artichoke

Crock Pot Spinach & Artichoke Chicken

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Spring is finally here, which means we are reaching the season of the year when my husband and kids start hollering, “let’s go fishing!”  My husband is the type that will go fishing in a full snow-suit or rain gear.  He’s what you would call obsessed.  He reads fishing magazines and watches pro-fishing on TV.  Like I said… obsessed.  However, there are worse hobbies for a person to have, so I tolerate the fishing string remnants that gets caught in my vacuum cleaner beater bar.  I am more of a fair-weather fisherman… fisherwoman?… Let’s go with “angler.”  I like to fish but only when it’s sunny and warm.  I want no part of being on the lake in winter gear. 

Recently, on a particularly warm and sunny afternoon, we decided it would be a good day to do a little fishing.  Before we ventured out, I threw a supper in the Crock-Pot because I didn’t want to go straight to the kitchen after being out all day.  Oh man, I’m glad I did.  I wish I could say we arrived home with some fresh fish to fry, but let’s just say I was glad we planned to have chicken.  This Crock Pot Spinach & Artichoke Chicken smelled amazing after a day at the lake.  A few minutes to slice and toast some bread was basically all it took to have supper ready.  ~Erin

  • 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 (9 oz.) package frozen spinach, thawed
  • 1 (14 oz.) can quartered artichoke hearts, packed in water; drained
  • 1 T. minced garlic
  • 1 (8 oz) package fat-free cream cheese
  • ½ c. shredded parmesan
  • ½ c. low-moisture part-skim mozzarella
  • 1/3 c. fat-free half & half
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Sliced, toasted French bread, for serving

Place chicken in the bottom of a slow-cooker. 

Squeeze as much water as possible from the thawed spinach and add it to the slow-cooker along with the garlic and drained, quartered artichoke hearts.

Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8.

Remove the chicken from the slow-cooker and shred; return it to the pot.

Add cream cheese, shredded parmesan, mozzarella, half & half, and salt & pepper; stir until melted and creamy.

Serve on toasted French bread slices (optional).

WW Freestyle Info:  This recipe makes approximately 8 half-cup servings.  Each serving is 2 SmartPoints. 

Artichoke Pesto Chicken Pasta

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Pasta is always good for my hungry crew after work, football practice, and a long day of school.  Almost as good as the flavor is the fact that I can make this Pesto Chicken Pasta in less than 30 minutes when I use rotisserie chicken and pre-made pesto sauce.  ~Tracy

ArtichokeChickenPestoPasta

Ingredients:
  • 2 T. butter
  • ½ c. finely chopped white or yellow onion
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ¼ c. flour
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. black pepper
  • ½ c. 1% milk
  • 1 ½ c. chicken broth
  • 3 T. jarred pesto (I like Barilla)
  • half of a 14 oz. can of artichoke hearts packed in water, drained and roughly chopped
  • 1 ½ c. chopped white meat chicken, I use chopped chicken breast from rotisserie chickens
  • 1 lb. pasta, cooked in salted water according to package directions (I used Campanelle pasta)

Instructions: 

  1. Melt butter over medium heat in large, deep skillet.
  2. Add garlic and onion, sauteing for a few minutes until onions begin to become tender.
  3. Add flour, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine with onions and garlic.
  4. Add milk and continue stirring until forms a thick paste with the flour.
  5. Gently stir in the chicken broth until forms a thickening sauce.
  6. Stir in jarred pesto and chopped artichoke hearts.
  7. Add chopped chicken and cooked pasta stirring to combine well.
  8. Serve topped with shredded or sliced parmesan.

WW Freestyle Info.: This recipe makes about 8 one-cup servings. Each serving is 9 points not accounting for parmesan cheese topping.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

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If you’ve been looking for the perfect spinach artichoke dip, look no further. This one is rich and creamy with the just right flavor ratios.  It’s the roasted garlic that really puts it over the top. Share with friends at your next gathering or just make a small batch to enjoy for dinner. If you have a crowd, just know that it will go quickly! ~Robin

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Ingredients:

  • 1 head of fresh garlic
  • 7 oz. frozen* or fresh** spinach (usually comes in a 10 oz. package but I just divide after I thaw it)
  • 1 14 oz. can of artichokes (in brine, not oil; my brand of choice is Reese) drained and chopped (I like bigger chunks but do what suits you)
  • 1 10 oz. container of alfredo sauce (I like Classico Roasted Garlic Alfredo)
  • 1 c. shredded mozzarella, plus a bit for topping
  • 1/3 c. grated parmesan, plus a bit for topping
  • 1 8 oz. package of cream cheese, softened
  • Tortilla chips, pita chips, or mini-toasts for serving

Instructions:

For frozen spinach, once thawed, wrap the spinach in a dark colored tea towel (to prevent staining) and squeeze the excess water out into the sink.  If using fresh, cook and drain liquid.

