Chicken and Spinach Casserole

* Make Ahead * Weeknight Winner *

I know you have all run out and tried making your own rotisserie chicken. And you have probably looked at your new rotisserie and realized there is room for *gasp* 2 chickens!

It’s your lucky day – I have the most delicious way to use that second chicken for dinner the next night. Isn’t it beautiful? You can thank me later.

Chicken and Spinach Casserole       

Adapted from Martha Stewart Living

Serves 6

2 cups torn bread

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse salt and ground pepper

4 lbs packed flat-leaf spinach, washed

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

¼ cup white wine

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1½ cups half-and-half

½ tsp fresh lemon juice

2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken

Preheat oven to 450˚. In a medium bowl, combine bread with 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt. Set aside. In a medium pot, heat 1½ teaspoons oil over medium-high. Add spinach; season with salt. Cook, stirring, until wilted, 2 minutes. Transfer to a colander, let cool, then squeeze out water. Coarsely chop.

Wipe pot clean and heat 1½ teaspoons oil over medium. Add onion, garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft, about 8 minutes.

Add wine to pot and cook until almost evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Gradually whisk in half-and-half. Add lemon juice and bring mixture to a boil over high.

Remove from heat and stir in chopped spinach and chicken; season with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a 2-quart baking dish and top with bread pieces.

Bake until bread is golden brown and mixture is bubbling, 8 to 10 minutes.

Editor’s Note: Assemble and refrigerate this, uncooked, a day ahead. Add bread before baking.

For a printable version of this recipe, please click here.