Chicken Artichoke Flatbread

Chicken Artichoke Flatbread-1-4Appetizers are little bites of anticipation. As you wait for the real deal to be carried out, they take your mind off your grumbling stomach and have you enjoying a morsel of some sort. Appetizers shouldn’t be exclusively for restaurants, though. Why not serve them at your next party?

Here’s a really impressive appetizer that will make your guests’ jaws drop open in astonishment. If you’ve ever been to the Outback Steakhouse and ordered this crowd pleasing item, you’ll know why I was determined to replicate it at home. Bite into this crispy flatbread topped with a creamy spinach and artichoke spread, with chicken and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. It’s a winner, my friend. This flatbread is SO good, it will be the star of the show, instead of just a staller for something more important:). 

Ingredients:

Bread:

3/4 cup hot water (110-115 degrees Fahrenheit)

1 teaspoon active dry yeast

2 teaspoons sugar

2 cups flour, plus more for rolling out the bread

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons olive oil

Chicken:

2-3 chicken breast halves, cut in half horizontally

salt, pepper

1 Tablespoon oil

Spinach Artichoke Spread:

1 Tablespoon butter or olive oil

2 shallots, minced

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

2 pkg (9 oz, each) frozen artichokes, thawed

2 pkg (8 0z, each) cream cheese

10 oz frozen spinach, thawed

Toppings:

1 – 1 1/2 cups Mozzarella cheese, finely grated

1 – 1 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated

fresh parsley, minced, to garnish, optional

Instructions:

Chicken Artichoke Flatbread-1-14Bread Dough:

Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the hot water and let is stand until the yeast starts to foam, about 5 minutes.

In a large bowl of a standing mixer, combine the flour and salt. Mix with the dough hook attachment. Add the oil and then the yeast mixture, and start mixing on low speed. Chicken Artichoke Flatbread-1-12

Chicken Artichoke Flatbread-1-11Increase the speed and mix until a smooth and elastic dough forms. Knead for at least 5 more minutes.  Chicken Artichoke Flatbread-1-10Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place to rise while you are prepping the rest of the ingredients.

Chicken:

Cut the chicken breast halves in half horizontally. It will cook much faster that way.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat the oil in a skillet on medium high heat and cook the chicken until it’s golden brown on both sides. Cook the chicken in batches. Set the chicken aside, covered.

Chicken Artichoke Flatbread-1-15When the chicken is cool enough to handle, cut it into thin strips.

Spinach Artichoke Spread:

Coarsely chop the artichokes. Squeeze out all the liquid out of the spinach.

In a small saucepan, melt 1 Tablespoon butter or olive oil  over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, until tender. Chicken Artichoke Flatbread-1-16Add the artichokes, season with salt and pepper. Cook for 3-5 minutes. Chicken Artichoke Flatbread-1-18Add the cream cheese, reduce heat to medium low, and cook just until the cream cheese melts. Chicken Artichoke Flatbread-1-19Add the spinach and cook for another minute or so, just enough to heat the spinach through. Season with salt and pepper, if it needs it. Set aside.

Chicken Artichoke Flatbread-1-13Assembling and baking the flatbread:

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Place a large rimmed baking sheet in the oven to heat up.

On a floured surface, roll out the dough into paper thin rectangles. You should have about 8 flatbreads in total. Chicken Artichoke Flatbread-1-9When the oven has preheated, along with the baking sheet, take the hot baking sheet out of the oven, and generously spread some olive oil on the surface of the sheet.

Place 2 of the flatbreads on top of the baking sheet. Spread 1/8 of the Spinach Artichoke spread on top of the dough, leaving a clean edge all the way around the flatbread. Top with the pieces of chicken and then with the cheese. Chicken Artichoke Flatbread-1-8Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes.

Repeat with the remaining dough and ingredients.

Top with a smattering of more Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. Serve hot.

This recipe will give you 8 flatbreads, which is perfect for a party, but if you don’t want to make all 8 flatbreads, halve all the ingredients except the dough and make only 4 flatbreads. That’s what I did. The other 4 flatbreads I simply baked in the oven, brushed them with olive oil, sprinkled with a bit of salt and we ate them like crackers. Delicious!

