Baked Ricotta Chicken Recipe
This easy spinach ricotta chicken bake layers tender chicken breasts with creamy ricotta, spinach, marinara, and plenty of melty cheese. It’s a cozy, cheesy 30-minute dinner with very little effort and absolutely no reason to boil a noodle.
Servings 6
Calories 420kcal
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts or thighs
- 16 ounces ricotta cheese (15-16 ounces whole milk ricotta- about 2 cups)
- 1 cup spinach chopped
- 1 cup Mozzarella cheese shredded (divided use)
- ½ cup parmesan cheese grated (divided use)
- 2 cups marinara sauce I used spicy Arrabiata sauce
- 4 garlic cloves minced (divided use)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Mix Mozzarella and Parmesan together in a medium bowl.
- In a bowl, mix together the ricotta, half the cheese mixture, spinach, half the garlic, and Italian seasoning until combined.
- Oil a 13x9-inch baking dish with olive oil or spray with no stick cooking spray.
- Add the chicken breasts in a single layer to the pan.
- Season with salt, pepper, and remaining garlic.
- Spread the spinach and ricotta mixture over the top of the chicken breasts in an even layer.
- Cover completely with the marinara.
- Bake about 20 minutes, or until nearly cooked through. Remove from oven, add the remaining cheese mixture and place back in the oven until the cheese is melted.
- Remove from oven when the thickest part of the chicken registers 165℉ on an instant read thermometer and allow chicken to rest about 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
Storage:
Store your leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Or freeze for up to 3 months.
Cover tightly with plastic wrap then aluminum foil and freeze unbaked for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking as directed.
Tips
- Different thicknesses of chicken cook at different rates. Butterfly or pound the chicken into even thicknesses if one end is much thicker than the other.
- Test chicken dishes like this one for doneness with a meat thermometer—it's cooked when the breast meat reaches 165°F.
- For best results, pat chicken dry with paper towels to help the cheese mixture stick better.
Nutrition
Calories: 420kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 157mg | Sodium: 893mg | Potassium: 951mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1408IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 357mg | Iron: 2mg
