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This Spinach Ricotta Chicken is so simple to whip up but tastes like a fancy gourmet meal! Rich and creamy ricotta, parmesan, spinach and a few other simple ingredients come together in this delicious chicken recipe to keep you from making the same old chicken all the time! Ready in 30 minutes too!
I get in major chicken ruts. Its basically BBQ chicken half of the time and shredded chicken tacos the rest.
Trying to be better and say no to the same old boring chicken. And this Simple Baked Spinach Ricotta Chicken is where I am starting!
Any recipe I add ricotta to gets absolutely zero argument from my husband so I already know it is a win. And while ricotta and pasta go together like peanut butter and jelly, it's nice to use the rich, creamy cheese in something else every now and then.
Originally I was going to get super fancy and make it a stuffed chicken since I love my Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken with Tomato and Basil but when it comes to cooking, adding another step to the game is a turnoff.
This chicken ricotta is a breeze because all you have to do is spread the ricotta mixture and bake. Busy weeknights are a less is more in the kitchen kind of thing. But that doesn't mean you have to forfeit a tasty meal. Have a delicious and simple meal!
What you will need:
- I prefer fresh baby spinach in this ricotta chicken, but you can use frozen. If you opt for frozen, thaw the spinach and wring out any excess water for best results.
- For best results, try to get 3-4 chicken breasts that are similar size so they will cook the same length of time.
- We love to try new marinara sauces all the time. Using a different marinara can vary this chicken a lot. I love Newman's Own Sockarooni a TON.
How to make this spinach ricotta chicken recipe:
- Combine the ricotta, parmesan, spinach, red pepper, one garlic clove and Italian seasoning in a bowl and stir well. Check your Italian seasoning. If it includes garlic powder, you may want to adjust the garlic in this step. (steps 1 and 2)
- Line the chicken breasts in a baking pan lightly sprayed with oil. Evenly spread garlic cloves, salt and pepper on the chicken. Salt the meat to your liking. I typically use about ½ teaspoon but adjust to your own taste. Spread the ricotta and spinach mixture over the chicken and spread evenly. (steps 3 and 4)
- Cover the spinach ricotta chicken with marinara and bake. Baking time will vary based on the thickness of your chicken. Make sure your chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Cook time will be about 18-22 minutes. (step 5)
- In the last several minutes of baking, add some freshly shredded parmesan cheese. Allow the chicken to rest for about 5 minutes before serving. (step 6)
Recipe Notes:
- If there are major differences in the thickness of the chicken breasts, you can pound the thicker pieces down slightly.
- Any kind of ricotta should work for this recipe. I prefer whole milk ricotta.
- No spinach? No problem! While it won't technically be "Spinach Ricotta Chicken" anymore, it will still be amazing. I have made this without spinach when I have pulled out some not so fresh spinach from the fridge and no one seemed to complain that evening.
What to serve with this Spinach Ricotta Chicken:
- If you have the oven space, these Roasted Parmesan Green Beans are a fan fave!
- This simple Everyday Italian Salad would be great.
- This may not be the kind of meal you serve with pasta salad, but I LOVE this Tomato Basil Rotini Pasta Salad with any and all chicken dishes.
- Another great salad recipe you may enjoy with this Spinach Ricotta Baked chicken is this Caprese Farro Salad Recipe
- And there is NEVER anything wrong with good old pasta with the chicken!
Check out these other chicken recipes:
- Strawberry Poppy Seed Rotisserie Chicken Salad
- Baked Breaded Chicken Tenders
- Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken with Tomato and Basil
- Honey Lime Baked Chicken Fajitas
- Baked Orange Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner
- Baked Orange Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner
- Simple Chicken and Biscuit Skillet
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Spinach Ricotta Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb chicken breast
- 1 c ricotta cheese
- 1 c fresh chopped spinach
- ½ c parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1 ½ c marinara sauce
- 3 garlic cloves, minced (separated)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ½ teaspoon cracked pepper
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- extra parmesan for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- In a bowl, mix together the ricotta, parmesan, spinach, one garlic clove, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper until fully combined.
- Spray the bottom of a 9x13 pan, or large baking dish with oil. Line the chicken breasts in the pan and evenly season with salt, pepper and 2 of the garlic cloves. Spread the ricotta and spinach mixture over the top of the chicken breasts evenly. Cover the chicken completely with the marinara.
