Microwave spinach artichoke chicken and rice
Everything you love about spinach artichoke dip, creamy, garlicky and cheesy, stirred through chicken and spooned over rice so it counts as dinner.
- 15 min total
- 8 min hands-on
- Follow-a-recipe easy
- Serves 1
- About $3.42 a serving
- 540 calories
- Gluten-free
Dolly says: Read the steps once before you start. Everything goes smoother after that.
Ingredients
For 1 servings.
- ½ cup frozen chopped spinach
- 2 tbsp cream cheese
- 2 tbsp milk
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan
- ¼ cup artichoke hearts, drained
- ¾ cup canned chicken breast, drained
- 2 tbsp shredded mozzarella
- 1 cup microwave rice pouches, half an 8.8 oz pouch
From your pantry
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
Each serving has about 540 calories, 37 g protein, 54 g carbs and 21 g fat, and costs about $3.42 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No milk? Half-and-half works.
- No grated parmesan? Parmesan wedge works.
- No shredded mozzarella? Provolone slices work.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
Microwave the frozen spinach in a covered mug for 1½ minutes, let it cool a little, then squeeze out the water with your hand.
Timer: 1 min 30 sec
Dolly’s tip: Squeeze hard. Watery spinach makes a thin, watery sauce.Microwave the cream cheese in a microwave-safe bowl for 15 seconds to soften, then in the milk, garlic powder and parmesan until smooth.
Stir. Stirring means moving food around with a spoon or spatula so it cooks evenly and doesn’t stick. Unless the recipe says constantly, every so often is plenty, and it gives food time to brown.
How you’ll know: When you drag the spoon across the bottom, nothing is sticking or scorching.
Timer: 15 sec
Tear the artichoke hearts into bite-size pieces over the bowl, then add the spinach and chicken and stir to coat.
Scatter the mozzarella over the top, cover, and microwave 2 minutes, until bubbling and the cheese .
Melt. Melting means gently heating something solid, like butter or cheese, until it turns liquid. Low or medium heat keeps it from browning or burning.
How you’ll know: It’s smooth and liquid, and butter may foam a little but hasn’t turned brown.
Timer: 2 min
Food safety: Rotisserie chicken, deli meat, canned tuna and cooked shrimp are already cooked. Keep them cold until you use them, and heat them until steaming hot if the recipe warms them.
Heat the rice in its pouch as the package says, usually 90 seconds, and put half in a bowl.
Timer: 1 min 30 sec
Pile the creamy chicken over the rice and finish with of red pepper flakes.
Pinch. A pinch is what you can hold between your thumb and two fingers, less than an eighth of a teaspoon. It’s a small, forgiving amount, so there’s no need to measure.
How you’ll know: It’s a light sprinkle you can barely see on the food, not a little pile.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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