Description
A creamy and flavorful Spinach Artichoke Chicken recipe featuring tender boneless chicken breasts cooked to perfection and topped with a rich spinach, artichoke, and cheese sauce. This comforting dish is easy to prepare and perfect for a hearty dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 (6 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
Sauce
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp flour
- 5 oz fresh spinach, rinsed, drained and chopped (3 1/2 packed cups)
- 1 (14 oz) can artichoke quarters, drained and chopped
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 4 oz Neufchatel cheese, diced into small cubes
- 1/3 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: Pound chicken breasts to an even thickness using the flat side of a meat mallet. Season both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Cook Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until the bottom is golden brown, approximately 6 minutes. Flip chicken and continue cooking until golden brown on the other side and the internal temperature reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes more. Transfer chicken to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Make Sauce Base: Melt butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and flour; cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly to avoid burning.
- Add Vegetables: Stir in the chopped spinach and artichoke quarters. Sauté until the spinach has wilted, about 1 minute.
- Add Dairy and Thicken Sauce: Pour in milk while scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Add Neufchatel cheese and parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook and stir until the sauce thickens slightly and the cheeses have melted.
- Finish Sauce and Serve: Stir in sour cream until incorporated. Return the cooked chicken breasts to the skillet, spoon sauce over them, and sprinkle with red pepper flakes if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- For a thicker sauce, allow it to simmer a bit longer before adding chicken back in.
- Neufchatel cheese can be substituted with cream cheese if unavailable.
- Use fresh spinach for best texture, but frozen spinach (thawed and drained) can be used as a substitute.
- Adjust red pepper flakes to your spice tolerance or omit for no heat.
- Serve with rice, pasta, or crusty bread to soak up the delicious sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
