One Skillet Chicken with Spinach Artichoke Cream Sauce
It’s another one skillet chicken recipe! This easy chicken dinner comes complete with the veggies too! It’s a cross between a creamy spinach artichoke dip and sautéed skillet chicken in cream sauce — so GOOD!
Skillet Chicken with Spinach Artichoke Cream Sauce!
Whether or not i’m on track with ALL my new years resolutions for the year, I can’t (read: won’t) say. But there is one that i’ve committed to for good and totally sticking to it — to include tons of veggies in my everyday meals. And what better way to do that than smother it in homemade cream sauce that’s still surprisingly figure friendly and loaded with good-for-you protein.
You guys. This is the newest addition to the one skillet chicken dinner family. And boy! It’s a winner. Creamy spinach and artichoke dip flavored cream sauce with sautéed chicken breasts nuzzled in and baked until all of that sauce is nice and bubbly and perfect to scoop on top of cooked rice or pasta.
Friends this is totally rainy-day comfort food.
And speaking of comfy time. Our couch that we ordered back in NOVEMBER, yes, as in last year, finally came in. ??? I am beyond thrilled, y’all. My T.V. was in the middle of my formal living room since we moved in because the formal couch was too big (and HEAVY!) to move to the family room. We ordered a super comfy sectional and you betcha i’ve been spending some good ol’ quality time on there since we got it. I will admit that I had a moment of sheer panic, like someone stabbed me in the chest with an icicle when the delivery guys brought the couch in. I mean we measured it (and once again for good measure) but you never really get the whole picture till it’s brought into the room, do you? Luckily, once the panic attack subsided, with a little shuffling we were able to get the place together and I can’t wait to do a reveal here, once I finish the 1,828 projects i’ve got planned for the place.
And now I look forward to cozy meals like this one skillet chicken and nap time on the couch. <– Enjoying the little things in life, new years resolution #2. ✔️✔️✔️
But seriously let’s get back to this 30 minute chicken dinner situation. Sautéed chicken + spinach + artichokes + cream sauce. It doesn’t even make sense how so many good things can be put together to make one ?? DYNO-MITE dinner in just one skillet.
As i’ve mentioned in other one skillet chicken dinner recipes, you can swap out the the boneless, skinless chicken breasts for thighs if you’re a fan of dark meat. And don’t be alarmed when you see that we’re only cooking the chicken breasts for 2 minutes on each side. The chicken will get cooked completely in the oven along with the spinach and artichoke cream sauce.
There is something to be said about this sauce! Clearly the inspiration for this came from a spinach and artichoke dip. I mean, it’s so good, why wouldn’t I want it all over my chicken and heck yes, i’m serving this with bread on the side so I can mop up all that sauce. And if you’re being extra self-generous, then go on with your bad self, and serve it over a bed of rice or pasta. Just imagine all that creamy sauce tossed with rigatoni so it’s stuck between the curls and you get a burst of lemon and cream in every bite. Can I just say that you might even succeed in tricking your 5 year old in liking this one skillet meal.
Also, this is perfect for those nights when you finish work and start thinking about dinner and you want something filling, nutritious, and delicious but don’t want to spend more than the bare minimum time making it because we are people with priorities and those 20 episodes of our favorite show aren’t going to watch themselves. The struggle is real.
I highly recommend making this one skillet dinner right when you get home from work and then vegging out on the couch with a big plate of warm chicken and creamy spinach artichoke cream sauce and tuning in to your favorite show. <– Take it from someone who’s loving her couch at the moment. You need this!
Double fist bumps for family pleasing meals.????
One Skillet Chicken with Spinach Artichoke Cream Sauce
It's another one skillet chicken recipe! This easy chicken dinner comes complete with the veggies too! It's a cross between a creamy spinach artichoke dip and sautéed chicken in cream sauce -- so GOOD!
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ⅓ cup finely diced onions (any kind will do)
- 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 1/2 cups fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoon parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley or basil
Instructions
- Using a mallet, pound down the chicken breasts/thighs into ½ inch thickness. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper on both sides of the chicken.
- In a 2 cup measuring cup or a small bowl, combine the chicken broth, lemon juice, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Chop the artichoke hearts roughly and squeeze out as much liquid as you can, set aside to drain in a colander or sieve.
- Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375ºF.
- Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken and allow to brown on both sides for 2-3 minutes per side. Don't worry if the chicken isn't cooked completely, we'll finish it in the oven. Remove the chicken to a plate.
- Reduce the flame to medium, add the onions to the skillet along with the chopped artichoke hearts and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Push the onions and artichoke around, the remaining liquid in the artichokes will help deglaze the pan. Add the chicken broth mixture. Using a whisk, scrape the bottom of the pan so all the brown bits are loosened. Let sauce reduce for about 8-10 minutes. You want it to thicken up a bit.
- Remove the skillet from the flame, add the butter and whisk until it melts completely. With the skillet off the flame, add the heavy cream, whisk to combine. Add the baby spinach and parmesan and stir to combine the sauce with the spinach. Place the skillet back over the flame for just 30 seconds, DO NOT allow the sauce to boil. Remove from heat, add the chicken back into the pan and drizzle the sauce over the chicken. Place the skillet in the oven for 5-8 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked through. Top with chopped parsley or basil and let stand 5 minutes before serving. Serve over rice or pasta.
Notes
Use boneless skinless chicken breasts/thighs that about the same thickness. I pounded mine down to about ½ inch.
IS THIS A GOOD CHOICE FOR YOU?
*Please note: the nutritional facts calculated are an estimate based on the ingredients i’ve used. If you’d like a more accurate count, please calculate them using the ingredients/brands you’ve used to prepare the recipe.
Could I use frozen spinach?
I think that would work, but I have not tried it myself! I do suggest squeezing all the water out of the spinach before using it though.
Could you make this using a Dutch oven?