The dish in your photo appears to be a creamy baked chicken casserole with mushrooms, spinach and melted mozzarella/cheese. Since the photo itself doesn’t provide the original ingredient list, the recipe below is a close, practical version designed to produce the same appearance and texture. Similar published versions use chicken, mushrooms, spinach, cream/broth and mozzarella/Parmesan, baked until bubbling and golden.
D
Demi Recipes
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Full Recipe
Servings: 6
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 30–35 minutes
Total: about 55 minutes
Oven: 375°F / 190°C
Dish: 9 × 13-inch / approximately 23 × 33 cm
Ingredients
Chicken
1½ lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1½ tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp Italian seasoning
Vegetables
8 oz (225 g) mushrooms, sliced
4 cups (120–150 g) fresh baby spinach
1 small onion, finely chopped
3–4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp butter
Creamy sauce
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup (240 ml) chicken broth
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
½ cup (120 ml) milk
½ tsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp Italian seasoning
¼ tsp black pepper
Salt to taste
¼ tsp paprika
2 tbsp grated Parmesan
Cheese topping
1 cup (100–120 g) shredded mozzarella
½ cup (45–50 g) grated Parmesan
Optional: ¼ cup cheddar for a stronger cheesy flavor
A similar casserole approach uses flour, broth and milk/cream to create the sauce before adding spinach and cheese.
D
Demi Recipes
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prepare the chicken
Preheat your oven to 375°F / 190°C.
Cut the chicken breasts into bite-size pieces or thin strips.
If using thick chicken breasts, gently pound them to an even thickness. Season with:
salt
pepper
garlic powder
paprika
Italian seasoning
Don’t cut the chicken into extremely small pieces because they can become dry during baking.
2. Brown the chicken
Heat 1½ tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add chicken in a single layer.
Cook for approximately 3–4 minutes per side, just until lightly browned.
It doesn’t have to be completely cooked at this point because it will finish cooking in the oven.
Remove the chicken and set aside.
3. Cook the mushrooms
Reduce heat to medium.
Add 1 tablespoon butter.
Add sliced mushrooms.
Cook for approximately 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Let the mushrooms brown rather than simply steam. This gives the casserole much more flavor.
Add the chopped onion and cook another 2–3 minutes.
4. Add garlic
Add the minced garlic.
Cook for approximately 30 seconds.
Don’t brown the garlic heavily—it can become bitter.
5. Make the creamy sauce
Add another 2 tablespoons butter.
Once melted, sprinkle in 2 tablespoons flour.
Stir constantly for about 1 minute.
Slowly pour in the chicken broth while whisking.
Then add:
heavy cream
milk
Dijon mustard
Italian seasoning
paprika
black pepper
Parmesan
Simmer gently for 3–5 minutes, stirring frequently.
The sauce should become creamy enough to coat the back of a spoon.
6. Add the spinach
Add the fresh spinach in handfuls.
Stir for 1–2 minutes, until it wilts.
Don’t cook it for too long—the spinach will continue cooking in the oven.
If using frozen spinach, thaw it first and squeeze out as much water as possible. Excess water can make the casserole runny. This is also recommended in comparable chicken-spinach casserole recipes.
F
Food Network
7. Combine everything
Return the browned chicken to the skillet.
Stir gently so the chicken becomes coated with the creamy mushroom-spinach sauce.
Taste the sauce.
Adjust:
salt
pepper
garlic
Parmesan
as needed.
8. Transfer to baking dish
Lightly grease a 9 × 13-inch baking dish.
Transfer the chicken mixture into the dish.
Spread it evenly.
9. Add the cheese
Mix:
1 cup mozzarella
½ cup Parmesan
Sprinkle evenly over the casserole.
For the appearance in your photograph, make sure there is a fairly generous layer of mozzarella across the top.
10. Bake
Bake uncovered at:
375°F / 190°C for approximately 20–25 minutes.
You want the sauce bubbling around the edges and the cheese melted and golden.
For a darker, restaurant-style top, switch to broil/grill for 1–2 minutes at the end.
Watch it continuously because cheese can burn very quickly.
Chicken should reach 165°F / 74°C internally at the thickest part.
F
Fox and Briar
+1
11. Rest before serving
Remove from the oven.
Let stand for 5–10 minutes before serving.
This allows the sauce to thicken slightly rather than running all over the plate.
Garnish with:
fresh parsley
Parmesan
freshly cracked black pepper
What It Should Look Like
For the appearance in your photo, aim for:
Bottom: creamy sauce + spinach
Middle: browned chicken + mushrooms
Top: mozzarella/Parmesan
Finish: browned, bubbling cheese
The mushrooms should remain visible on top rather than being completely submerged.
Nut Information / Allergens
If by “nut info” you mean nuts and allergens, the basic recipe contains no tree nuts or peanuts.
