Creamy Spinach Artichoke Bake with Chicken Meatballs

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Light yet satisfying. This spinach artichoke bake with chicken meatballs might be one of my all-time favorite pantry pasta recipes. The sauce is light, yet flavorful and tastes so good with the sweet artichokes, earthy spinach, and juicy chicken meatballs.

Variations

• Swap the protein. If chicken meatballs are not your thing, you can use turkey instead.
• Swap the pasta cut. For this recipe, I used mini rigatoni pasta. The mini rigatoni works well because it’s easy to eat and the sauce clings to the small grooves in the pasta. Be sure to cook you pasta al dente because it will continue to cook in the oven. Other options are penne, bowtie or cavatappi.

Expert Tips

• For the chicken meatballs, I was about to get about 30 mini meatballs. You will want to sear them in a frying pan with vegetable oil so that they get a light brown sear on the outside. Place the seared meatballs on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil. The meatballs will finish cooking in the oven. Just make sure they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
• When rolling the meatballs wet your hands with water to prevent sticking.
• When shallow frying the meatballs, do not overcrowd the pan.
• Option to finish this dish with an extra dusting of grated parmesan cheese, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and a few turns of cracked black pepper.

How to Make

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 9×13-inch ceramic baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set it aside.

Cook the Pasta

• Boil a pot of water and cook the mini rigatoni according to the package. Al dente is best, as it will continue cooking in the oven. Drain the water using a colander and drizzle the pasta with olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.

Prepare the Chicken Meatballs

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken, milk, egg, Italian breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, onion powder, garlic powder, dried parsley, dried oregano, kosher salt and cracked black pepper.
• Form the chicken mixture into evenly sized meatballs. I was able to get 30 small meatballs.
• Heat an 11-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the vegetable oil and allow it to get hot. Once the oil is hot but not smoking, add the meatballs to the oil to get a golden-brown sear.Turn frequently to prevent burning. Repeat for all of the meatballs. Place the meatballs on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil.

Prepare the Sauce

• In a 3.5-quart saucepan over medium heat add the butter, diced onion, and minced garlic. Saute until soft.
• Deglaze the pan with low sodium chicken broth and let it reduce by 1/4. Next, add the reserved pasta water and whipped cream cheese. Stir until melted and combined. Next, add the grated parmesan cheese and stir until combined. Taste and season with kosher salt and cracked black pepper accordingly.
• Once the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy, add the artichoke hearts and spinach. Let the spinach completely wilt.

Assemble

• Add the cooked pasta and chicken meatballs to the spinach artichoke sauce. Once everything is well coated, pour the mixture into the 9×13-inch ceramic baking dish. Top with mozzarella pearls, cover with foil.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken meatballs are fully cooked through. You will want them to be 165 degrees Fahrenheit inside. Remove the foil and broil the entire dish for 2-3 minutes to get the cheese crispy.Finish with extra grated parmesan and red pepper flakes. Serve and enjoy.

Storage

• Store any leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for four to five days. Reheat in the microwave until heated through.

Other Pasta Recipes To Try

• Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta
• Marry Me Ditalini Sausage Pasta
• One Pot Homemade Hamburger Helper
• Vegetarian Bolognese
• Shrimp Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce