Description
This Creamy Chicken with Spinach Dinner is a quick and delicious one-pan meal featuring tender, seasoned chicken breasts simmered in a rich and flavorful creamy garlic sauce with fresh spinach and Parmesan cheese. Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner that feels indulgent yet wholesome.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Creamy Sauce and Greens
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half for a lighter version)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (optional)
- 2 cups fresh spinach (or more for extra greens)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Season the chicken breasts on both sides generously with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the chicken breasts until golden brown and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes per side depending on thickness. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Make the Creamy Sauce: In the same skillet, add the minced garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant but not browned. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the pan for extra flavor.
- Add Cream and Seasonings: Stir in the heavy cream (or half-and-half), Dijon mustard if using, dried thyme, and dried basil. Allow the sauce to simmer gently for 3-4 minutes to thicken slightly.
- Add the Spinach: Add the fresh spinach to the skillet and stir until it wilts, about 2 minutes. Then stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until melted and combined into the sauce.
- Combine the Chicken and Sauce: Return the cooked chicken breasts to the skillet, spooning the creamy spinach sauce over the top. Let everything simmer together for 2-3 minutes more to heat through and allow the flavors to meld.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh parsley if desired and serve the creamy chicken with spinach immediately, ideally alongside rice, pasta, or crusty bread to soak up the delicious sauce.
Notes
- You can substitute half-and-half for heavy cream to reduce calories and fat.
- Fresh spinach can be increased for extra greens or swapped with baby kale or Swiss chard.
- Dijon mustard is optional but adds a nice depth of flavor to the sauce.
- To make this gluten-free, ensure the chicken broth used is gluten-free certified.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop or microwave.