Naturally nut-free ingredients
Chicken
Spinach
Mushrooms
Onion
Garlic
Olive oil
Butter
Milk
Cream
Mozzarella
Parmesan
Seasonings
Potential allergens
Milk/dairy:
Yes—butter, cream, milk, mozzarella and Parmesan contain dairy.
Gluten:
Yes, because the sauce uses wheat flour.
Egg:
Normally no egg is required.
Peanuts:
No.
Tree nuts:
No.
Soy:
Usually no, but check packaged cheese, broth and seasonings for additives if you have a serious allergy.
Nut-free version
Use the recipe exactly as written and make sure:
your packaged ingredients are labeled nut-free if required
your kitchen utensils haven’t had contact with nuts
packaged chicken broth and cheese are checked for allergen warnings.
For gluten-free, replace the flour with a gluten-free all-purpose flour or use cornstarch as the thickener. Comparable chicken-spinach casserole recipes also use gluten-free flour/cornstarch alternatives.
F
Food Network
Approximate Nutrition
For 6 servings, using the ingredients above:
Nutrient Approx. per serving
Calories 500–560 kcal
Protein 40–45 g
Carbohydrates 12–16 g
Fat 32–38 g
Saturated fat 16–20 g
Fiber 2–3 g
Sugar 3–5 g
Sodium ~650–900 mg
Calcium ~300–400 mg
These are estimates, not laboratory values. The actual numbers depend heavily on the chicken size, cream, cheese, broth and amount of salt used. Published versions of similar dishes show substantial variation in calories and macros depending on ingredients.
C
Chicken Delish
+1
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I use chicken thighs?
Yes. Boneless, skinless thighs work particularly well because they stay juicy.
Use approximately 1½ lb / 680 g.
2. Can I use frozen spinach?
Yes.
Thaw completely and squeeze out excess water before adding it.
3. Can I use canned mushrooms?
Yes, but fresh mushrooms give a much better texture.
If using canned mushrooms, drain them extremely well and briefly sauté them before adding them.
4. Can I use only mozzarella?
Absolutely.
Mozzarella gives the stretchy melted-cheese effect shown in the photo. Parmesan adds more salty, savory flavor.
5. Can I use cream cheese?
Yes. Replace approximately ½ cup of the heavy cream with 4 oz / 115 g cream cheese.
Allow it to soften first and whisk it into the sauce.
6. Can I make it without flour?
Yes.
Use approximately 1½ tablespoons cornstarch, mixed with a little cold broth or milk first, then add it to the sauce.
7. Can I make it low-carb/keto?
Yes. Omit the flour and use a low-carb thickener such as a small amount of xanthan gum or cream cheese.
Don’t add rice or pasta.
8. Can I add pasta?
Definitely.
Cook approximately 8 oz / 225 g pasta until just al dente, then combine it with the chicken and sauce before baking.
Pasta-based chicken-spinach-mushroom casseroles are also a common variation.
C
Carrie’s Experimental Kitchen
9. Can I add rice?
Yes.
Use approximately 2 cups cooked rice and mix it into the casserole before adding the cheese.
10. Can I prepare it ahead?
Yes.
Assemble the casserole, cover tightly and refrigerate.
Bake when needed, allowing some additional time if the casserole is cold from the refrigerator.
11. Can I freeze it?
Yes, but cream sauces can sometimes separate slightly after freezing.
For best results, cool completely, cover tightly and freeze.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
12. How do I reheat leftovers?
Reheat at 350°F / 175°C, covered with foil, until hot.
If the sauce has thickened too much, add a splash of milk or chicken broth. This is also recommended for similar refrigerated/frozen casseroles.
C
Carrie’s Experimental Kitchen
13. Why is my casserole watery?
Usually one of these:
spinach contained too much water
mushrooms weren’t cooked long enough
frozen spinach wasn’t squeezed dry
too much broth was added
casserole wasn’t allowed to rest
Cook mushrooms until their excess moisture evaporates and squeeze frozen spinach very well.
14. Why is my chicken dry?
The most common reason is overcooking.
Brown the chicken briefly, then allow it to finish cooking in the casserole. Use a thermometer and remove it once the thickest part reaches 165°F / 74°C.
15. Can I make it spicier?
Yes. Add:
½ tsp red pepper flakes
¼–½ tsp cayenne
sliced jalapeño
hot paprika
16. What can I serve with it?
Good options include:
garlic bread
roasted potatoes
rice
pasta
mashed potatoes
steamed broccoli
green beans
simple green salad
For a lower-carbohydrate meal, serve it with roasted broccoli, cauliflower or a salad.
My Recommended Version for the Photo
If your goal is to reproduce the exact visual style of the photograph, I’d use:
Chicken + lots of mushrooms + fresh spinach + heavy cream + garlic + Parmesan + mozzarella, with no pasta or rice.
With years of experience in restaurant research and local SEO, Sara creates accurate, user-friendly guides that work for both people and search engines. Her goal is to help users go from search results to their nearest restaurant or menu choice with as few clicks as possible.
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