serving, and enjoy!

Tip!

I like to sprinkle flaky salt over top before baking!

If you want to keep it all in one pan, you can use a 12″ cast iron skillet to make the chicken mixture on the stove and instead of transferring it to a baking dish, top it with the phyllo dough and place it right in the oven.

How to cook shredded chicken

In order to effectively shred chicken, you’ll need to cook it first. The best way to cook chicken before shredding is to boil it. 

For this recipe, I recommend seasoning the chicken breasts with salt and pepper before cooking it and boiling the chicken in broth to really bring out the chicken flavor.

Simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165° F and feels ready to shred. I recommend using a meat thermometer to ensure that the chicken is fully cooked before shredding.

Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the pot and let it cool to room temperature before shredding. Use two forks to shred the chicken. An easier way to shred chicken is using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment on low speed.

spanakopita chicken bake on a white plate

What to serve with spinach feta chicken

Spinach feta casserole is the perfect full dinner recipe but can be paired with a variety of side dishes to complement it. A nice salad or a side of veggies would go well with this dish without overpowering the flavor.

Chopped Vegetable Salad or Zucchini salad would add a nice crunch while inserting more veggies into your meal, making it ultra filling yet healthy.  Red Wine Mushrooms or Air Fryer Asparagus make a simple dish to accompany this casserole without adding too much of a different flavor!

More easy chicken dinner recipes to try

  • Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
  • Baked Chicken Tacos
  • Air Fryer Chicken And Broccoli
  • Oven Baked Chicken Tenders
  • Oven Baked Chicken and Cauliflower

WANT TO TRY THIS SPANAKOPITA CHICKEN BAKE RECIPE?

PIN IT to your easy chicken recipes, dinner recipes, or casserole recipes board to save it for later!
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Did you make this recipe? Post a photo on Instagram and tag me @JZEATS or #JZEATS so I can see! Leave a comment below and let me know what you think, too!

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5 from 6 votes

Spanakopita Chicken Bake

Spanakopita Chicken Bake takes everything you love about the traditional Greek spinach pie and makes it into a full meal. Made with spinach, feta, and orzo, this recipe will definitely make it into your weekly dinner rotation!
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Total Time40 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Greek
Keyword: chicken bake, spanakopita chicken
Servings: 8
Calories: 356kcal
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Author: Jordan

Ingredients

  • 2 chicken breasts
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 2 shallots, thinly sliced
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon white cooking wine
  • 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup half and half
  • 8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
  • 12 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and drained well
  • 1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
  • 1/2 of a lemon, juice
  • 1 cup uncooked orzo
  • phyllo dough
  • olive oil spray

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425° F.
  • Season both chicken breasts with salt and pepper and place them in a pot. Cover with one inch of broth (about 1/4-1/2 cup) and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165° F.
  • When the chicken is finished cooking, remove from the pot and allow to cool before shredding with two forks or a mixer.
  • While the chicken is cooking, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, shallots and garlic, and sauté for about two minutes or until the shallots begin to soften. Add the cooking wine, then whisk in the flour, and then 1 cup of the chicken broth. Cook, whisking frequently until thick and bubbly.
  • Whisk in the half and half. Then mix in the feta, spinach, thyme, parsley, and lemon juice. Fold in the chicken and orzo and cook on medium low heat for 2-3 minutes.
  • Transfer the mixture to a 9X13 baking dish. Tear the phyllo dough and arrange over top. I like to sprinkle with salt before baking. Lightly spritz with olive oil and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the phyllo dough is brown and crispy, and the chicken mixture is heated through.
  • Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • You can use your hand mixer or stand mixer to shred the chicken!
  • If you want to keep it all in one pan, you can use a 12″ cast iron skillet to make the chicken mixture on the stove and instead of transferring it to a baking dish, top it with the phyllo dough and place it right in the oven.

Nutrition

Calories: 356kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 579mg | Potassium: 525mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 5513IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 250mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator.
Tried this recipe?I’d love to see your dish, mention @jzeats or tag #jzeats!
142 shares

Published: December 11, 2022 Filed Under: Chicken, Main Dishes

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sisley White - Sew White

    December 19, 2022 at 6:25 pm

    5 stars
    A great dish that really brings the Greek flavours to the dinner table.

    Reply
  2. Tara

    December 19, 2022 at 6:39 pm

    5 stars
    Oh wow! This chicken bake looks so good, especially with the addition of the orzo. I love the minimal prep too.

    Reply
  3. Andrea

    December 19, 2022 at 8:06 pm

    5 stars
    This is absolutely fabulous! I love the original spanakopita and you have taken it to the next level with this chicken bake. Looking forward to making this for my family.

    Reply
  4. veenaazmanov

    December 19, 2022 at 9:47 pm

    5 stars
    Definitely a delicious one Pot meal and a perfect festive dish too. Need to give this dish a try for Christmas.Yum

    Reply

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about meI’m that girl behind the camera and the creator of all the delicious recipes on this website. I’m a Baltimore food blogger who enjoys nothing more than food!
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