Chicken Artichoke Flatbread-1-6

Chicken Artichoke Flatbread-1-2

Chicken Artichoke Flatbread
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Recipe type: Appetizer
Serves: 16-20
Ingredients
Bread:
  • ¾ cup hot water (110-115 degrees Fahrenheit)
  • 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 cups flour, plus more for rolling out the bread
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
Chicken:
  • 2-3 chicken breast halves, cut in half horizontally
  • salt, pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon oil
Spinach Artichoke Spread:
  • 1 Tablespoon butter or olive oil
  • 2 shallots, minced
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 pkg (9 oz, each) frozen artichokes, thawed
  • 2 pkg (8 0z, each) cream cheese
  • 10 oz frozen spinach, thawed
Toppings:
  • 1 - 1½ cups Mozzarella cheese, finely grated
  • 1 - 1½ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
  • fresh parsley, minced, to garnish, optional
Instructions
Bread dough:
  1. Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the hot water and let is stand until the yeast starts to foam, about 5 minutes.
  2. In a large bowl of a standing mixer, combine the flour and salt. Mix with the dough hook attachment.
  3. Add the oil and then the yeast mixture, and start mixing on low speed. . Increase the speed and mix until a smooth and elastic dough forms. Knead for at least 5 more minutes.
  4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place to rise while you are prepping the rest of the ingredients.
Chicken:
  1. Cut the chicken breast halves in half horizontally. It will cook much faster that way.
  2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.
  3. Heat the oil in a skillet on medium high heat and cook the chicken until it's golden brown on both sides. Cook the chicken in batches. Set the chicken aside, covered.
  4. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, cut it into thin strips.
Spinach Artichoke Spread:
  1. Coarsely chop the artichokes. Squeeze out all the liquid out of the spinach.
  2. In a small saucepan, melt 1 Tablespoon butter or olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, until tender.
  3. Add the artichokes, season with salt and pepper. Cook for 3-5 minutes.
  4. Add the cream cheese, reduce heat to medium low, and cook just until the cream cheese melts.
  5. Add the spinach and cook for another minute or so, just enough to heat the spinach through. Season with salt and pepper, if it needs it. Set aside.
Assembling and baking the flatbread:
  1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Place a large rimmed baking sheet in the oven to heat up.
  2. On a floured surface, roll out the dough into paper thin rectangles. You should have about 8 flatbreads in total. When the oven has preheated, along with the baking sheet, take the hot baking sheet out of the oven, and generously spread some olive oil on the surface of the sheet.
  3. Place 2 of the flatbreads on top of the baking sheet.
  4. Spread ⅛ of the Spinach Artichoke spread on top of the dough, leaving a clean edge all the way around the flatbread. Top with the pieces of chicken and then with the cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes. Repeat with the remaining dough and the rest of the ingredients.
  5. Top with a smattering of more Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. Serve hot.
Notes
This recipe will give you 8 flatbreads, which is perfect for a party, but if you don't want to make all 8 flatbreads, halve all the ingredients except the dough and make only 4 flatbreads. That's what I did. The other 4 flatbreads I simply baked in the oven, brushed them with olive oil, sprinkled with a bit of salt and we ate them like crackers. Delicious!

32 Comments

  • Marina | Let the Baking Begin!

    This is such a great idea! I don’t have any artichokes but already think that roasted garlic, chicken and spinach might not be a bad idea too! Thanks so much!

    • olgak7

      Thanks, Marina! It’s a great combination of flavors. We always order it when we go to Outback Steakhouse, and now we can make it at home any time.

  • Milana

    Oh my Gosh!! This recipe looks and sounds so delicious! Wow! Can’t wait to try this. Even though I don’t like artichokes, I will have to try it with them. Your recipes never disappoint!

    • olgak7

      Thanks, Milana!
      I love trying new ingredients and making my husband try them too:). He’s not as adventurous about food as I am, but he’s started to like SO many foods that he didn’t even try before. It’s so funny, because some of his all time favorite food now has ingredients that he didn’t like or didn’t want to try in the past. Avocado is one of them and artichokes is another. He loved this flatbread and also the fish I made with the artichokes. He still talks about it and loves when I make it:).

  • Alena

    Lovely recipe Olga, thank you i wanna make it tonight, but i got one question?
    U set up your ovet to 500 and u put a baking sheet in the oven? is the a reason why?

    thank you

      • olgak7

        Hi Alena,
        The reason for placing the roasting dish inside the oven is to preheat it, just like you do when you heat up a skillet before adding food to be cooked. Heating up the baking dish, gives it a head start in cooking and creates a really crisp flatbread very quickly.
        You can use fresh spinach, although you should cook it in water or in a skillet until it wilts, cool it off and squeeze out all the moisture, before adding it to the cream cheese. (For best results).

  • Masha

    Me and my husband both enjoyed this recipe today. I have made three of your recipes this week… and all of them pretty successful. I had all the ingredients on hand since I like to make artichoke spinach dip. The only different thing I did was that I left the onion out because my husband is not a fan but I added some jalapeno peppers for little bit of heat. Thanks for great recipe =)

  • Lily Mueller

    Olga this is the recipe I’ve been looking for. Being able to make 8 different pizza’s at once for a gathering. Great recipe!!

  • Maria

    Thank you Olga for this great recipe! I really enjoy cooking with your ideas. 🙂 Can I use fresh artichoke for this flatbread?

    • olgak7

      You’re welcome, Maria.
      I’m sure you can use fresh artichoke for this recipe. Just make sure to clean it well and get our the hearts so the artichokes are not chewy and fibrous. You will also need to cook it longer. I’m not sure of the exact timing, since I’ve never used fresh artichokes for this recipe.

  • Patti McGavic

    I LOVED this flatbread at Outback, but they took it off the menu. I was a little rude to the waitress, even thought it wasn’t her fault. (O.o) But now that I have this…no worries! I think I’ll add chopped avocado to it too. YUMMMM!

  • Elena

    It looks yummy! Olga, where did you find frozen artichokes? I live in FL too but only see them fresh or canned. Thanks! 🙂

  • Lena

    Made this last night for the first time for a party we hosted and everyone RAVED about it! Thanks! It was a little unclear with pan size, size of dough square dimension wise but I winged it and it worked out! Thank you!

  • Brenda Baker

    Looks like I’m having flatbread tonight! I’m wondering about how long the dough rises.
    Thanks for this recipe!

  • Elvira

    Hi Olga, what’s the size of the baking sheet you’re using? Also have you tried to bake on two sheets at a time? I’m trying to save baking time. Planning to make these this weekend and appreciate the input.

    • olgak7

      Hi Elvira,
      The baking sheet size is a half sheet pan: Pan exterior dimensions 17.88 x 12.88 x 1.06 inches and interior dimensions 16.5 x 11.38 x 1 inches
      I wouldn’t recommend baking two sheets at a time, unless you have a convection oven and then rotate the baking sheets halfway through baking, otherwise the flatbreads will cook unevenly.

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