For fresh spinach, julienne first and set aside before you roast the garlic so the edges aren’t overly moist. You do not want your dip to have a green hue.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Place garlic on a double layer of foil, drizzle with a little olive oil, and close tightly.

Bake about 20 minutes or until soft; remove from heat and open foil, being careful not to burn yourself on the hot oil or garlic.

Once it is cool enough to touch, peel garlic skin away and squeeze the garlic cloves directly into a medium sized bowl; then mash garlic with a fork.

In a medium glass bowl, soften cream cheese in the microwave, then combine with garlic using a fork.

To cream cheese mixture, add spinach, artichoke hearts, Alfredo sauce, and cheeses; then mix well.

Place in an 8” x 8” baking dish, then lightly sprinkle a bit more mozzarella and parmesan on top and bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Broil for up to five minutes after baking if the top hasn’t yet caramelized.  Watch carefully during broiling to avoid burning.

Serve immediately with your favorite chip or mini-toast.

Spicy Italian Chicken & Artichoke Pasta

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All four of us love spicy food, and if you do too, you’ll know how annoying it is that most things marked “spicy” in restaurants are really fairly bland.  After many frustrating Italian restaurant visits (thank goodness for Tiramisu), my husband and I decided to come up with our own perfect pasta.  He tinkered in the kitchen, ending up with a hybrid of some favorite Italian dishes. This creamy, savory pasta is serious comfort food.  And the best part is, we can set some aside for the kids — or guests with low-spice-tolerant palates — and (cayenne!!!) pepper our portions to our hearts’ content.  ~Robin 

Ingredients for Chicken Mixture:

  • 4-6 chicken tenders, depending on size, diced
  • 1/4 cup canned sliced mushrooms, drained (we use Giorgio)
  • 1/2 cup dry, julienned sun dried tomatoes (thoroughly rinsed if packed in oil)*
  • 1 15-oz. can artichoke hearts, drained, then quartered  
  • 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
  • 2 cloves minced fresh garlic (could use jarred garlic, but we prefer fresh)
  • 3 T. butter

Ingredients for Sauce:

  • 1 15-oz. jar roasted garlic Alfredo sauce (We use Classico)
  • 1 ½  cups finely shredded parmesan cheese
  • ⅓ cup milk
  • ¼ to ¾ tsp. of cayenne pepper, aka “red pepper” (depending on heat preference)
  • 8 oz. farfalle (bowtie pasta) — half the box of Barilla that we usually use
  • 3-4 sliced green onions

Ingredients_CknPasta

*The Bella Sun Luci sun-dried tomatoes pictured here are strongly recommended…far superior to those packed in oil both in terms of mess and flavor as far as we’re concerned, but if you’ve found a favorite that’s in oil, that’ll do too!  We normally do fresh garlic, but this is the jarred brand we use if the pantry is lacking the fresh variety.  If you’ve never bought fresh garlic, it keeps much longer than you’d think.

Instructions:

Prepare farfalle per box instructions.

In a small pot, put all sauce ingredients on low heat, stir occasionally while preparing chicken portion (be sure not to let it stick).  

In a large skillet heat butter and garlic on low. Add chicken and Italian seasoning. Increase heat to medium. When chicken begins to brown, add mushrooms, artichokes, and sun-dried tomatoes, heat on medium high for two to three minutes. Add sauce. Simmer for 2-3 minutes stirring occasionally.

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At this point, it’s hard not to just eat this as is, but it’s worth the wait to put it all together.

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Serve over farfalle; top with green onions.  I like to add a little more ground cayenne pepper too, both for a touch of color and, of course, some spice.