Chicken, Spinach and Mushroom Low-Carb Oven Dish is tender thin-sliced chicken baked under a blanket of spinach, mushrooms and a creamy green onion cream cheese sauce, finished with bubbly, golden mozzarella. It is a comforting, low-carb dinner that comes together in one baking dish on a weeknight.
How to make the chicken spinach mushroom bake: Layer thin chicken breasts, spinach and mushrooms in a 9×13-inch dish, season, pour on a sauce of softened green onion cream cheese, olive oil and broth, and bake covered at 375°F for 20 minutes. Add mozzarella and bake 10 minutes more.
Why You’ll Love It
- Low in carbs: chicken, vegetables, cream cheese and mozzarella, with no pasta or rice.
- One dish: everything layers raw into the pan and bakes together.
- Quick bake: thin-sliced chicken cooks through in about 30 minutes.
- Creamy and cheesy: the cream cheese sauce keeps the chicken juicy under the melted cheese.
Ingredient Notes
Thin-sliced chicken breasts: Six thin cutlets cook quickly and evenly. If you only have thick breasts, slice them in half horizontally so they finish in the same time.
Green onion cream cheese: One tub of the spreadable kind gives the sauce its oniony flavor without chopping. Soften it well so it whisks smoothly with the oil and broth.
Mushrooms and baby spinach: A large package of sliced mushrooms and a small bag of spinach. The spinach looks like a lot but wilts down to almost nothing in the oven.
Herb and garlic seasoning: Any herb-and-garlic blend works; I season generously, because the mild chicken, spinach and cheese need it.
Mozzarella: Eight ounces, shredded, added for the last 10 minutes so it melts and browns without burning.
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Ingredients
- 6 thin-sliced chicken breasts
- 1 container green onion cream cheese
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 large package sliced mushrooms
- 1 small bag fresh baby spinach
- Weber Herb and Garlic Seasoning, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- 8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
How to Make Chicken, Spinach and Mushroom Bake
1. Heat the oven. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
2. Layer. Place the chicken breasts in a single layer in the dish. Spread the spinach and mushrooms over the chicken and season with the herb and garlic seasoning and pepper.
3. Make the sauce. In a microwave-safe bowl, soften the green onion cream cheese, then whisk in the olive oil and chicken broth until smooth and creamy. Pour it over the chicken and vegetables.
4. Bake. Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle the mozzarella on top and bake for 10 minutes more, until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) and the cheese is melted and golden.
5. Rest. Let it cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh herbs if you like.
How to Keep It From Getting Watery
Spinach and mushrooms are mostly water, and they release it as they bake. That liquid mixes with the sauce, which is good up to a point, but too much makes the dish soupy.
Two things help. The foil goes on loosely, not sealed tight, so some steam escapes during the first 20 minutes. And the 10-minute rest at the end lets the sauce thicken and settle before you cut in.
If your mushrooms look very wet, I sauté them for a few minutes first to cook off some water before layering them. It is an extra pan, but the sauce stays creamy instead of thin.
Tips for Success
Why is the chicken tough?
It baked too long or the pieces were uneven. Use thin cutlets of the same size and pull the dish once the chicken reaches 165°F.
Why is the sauce lumpy?
The cream cheese was not soft enough. Warm it in the microwave in short bursts and whisk until smooth before adding the broth.
Why did the cheese brown too much?
It went on too early. Add the mozzarella only after the foil comes off.
Variations
- Swap the cheese: use provolone, Swiss or a mix with Parmesan on top.
- Add bacon: scatter cooked, crumbled bacon over the spinach before the sauce goes on.
- More vegetables: add sliced bell peppers or artichoke hearts with the mushrooms.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and use them within 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for 3 to 4 months. Reheat until the chicken reaches 165°F. The cream cheese sauce may look a little separated after reheating; a quick stir brings it back together.
What to Serve With It
For a low-carb meal, serve it with roasted cauliflower, a green salad or cheesy asparagus casserole. For more chicken with spinach and mushrooms, try the stovetop chicken, spinach and mushroom skillet or smothered chicken with creamed spinach, bacon and mushrooms. Other easy bakes include baked cream cheese chicken and garlic butter mushroom stuffed chicken, and for a low-carb beef night, bacon cheeseburger casserole.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you bake chicken with mushrooms and spinach?
Layer thin chicken breasts in a dish, cover them with spinach and mushrooms, pour a creamy sauce over the top and bake covered at 375°F, then add cheese for the last 10 minutes.
Can I use frozen spinach?
Yes. Thaw it and squeeze out as much water as you can first, or the dish will be watery.
Is it keto friendly?
It is low in carbohydrates: chicken, mushrooms, spinach, cream cheese and mozzarella, with no flour, pasta or rice. Check your broth and seasoning labels if you are counting carbs closely.
Can I assemble it ahead?
Yes, a few hours ahead. Layer the chicken and vegetables, cover the dish and refrigerate it, and keep the sauce in a separate container. Pour the sauce over just before baking and add a few extra minutes, since everything starts cold.
Chicken, Spinach and Mushroom Bake at a Glance
This low carb oven dish layers thin chicken breasts with a creamy green onion cream cheese sauce, mushrooms, baby spinach and melted mozzarella. It takes about 55 minutes and serves six.
- Chicken: six thin-sliced chicken breasts with herb and garlic seasoning and pepper.
- Sauce: green onion cream cheese whisked with olive oil and chicken broth.
- Vegetables: a large package of sliced mushrooms and a bag of fresh baby spinach.
- Topping: 8 ounces of shredded mozzarella.
Final Notes
Keep the foil loose and let the dish rest before serving, and the sauce stays creamy. If you have a question or make it, tell me how it turned out in the comments.
Chicken, Spinach and Mushroom Low-Carb Oven Dish
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Ingredients
- 6 thin sliced chicken breasts
- 1 container green onion cream cheese
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 large package sliced mushrooms
- 1 small bag fresh baby spinach
- Weber Herb and Garlic Seasoning to taste
- Pepper to taste
- 8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish to prevent sticking.
- Place the chicken breasts in a single layer in the baking dish. Evenly distribute spinach and mushrooms over the chicken. Season with Weber Herb and Garlic Seasoning and pepper to taste.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, soften the green onion cream cheese, then whisk in olive oil and chicken broth until smooth and creamy. Pour over the chicken, spinach, and mushrooms.
- Cover the baking dish loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese on top, and bake for an additional 10 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) and the cheese is melted and golden.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates based on the listed ingredients and serving count. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion sizes.
