Description
This Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Chicken features perfectly seared chicken breasts smothered in a rich, velvety cream sauce loaded with tender mushrooms and fresh spinach. Ready in just 35 minutes in one pan, it’s an impressive yet easy weeknight dinner!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1½-2 lbs total)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter, divided
For the Creamy Sauce:
- 8 oz mushrooms, sliced (baby bella or white button)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3-4 cups fresh spinach
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Prep the Chicken: Pat chicken breasts completely dry with paper towels. If they’re very thick (more than 1 inch), pound them to an even thickness using a meat mallet. Season both sides generously with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder.
- Sear the Chicken: Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot and shimmering, add chicken breasts. Cook for 5-6 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature should reach 165°F). Don’t move them around—let them develop that gorgeous golden crust. Transfer chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
- Sauté the Mushrooms: In the same skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Add sliced mushrooms and cook for 4-5 minutes until they release their moisture and become golden brown. Don’t stir too frequently—let them develop color. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Build the Sauce Base: Add minced garlic to the mushrooms and cook for 30-45 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon—this adds incredible flavor to your sauce.
- Add Cream and Cheese: Reduce heat to medium-low. Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes (if using). Let the sauce simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon.
- Wilt the Spinach: Add the fresh spinach to the sauce in batches, stirring until each addition wilts down. This only takes about 1-2 minutes. The spinach will reduce dramatically in volume.
- Finish the Dish: Return the chicken breasts to the skillet, nestling them into the sauce. Spoon sauce over the top of each piece. Let everything simmer together for 2-3 minutes so the chicken absorbs the flavors and the sauce thickens further. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh parsley if desired and serve immediately with your choice of sides. Spoon extra sauce generously over everything!
Notes
- Even Thickness: Pounding chicken ensures even cooking and prevents dry, overcooked edges.
- Don’t Overcook: Use a meat thermometer—chicken is done at 165°F. Overcooking makes it dry.
- Sauce Too Thick: Add a splash of chicken broth or cream to thin to desired consistency.
- Sauce Too Thin: Let it simmer longer to reduce and thicken, or add a bit more Parmesan.
- Fresh vs. Frozen Spinach: If using frozen, thaw and squeeze out ALL water before adding.
- Make It Gluten-Free: This recipe is naturally gluten-free as written!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with sauce (¼ of recipe)
- Calories: 485
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 785mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 17g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 42g
- Cholesterol: 165mg