Creamy Spinach Artichoke Chicken (Printable)

Juicy chicken breasts cooked with spinach, artichoke hearts, garlic, and parmesan in a creamy sauce.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 1.3 pounds)
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 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
08 - 4 cups fresh baby spinach (approximately 4 ounces)

→ 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

# How To Cook:

01 - Pat chicken breasts dry and season both sides evenly with kosher salt and black pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and cook 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden brown and nearly cooked through. Remove and keep warm on a plate covered loosely.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. Add minced garlic and chopped onion to the skillet and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
04 - Add quartered artichoke hearts to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes, stirring gently to combine flavors.
05 - Lower heat to low. Stir in chicken broth, heavy cream, parmesan cheese, cream cheese, Dijon mustard, and crushed red pepper flakes. Whisk continuously until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
06 - Add fresh baby spinach and cook, stirring frequently, until just wilted, about 2 minutes.
07 - Return chicken breasts to the skillet. Spoon sauce over them and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes until chicken is thoroughly cooked and sauce slightly thickens.
08 - Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the dish before serving hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like you've been cooking all day, but you'll be eating in under 45 minutes.
  • Everything happens in one skillet, which means less time scrubbing and more time enjoying your meal.
  • The sauce is so creamy and rich, you'll forget this is actually pretty healthy.
02 -
  • Don't rush the searing step—a good golden crust on the chicken adds flavor that you absolutely notice later, so medium-high heat and patience are your friends.
  • If your sauce breaks or looks separated, lower the heat to the absolute minimum, stop stirring for 30 seconds, then whisk in a tablespoon of cold cream cheese and it'll come back together.
  • The spinach reduces dramatically, so four cups of loose spinach looks like a mountain but becomes barely visible in the final dish—this is normal and wonderful.
03 -
  • Make sure your cream cheese is actually softened before you add it to the sauce—cold cream cheese will seize up and create lumps that are annoying to work through.
  • If you're feeding a crowd, this doubles beautifully in a larger skillet or two skillets side by side; the timing stays exactly the same.
  • Leftover sauce without the chicken is incredible over pasta the next day, so if you happen to have extra, save it in a container in the fridge.

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