Description
A creamy and flavorful Spinach Artichoke Chicken recipe featuring tender chicken breasts smothered in a rich sauce made with fresh spinach, artichoke quarters, Neufchatel cheese, parmesan, and sour cream. This dish is a perfect easy-to-make dinner that combines classic spinach artichoke dip flavors with juicy pan-seared chicken.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 (6 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp butter
Sauce
- 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
- Pound and Season Chicken: Pound chicken breasts to an even thickness using the flat side of a meat mallet. Season both sides generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Sear Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and cook until the bottom side is golden brown, about 6 minutes.
- Flip and Finish Cooking Chicken: Flip the chicken breasts to the opposite side and continue cooking for about 5 minutes more, or until the second side is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. Transfer chicken to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Prepare Sauce Base: In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and flour and cook for 30 seconds to form a roux and develop flavor.
- Add Vegetables: Stir in chopped spinach and artichoke quarters and sauté until the spinach wilts, about 1 minute.
- Add Milk and Cheeses: Pour in milk while scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Add Neufchatel cheese cubes and parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook and stir until the sauce thickens slightly and cheeses have melted.
- Finish Sauce and Combine: Stir in sour cream to add creaminess. Return the cooked chicken breasts to the skillet, spoon sauce over them, and sprinkle with red pepper flakes if using.
- Serve: Allow everything to warm together briefly, then serve the chicken breasts with the creamy spinach artichoke sauce.
Notes
- Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure chicken reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°F.
- If Neufchatel cheese is unavailable, substitute with cream cheese for a similar creamy texture.
- For a thicker sauce, cook it a little longer before adding sour cream.
- Adjust red pepper flakes amount to your preferred spice level or omit if sensitive to heat.
- This dish pairs well with rice, pasta, or crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
- Make sure to drain artichokes well to avoid excess liquid making the sauce too thin.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg
