Ingredients

• 16 oz cottage cheese (4% preferred)
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp avocado oil or olive oil
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste
• ½ cup low-moisture, part-skim, finely shredded mozzarella cheese
• ⅔ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
• 1 can artichoke hearts (16 oz), drained
• 6 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Optional but recommended: Generously season the cubed chicken breast with kosher salt and allow it to rest at room temperature for 20 minutes or longer while preparing the other ingredients. This dry-brining step helps keep the chicken juicy and flavorful.
   • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, kosher salt
3. Place the drained artichoke hearts in a thin dish towel, cheesecloth, or paper towel and squeeze firmly to remove as much liquid as possible. Some crushing is perfectly fine. Finely chop the artichokes and set aside.
   • 1 can artichoke hearts
4. Using the same towel, squeeze all excess moisture from the thawed spinach. This step is essential for preventing a watery casserole.
   • 6 oz frozen chopped spinach
5. Heat a large pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the oil, then spread the chicken evenly in the pan so the pieces do not overlap. Season with black pepper. Cook for 2–3 minutes, flip, and cook another 2–3 minutes until the chicken is mostly cooked through. Remove from the pan, draining off any excess liquid, and set aside.
   • 1 tsp avocado oil, black pepper
6. Add the cottage cheese, garlic cloves, kosher salt, black pepper, and onion powder to a small food processor. Blend until completely smooth.
   • 16 oz cottage cheese, 2 garlic cloves, ½ tsp kosher salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, ¼ tsp onion powder
7. In the baking dish, combine the cooked chicken, spinach, chopped artichokes, blended cottage cheese, and about ⅔ of both the mozzarella and parmesan, reserving the remaining cheese for later. Stir until evenly mixed, then spread into an even layer.
   • ½ cup mozzarella cheese, ⅔ cup parmesan cheese
8. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.
9. Remove the foil, sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and parmesan evenly over the top, and return the dish to the oven, uncovered, for 10 minutes. For a golden, bubbly finish, switch to broil for the last few minutes if desired. Serve warm and enjoy.