Chicken Breasts with Creamy Spinach Sauce

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Cozy creamed spinach meets chicken in this new classic comfort dish. Make these chicken breasts with creamy spinach sauce in your cast iron skillet and serve it for a weeknight family dinner.

I have a thing for creamed spinach. That creaminess, with just a hint of nutmeg, is the perfect side for steak, fish, or chicken.

So when I pulled out some chicken breasts for dinner it was a no-brainer to turn that favorite side dish into a sauce.

These chicken breasts with creamy spinach sauce is ideal for weeknight dinners, but special enough for company too.

This sauce is ridiculously flavorful….it’s got garlic, white wine, cream, parmesan, nutmeg, and a pop of lemon. I dare you not to grab a spoon and slurp it up right out of the pan!

Let’s make Chicken Breasts with Creamy Spinach Sauce

1. Season the chicken breasts and dredge in flour. Heat the oil in a pan and add the chicken in a single layer to the pan.
2. Brown the chicken on both sides and remove to a plate.
3. Saute the garlic just until golden.
4. Deglaze the pan with white wine and reduce.
5. Add the spinach to the pan.
6. Cook the spinach until wilted.

7. Add the cream, stock, parmesan, and nutmeg to the pan and bring to a boil.
8. Add the chicken to the pan and turn to coat.
9. Cook in the oven just until the chicken is cooked through.
10. Remove the chicken to a plate and reduce the sauce slightly over medium heat. Stir in the lemon juice and add the chicken back to the pan. Serve.

Tips for success

• All purpose flour will work for the chicken, but Wondra flour gives the chicken the perfect golden brown sear.
• I use thicker chicken breasts for this recipe, but thin cut ones will work as well. Just reduce the cooking time.
• Season this dish with salt and pepper throughout the cooking process. Taste, season, taste, adjust!
• This recipes calls for a full 6 oz package of spinach. It seems like a lot, but the spinach cooks down dramatically.
• Don’t skip reducing the sauce after the chicken comes out of the oven. It needs to thicken slightly.
• Add a squeeze of lemon juice right before serving. It really brightens up the sauce and brings a pop of acid.

More Favorite Chicken Recipes

• Braised Chicken with Grapes
• Chicken and Herb Dumplings
• Chicken with Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce
• Creamy Lemon and Herb Chicken Thighs
• Easy Breaded Chicken Breasts

New to cast iron? Here’s everything you need to know about cooking in cast iron pans!

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Chicken Breasts with Creamy Spinach Sauce

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

40 mins

 

Cozy creamed spinach meets chicken in this new classic comfort dish. Make these chicken breasts with creamy spinach sauce in your cast iron skillet and serve it for a weeknight family dinner.

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chicken and spinach, creamy spinach sauce

Servings: 4 Servings

Calories: 511 kcal

Author: Cathy Roma | What Should I Make For...

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 - 2 1/2 lbs)
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup Wondra flour or all purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 6 oz fresh baby spinach
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated or shredded
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg, ground or grated
• juice of half a lemon

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Season the chicken liberally with salt and pepper and coat with flour. (I like to shake the flour and the chicken breasts in a ziploc bag.)

2. Heat a large skillet (oven-safe) or cast iron pan over high heat. Add the olive oil and swirl around in the pan.
3. Arrange the chicken breasts in a single layer and cook until golden brown on one side, about 4-5 mins and turn and cook an additional 4-5 mins.
4. Remove the chicken breasts to a plate, reduce the heat to medium, and add the minced garlic to the pan. Cook the garlic about 2 mins and add the white wine.
5. Cook until the white wine is almost completely reduced and add the spinach and a pinch of salt.

6. Stir and cook until the spinach is wilted. Stir in the chicken stock, cream, parmesan cheese, nutmeg, and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper and turn off the heat.

7. Lay the chicken breasts in the pan, turning once to coat and place in the oven to cook until they reach 160 degrees, about 8-10 mins.

8. Remove the pan from the oven and place the chicken on a plate, cover, and rest. Return the pan to the stove and bring the sauce to a boil and reduce until just slightly thickened, about 5 mins. Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice.

9. Serve the chicken with the sauce spooned over the top, slicing the chicken if desired.

Recipe Notes

• All purpose flour will work for the chicken, but Wondra flour gives the chicken the perfect golden brown sear.
• I use thicker chicken breasts for this recipe, but thin cut ones will work as well. Just reduce the cooking time.
• Season this dish with salt and pepper throughout the cooking process. Taste, season, taste, adjust!
• This recipes calls for a full 6 oz package of spinach. It seems like a lot, but the spinach cooks down dramatically. 
• Don't skip reducing the sauce after the chicken comes out of the oven. It needs to thicken slightly. 
• Add a squeeze of lemon juice right before serving. It really brightens up the sauce and brings a pop of acid.

Nutrition Facts

Chicken Breasts with Creamy Spinach Sauce

Amount Per Serving

Calories 511 Calories from Fat 306

% Daily Value*

Fat 34g52%

Saturated Fat 16g100%

Cholesterol 161mg54%

Sodium 370mg16%

Potassium 793mg23%

Carbohydrates 13g4%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 31g62%

Vitamin A 4950IU99%

Vitamin C 14.4mg17%

Calcium 163mg16%

Iron 2.2mg12%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Update Notes: This post was originally published in February 2018 but was republished with tips and step by step photos in April 2019.