Creamy Spinach Garlic Chicken
Golden chicken cutlets sit in a spoonable garlic cream sauce with wilted spinach and a little parsley. The sauce comes together in the same skillet used to sear the chicken, so a splash of broth can lift the browned bits into the cream.
Evenly thick cutlets are important here: they brown and cook at similar rates. Add the spinach near the end to keep the leaves recognizable, then return the chicken with its browned surfaces above the sauce.
Ingredients for Creamy Spinach Garlic Chicken
- 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breast cutlets, about 1/2 inch thick (680g; approximately 4–6 cutlets)
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus a pinch to finish if needed
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (30g)
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan (50g)
- 4 oz fresh baby spinach (115g)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Time: 10 minutes prep; about 20–25 minutes cooking; 30–35 minutes total. Servings: 4. You’ll need a 12-inch skillet and an instant-read thermometer.
How to Make Creamy Spinach Garlic Chicken
- Prepare the chicken: Slice or pound the cutlets to an even thickness of about 1/2 inch. Pat dry and season with the salt and pepper.
- Sear the cutlets: Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the chicken in a single layer, working in batches if needed. Leave each side undisturbed until golden patches form, flipping once, about 3–5 minutes per side. Start checking thin cutlets after about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the nearly cooked chicken to a plate.
- Cook the garlic and deglaze: Reduce the heat to medium-low to medium. Add the butter and garlic; stir for 30–60 seconds, until fragrant but not browned. Pour in the broth and scrape up the browned bits from the skillet.
- Make the sauce: Stir in the cream and simmer gently, uncovered, for about 3–5 minutes. It should lightly coat a spoon but still flow. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the Parmesan until incorporated. Do not let the sauce boil hard.
- Wilt the spinach: Add the spinach in handfuls, folding it into the sauce for about 1–2 minutes, until wilted but still visibly leafy.
- Finish the chicken: Nestle the cutlets and any juices from the plate into the sauce, keeping the browned surfaces exposed. Simmer gently for about 1–3 minutes, or as needed, until the thickest part of each cutlet reaches 165°F (75°C). If the sauce is too thick, stir in a small splash of broth. Taste for salt, scatter the parsley over the skillet, and serve promptly.
How to Get Evenly Cooked, Golden Cutlets
Cutlets of different thicknesses will not finish at the same time, so check the thickest part with a thermometer rather than relying only on the searing time. Pat the chicken dry and give each piece room in the skillet. If the cutlets overlap, sear them in batches; a crowded pan traps moisture and leaves the chicken pale instead of browned.
How to Keep the Garlic Cream Sauce Smooth
Lower the heat after searing so the garlic becomes fragrant without burning. Let the cream mixture reduce gently before adding the Parmesan, then stir in the cheese over low heat. Vigorous boiling after the cheese goes in can make the sauce grainy.
The sauce will thicken as it stands. To loosen it, stir in broth a tablespoon at a time over gentle heat. Half-and-half can replace the heavy cream, but the sauce will be thinner; avoid trying to thicken it with a hard boil.
What to Serve with Creamy Spinach Garlic Chicken
Spoon the chicken and sauce over mashed potatoes or cauliflower rice, or serve it alongside cooked pasta. Keep pasta out of the skillet if you want the browned cutlets and spinach to remain visible. For another garlic-forward dinner, try Chicken Scampi with Garlic Parmesan Rice.
How to Store and Reheat
Cool leftovers promptly, transfer them to an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 3–4 days. Reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of chicken broth or water to loosen the sauce and help keep the chicken moist.
Nutrition
Approximately 555 calories, 46g protein, 39g fat, and 7g carbohydrates per serving, based on 4 servings. Per 100g of finished dish, approximately 185 calories, 15g protein, 13g fat, and 2g carbohydrates. Values are estimates and will vary with the chicken, dairy products, and amount of sauce reduction.
Equipment
- 12-inch skillet
- Instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breast cutlets, about 1/2 inch thick (680 g; approximately 4–6 cutlets)
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus a pinch to finish if needed
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the Sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (30 g)
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan (50 g)
- 4 oz fresh baby spinach (115 g)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Slice or pound the chicken to an even thickness of about 1/2 inch. Pat dry and season with the salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear the chicken in a single layer, working in batches if needed, for about 3–5 minutes per side until golden. Transfer the nearly cooked chicken to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low to medium. Add the butter and garlic and stir for 30–60 seconds, until fragrant but not browned.
- Pour in the broth and scrape up the browned bits from the skillet.
- Stir in the cream and simmer gently, uncovered, for about 3–5 minutes, until it lightly coats a spoon but still flows.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the Parmesan until incorporated. Do not let the sauce boil hard.
- Add the spinach in handfuls and fold it into the sauce for about 1–2 minutes, until wilted but still leafy.
- Nestle the chicken and any plate juices into the sauce, keeping the browned surfaces exposed. Simmer gently for about 1–3 minutes, or as needed, until the thickest part of each cutlet reaches 165°F (75°C). Thin the sauce with a splash of broth if needed, taste for salt, garnish with parsley, and serve promptly.
Tips
- Make the cutlets an even thickness so they cook at a similar rate.
- Pat the chicken dry and sear in batches if needed to encourage browning.
- Stir the garlic just until fragrant to keep it from burning.
- Add the Parmesan over low heat and avoid a hard boil to help keep the sauce smooth.
- Add the spinach near the end so it stays visibly leafy.
Variations
- Half-and-Half Cream Sauce: Replace the heavy cream with half-and-half for a thinner sauce; warm it gently rather than boiling to thicken.