I was intended to make some spinach & artichoke dip but a couple days ago I got the brilliant idea to make a spinach artichoke pasta bake instead. If you like the combination of spinach and artichoke then I can guarantee you will love this dish. Trust me, it’s a real winner!
I decided to add some chicken to this bake because wanted to make this into a more filling meal, but you can definitely leave it out and still have a good vegetarian dish. Your choice.
This pasta bake is comfort food at its best. It’s simple to make and extremely delicious – just toss chicken and pasta with the thick, creamy spinach & artichoke sauce and top with panko and Parmesan mixture. After 25 minutes of bake time, you’ll have a flavorful yummy dish that is sure to please your entire family!
You can never go wrong with the combination of spinach and artichoke so you can imagine how good it must be. This rich and comforting pasta dish is a different way to enjoy this classic combo!

Ingredients
- 8 oz. or 225g) (2 cups) uncooked elbow pasta
- 1 1/2 cups cooked , shredded chicken
For the spinach and artichoke mixture:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion , chopped
- 4 oz. (115g) spinach
- 1 14 oz. (400g) can artichoke hearts , drained, coarsely chopped
For the sauce:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon salt , or more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper , or more to taste
For the topping:
- 1/4 cup Panko
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese , grated
- 1.4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly coat a large baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add elbow pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute for 3 minutes. Add spinach and cook for 2 more minutes, or until wilted. Add artichokes and continue to cook for 1 more minute. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- Melt the butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually add the milk and chicken broth, whisking constantly until smooth. Stir over medium-high heat until sauce is slightly thickened. Lower the heat and stir in garlic powder, cheddar cheese, salt and pepper. Gently fold in spinach and artichoke mixture. Remove from heat. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed.
- Toss together cooked pasta, chicken and sauce. Pour into prepared baking dish. In a small bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, Parmesan and Italian seasoning. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the pasta dish.
- Bake 20-25 minutes or until bubbling around the edges and topping is lightly browned. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.





4 Comments
Vicki
February 9, 2015 at 5:22 pmMade this for dinner last night and both my boys (3.5 and 1.5) devoured several servings. Super yummy and will definitely be making this again, sooner rather than later
Jovita
February 9, 2015 at 6:05 pmThanks Vicki, your comment made my day! I am thrilled you and your boys loved this recipe so much! 😉
Kristina J
December 18, 2023 at 9:45 pmWhat size pan do you use? I would think that could make a big difference in the baking time if I use the wrong pan
Jovita
January 8, 2024 at 8:42 pmIt’s an old recipe so I don’t remember but I think it had to be the usual 9×13 inch 🙂 I would use it.