Creamy Spinach Artichoke Chicken (Printer-friendly)

Sautéed chicken breasts in a creamy sauce with spinach, artichokes, garlic, and parmesan cheese.

# What you'll need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.3 lbs)
02 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
03 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Vegetables

05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
07 - 1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
08 - 4 cups fresh baby spinach

→ Sauce

09 - ¾ cup chicken broth
10 - ¾ cup heavy cream
11 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 - ½ cup cream cheese, softened
13 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
14 - ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

→ Garnish

15 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# Method:

01 - Pat the chicken breasts dry and evenly season both sides with kosher salt and black pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden brown and nearly cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely.
03 - Reduce heat to medium, then add minced garlic and chopped onion to the skillet. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
04 - Incorporate the drained and quartered artichoke hearts into the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring gently.
05 - Lower heat to low and stir in chicken broth, heavy cream, Parmesan, cream cheese, Dijon mustard, and crushed red pepper flakes if using. Whisk continuously until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
06 - Add fresh baby spinach to the sauce and cook while stirring until just wilted, about 2 minutes.
07 - Return the chicken breasts to the skillet, spooning sauce over them. Cook an additional 4 to 5 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and the sauce has slightly thickened.
08 - Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the dish and serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything happens in one skillet, so cleanup feels almost criminal.
  • Your chicken stays impossibly tender while the sauce gets silky and rich enough to make people ask for seconds.
  • It tastes like comfort but reads as fancy enough for company.
02 -
  • Don't skip drying the chicken; wet chicken won't brown, and browning is where this dish gets its depth.
  • The sauce will tighten slightly as it cools, so if it seems a touch thick when you're plating, that's exactly right.
  • Cream cheese must be softened at room temperature; cold cream cheese will break the sauce into grainy clumps that no amount of whisking will fix.
03 -
  • Use good chicken broth; the cheap stuff tastes like salt and regret, and it changes the entire balance of the sauce.
  • Brown your chicken hard and don't move it around; that golden crust is where the deepest flavor hides, and it takes patience to build it properly.

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