Chicken and Rice with Spinach and Artichoke Hearts

Chicken and Rice with Spinach and Artichoke Hearts gives us a healthy fall dinner incorporating our all-time favorite dip.

Is there anyone who doesn’t love spinach and artichoke dip? If only we could find a reason to make a supper out of it.

Here’s your chance. Chicken and Rice with Spinach and Artichoke Hearts gives us a healthy fall dinner incorporating our all-time favorite dip. Nutty brown rice gets creamy with the addition of a little light cream cheese (no one will ever know you didn’t use full-fat), and it gets flavored with onion, garlic, and, of course, spinach and artichokes. Browned chicken nestles in the mix to create a one-pot family dinner that is entirely loveable.

I can’t say you’ll never go back to the original super-creamy dip version of spinach and artichoke hearts, but at the very least you’ll have a new addition to your repertoire that’s likely to prompt the question, “Can I have seconds?”

Chicken and Rice with Spinach and Artichoke Hearts

2 tablespoons of olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, rinsed and patted dry
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
¾ teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
½ yellow onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup uncooked brown rice
2 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth
4 ounces light cream cheese, at room temperature
1 14-ounce can artichoke heart quarters
3 cups baby spinach leaves
½ cup grated parmesan
Chopped green onion for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a Dutch oven with a lid or an oven-proof skillet, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper and sear, undisturbed, until browned, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken to a plate. 

Reduce the heat to medium, and add the onion and garlic to the same Dutch oven. Cook for about 4 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Stir in the rice and cook 1 minute. Stir in the cream cheese and then the broth. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and stir in artichoke hearts and spinach. Place the chicken breasts on top. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cover, sprinkle the parmesan over the top, and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the top begins to crisp around the edges.