Equipment
Ingredients
Poultry and Seasoning
- 650 g boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 2.5-cm cubes
- 6 g fine sea salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Aromatics and Liquid Base
- 30 ml olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 garlic, minced
- 1 g crushed red pepper flakes
- 500 ml chicken broth
Vegetables and Dairy
- 280 g frozen chopped spinach, thawed and thoroughly squeezed dry
- 400 g jarred quartered artichoke hearts in water, drained and patted dry
- 150 g cream cheese, softened at room temperature, cut into 2-cm cubes
- 60 ml heavy cream
- 50 g parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 10 g fresh dill, finely chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 547 kcal
- Protein
- 51 g
- Carbohydrates
- 17 g
- Fat
- 32 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Zinc
- 2.3 mg
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the thawed chopped spinach in the center of a clean kitchen towel and twist tightly over the sink to squeeze out all excess moisture until the mass feels dense and dry.
Pat the cubed chicken completely dry on a cutting board using paper towels, then season evenly on all sides with 4g fine sea salt and 1g black pepper.
Set the Dutch oven over medium-high heat on the stovetop and pour in 30ml olive oil, warming for 2 minutes until it shimmers across the base.
Add the seasoned chicken cubes in a single, uncrowded layer and sear for 5 minutes, turning occasionally until lightly golden on multiple sides, then transfer the partially cooked meat onto a clean plate.
Reduce the heat to medium, add the finely diced yellow onion into the residual fat in the Dutch oven, and cook for 4 minutes while stirring with a wooden spoon until translucent and tender.
Stir the minced garlic and 1g crushed red pepper flakes into the onions and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
Pour in 500ml chicken broth while scraping the bottom of the Dutch oven firmly with the wooden spoon to release all caramelized browned bits into the liquid.
Return the seared chicken and any accumulated resting juices to the Dutch oven, add the drained artichoke hearts, and bring the liquid to a gentle simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes.
Lower the stovetop heat to medium-low, add 150g cubed cream cheese and 60ml heavy cream, and stir constantly with the wooden spoon for 3 minutes until the cheese dissolves into a smooth, creamy sauce.
Fold in the squeezed dry spinach and 50g finely grated parmesan, then simmer gently for 4 minutes until the stew coats the back of a spoon and an instant-read digital food thermometer inserted into the center of the largest chicken piece registers at least 74°C (165°F).
Remove the Dutch oven from the heat, stir in 10g finely chopped fresh dill, and season to taste with the remaining 2g fine sea salt and 1g black pepper before serving hot.
Chef's Notes
- Thoroughly wringing out the thawed frozen spinach is the single most critical step in this recipe; unwrung spinach holds roughly its own weight in water, which will thin your rich broth into an unappealing liquid.
- Using room-temperature cream cheese prevents temperature shock when introduced to the warm broth, ensuring it melts evenly into a smooth emulsion without clumping.
- Jarred artichoke hearts packed in water or light brine offer a pleasant, mild acidity that cuts through the rich dairy fats; drain and gently blot them so their liquid does not mask the delicate herbs.
- Always fold the fresh dill in off the heat at the very end; heating dill excessively destroys its delicate volatile aromatics and dulls its vibrant green hue.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Cool rapidly to room temperature within 2 hours of cooking, then transfer to an airtight container and store at or below 4°C (40°F).
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze in a rigid airtight container leaving 1 cm headspace. Thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours prior to reheating.
Reheating: Place in a saucepan over medium-low heat and warm gently, stirring frequently, until steaming hot throughout and registering an internal temperature of at least 74°C (165°F). Whisk in a splash of chicken broth if the sauce has thickened during storage.
Troubleshooting
The dairy sauce looks curdled or grainy
Cause: The cooking temperature was too high after adding the cream cheese and parmesan, causing milk proteins to denature and separate from fat
Fix: Remove the Dutch oven from heat and vigorously whisk in 30 to 45ml of hot chicken broth until the sauce re-emulsifies
Prevention: Lower the heat to medium-low before stirring in dairy, and ensure the stew never reaches a violent rolling boil
The stew tastes watery and lacks sauce body
Cause: Residual water remained in the thawed spinach or the artichoke hearts were inadequately drained
Fix: Stir together 5g cornstarch with 15ml cold water in a small cup, stir into the simmering stew, and cook for 2 minutes to thicken
Prevention: Twist the thawed spinach firmly in a clean kitchen towel until no more drops can be expelled
Chicken breast cubes are chewy or dry
Cause: Chicken pieces were cut unevenly or overcooked past the recommended safe internal threshold
Fix: Cannot be fixed once overcooked; substituting boneless skinless chicken thighs next time will provide greater forgiveness against overcooking
Prevention: Maintain uniform 2.5-cm dice and test with an instant-read digital food thermometer, stopping cooking right at 74°C (165°F)
Cultural Context
Warm spinach and artichoke dip became a quintessential American gathering staple during the late twentieth century, celebrated across casual dining chains and domestic parties alike. This recipe translates the signature flavor profile of that indulgent appetizer into a satisfying weeknight stew, relying on accessible freezer and pantry staples for speed while maintaining refined restaurant-quality texture.
