Description
Creamy Chicken Breast in Spinach Parmesan Sauce with tender chicken, rich Parmesan, and velvety spinach for a comforting and hearty meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds/900g)
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 small onion, finely diced (about ½ cup)
- 1 cup chicken broth, low sodium
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 4 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Step 1: Prepare the chicken Begin by placing your chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap and gently pounding them to an even thickness of about ¾ inch. Pat them completely dry with paper towels. Season generously on both sides with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Let them sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to take the chill off.
- Step 2: Sear the chicken Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place the seasoned chicken breasts in the hot pan and don’t move them for 4-5 minutes. Flip once and cook for another 4 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
- Step 3: Create the flavor base Without cleaning the pan, reduce heat to medium and add the diced onion. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until translucent, then add the minced garlic and cook for just 30 seconds until fragrant. Sprinkle in the Italian seasoning and optional red pepper flakes, stirring to toast the herbs slightly.
- Step 4: Build the sauce Pour in the chicken broth, using a wooden spoon to scrape up all those delicious browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Allow the liquid to reduce by half, about 3-4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and slowly pour in the heavy cream while stirring constantly. Let the sauce gently simmer for about 5 minutes until it begins to thicken slightly.
- Step 5: Finish and serve Remove the pan from heat and gradually stir in the freshly grated Parmesan until smooth and melted. Add the fresh spinach and stir until just wilted from the residual heat. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan, spooning the sauce over the top. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
Fresh ingredients will always yield the best flavor results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 50mg