- Bake for about 18-22* minutes or until the thickest section of the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. (For thicker chicken breasts, this could take about 5 minutes longer if not more.) In the last several minutes, add shredded parmesan on top of the chicken and continue baking to melt. If the chicken is thick, it may take longer. Just keep an eye on it.
- Allow chicken to rest about 5 minutes before serving. Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Leftovers of this chicken are even better!
Notes
- If there are major differences in the thickness of the chicken breasts, you can pound the thicker pieces down slightly.
- Any kind of ricotta should work for this recipe. I prefer whole milk ricotta.
- No spinach? No problem! While it won't technically be "Spinach Ricotta Chicken" anymore, it will still be amazing. I have made this without spinach when I have pulled out some not so fresh spinach from the fridge and no one seemed to complain that evening.
Michelle says
Could this be made with thawed, frozen spinach? If so, how much frozen spinach would I use? Thanks!
Lorie says
Hi Michelle! Absolutely you could. When I use frozen spinach, I thaw and squeeze out excess water and usually do about 1/2 cup packed. You can easily adjust to your own liking, but that is typically what I do. Enjoy!
Perla says
I never post comments on Pinterest. This was AMAZING! Delicious and easy! Definitely making again! Yum!
Lorie says
So happy to hear this!!! Thanks for stopping by to let me know--it is one of our very favorites!
Faye says
I don’t know how small your breasts are, but 20 minutes is definitely not long enough to cook this. I have in the oven going on 40 minutes.
Lorie says
Hmmmm. Mine were about 7-8 ounces. The thickness can play a big part in that of course. Thicker chicken will take much longer. In general, chicken breast at 425 will take about 20-25 minutes but that doesn’t take a thick breast into account. You may want to get an oven thermometer and make sure your oven is running hot enough!!
Kylee Bentley says
This is the first time I have ever rated or commented on a recipe. This recipe is SO good. I am not a great cook. I don’t really enjoy cooking but this recipe was easy and tasted amazing. Even my husband said this is really good and said this is a make again recipe. He rarely says that.
Lorie says
Oh my gosh, Kylee, this has made my whole day!!! Thanks so much for commenting, I appreciate it so much.
Leslie says
Made this for dinner….delicious.
Lorie says
Happy you loved it, Leslie! This is one of our favorites!
Candace says
This was tasty! I did add in some chopped sundried tomatoes with the ricotta mixture because I had some I needed to use up. Served with breadsticks, pesto ravioli and Italian oven roasted mushrooms. The fresh spinach did add quite a bit of liquid that I wasn't expecting, but it made for a nice sauce once everything was mixed together. Next time may just serve over pasta to soak up all that sauciness.
Lorie says
Yes, the spinach can make it a bit saucier for sure. thanks for the feedback and glad you still enjoyed it!
Tom L says
I had chicken breast and ricotta in the fridge and was looking for something creative to make for dinner. Although I had to search further down for this recipe (wasn't in the top 3 on my Google search), the search was worth it. Very fast to put together - I even had fresh (not baby) spinach in the fridge and my wife's fantastic homemade tomato sauce. Whole process was very easy and the chicken was tender and delicious. I am usually leery of baking chicken breast for fear of it being dry. This came out prefect! We definitely will make it again and again! I also took advantage of the oven being on and baked some zucchini, red onions and cherry tomatoes tossed with bread crumbs, garlic, parmesan and a little olive oil to go along side the chicken. Overall a great meal!
Lorie says
So happy to hear this was a hit, Tom. And next time I am coming to your place for dinner!!!!
Jordan says
Would this be ok to make as a freezer meal? If so, how would you suggest doing that?
Lorie says
Hi! I think it would—do you plan on cooking the meal from frozen or thawed?
Sarah says
Amazing dish, a definite keeper! Took longer to cook but well worth it! Added some sliced mushrooms to it- ☺️
Lorie says
Amazing! Mushrooms will be in mine next time, thanks! And yes, chicken can be hard when sizes of chicken breast are all over the place. Glad it worked out in the end though. Thanks Sarah!
Karen says
Excellent! And the hubby kept saying “I’ll eat that again”, that was really good!” Thanks!
Lorie says
Yay!! My husband feels the same way about this one!