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This Creamy Spinach Artichoke Chicken Recipe is made with simple and delicious ingredients like artichoke hearts and fresh baby spinach. If you love artichoke hearts and artichoke dip (or maybe even if you don’t), you’re definitely going to love this easy, comforting, 30-minute chicken skillet.
Creamy Spinach Artichoke Chicken
I don’t know if you guys know this, but I have a serious weakness for artichoke hearts. From this healthy Mediterranean baked fish to this nourishing chicken and rice soup, there is always room for artichoke hearts somewhere.
I stumbled upon this old recipe the other afternoon and decided it deserved a much-needed face-lift. Still delicious, and just as easy to prepare as the original, in this recipe you’ll find juicy chicken, artichoke hearts, and fresh spinach all bathed in a light cream sauce.
My favorite part about this recipe is how easy it is to make! No fancy ingredients, it’s the perfect weeknight dinner!
How to make Spinach Artichoke Chicken
1. Prepare the chicken
Often, when you buy chicken breasts from the market they are super thick or, at the very least, uneven in thickness. This can be problematic.
For starters, super thick chicken breasts take too long to cook. And once they are cooked, they’re usually so crispy and dry around the outside, you wonder if you know what you’re doing at all.
Second, chicken that isn’t equal in thickness will cook at different rates which, well, is more work for you to keep track of.
Your best bet? Purchase chicken that is already thinly sliced. You may also use a meat tenderizer (or rolling pin) to pound the chicken breasts between plastic wrap OR slice larger, fatter chicken breasts in half lengthwise creating two thinner chicken cutlets.
Now that you have the chicken sorted out, cover them in a little olive oil and spices. I like to add the chicken to a large mixing bowl, coat in a tablespoon of olive oil, and then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and homemade Italian seasoning.
2. Cook the chicken
Heat your skillet over medium-high heat. Before adding any oil, get your skillet nice and hot…and then add the olive oil.
Since this recipe calls for 6 chicken breasts, you’ll probably have to cook your chicken in two batches, three chicken breasts each time. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook each side for approximately 6 minutes. Your chicken will turn golden, but shouldn’t burn. If you notice it start to burn, reduce the heat.
Once the chicken is nearly cooked through (at least 145 degrees F with a digital meat thermometer, but no more than 155 degrees F) remove to a clean plate and repeat with the remaining chicken breasts.
3. Make the sauce
Return the skillet to medium heat. Add the butter and shallots and cook for a few minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
- Note: Do not ignore the garlic…or the shallots…as these will burn quickly.
4. Garnish and serve.
Make any final adjustments to the sauce by adding additional salt or pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired.
Can I Use Frozen Spinach?
Absolutely. To use fresh spinach, remember to thaw it fully before adding it to the dish. It is also important to squeeze out as much liquid as possible from the spinach before adding it to the skillet. For this reason, I always find it easier to use fresh spinach versus frozen.
How to Serve Creamy Spinach Artichoke Chicken?
This spinach artichoke chicken is fabulous served with a side of cooked pasta or egg noodles, garlic bread, or even creamy mashed potatoes. Looking for something a little more low-carb? Try serving with cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles.
Try these other delicious chicken recipes,
Creamy Mushroom Chicken Recipe
Creamy Chicken Florentine Recipe
Skillet Chicken with Bacon, Caper and Olive Sauce
Did you try making this easy creamy spinach artichoke chicken recipe?
Tell me about it in the comments below! I always love to hear your thoughts.
One Pan Creamy Spinach Artichoke Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts , pounded to equal thickness
- salt + black pepper, to season
- 2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 3 tablespoon butter, divided
- 2 shallots, minced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 (15 ounce) cans artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
- 4 ounces fresh baby spinach
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth, or water
- 1.5 cup half-and-half, plus more as needed
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- Fresh parsley, to garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken - Transfer chicken breasts to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with approximately 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning, mixing well to coat the entire surface of each chicken breast.
- Cook the chicken - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, drizzle with approximately 1 tablespoon of olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Work in batches, if needed (it took me two rounds to cook the 6 chicken breasts), to cook the chicken until golden, approximately 5-6 minutes per side, (or until nearly cooked through (see notes)). Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Make the Sauce - Return the skillet to medium heat. Add the butter and shallots and sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Add the minced garlic and stir continuously for 30 seconds more. Mix in the artichoke hearts, fresh spinach, and chicken broth. Mix well to combine. Cook until the spinach has just wilted. Add the half-and-half and bring just to a simmer. Stir in the mozzarella cheese.
- Return the chicken - Finally, return the chicken back to the skillet. Reduce heat if needed to prevent the half-and-half from boiling. Allow the chicken to simmer and finish cooking for an additional 5 minutes or so.
- Garnish and serve - Sprinkle with the shredded Parmesan cheese and additional salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and crushed red pepper, if desired.
Notes
- In order to prevent your chicken from drying out or cooking unevenly, it's best to purchase chicken that is already thinly sliced. You may also use a meat tenderizer (or rolling pin) to pound the chicken breasts between plastic wrap.
- For an even creamier sauce, swap the half-and-half for heavy cream and/or add 4 ounces of softened cream cheese at the same time as the cream.
- This recipe is gluten-free.
- Leftovers are delicious. Keep them stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. I do not recommend freezing.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Originally published October 2, 2016. Updated with new images and post content on March 19, 2019.
Soooo delicious! I added mushrooms, pine nuts, spinach, & artichokes and made it with a side of pasta! This is a keeper! Thank you!!!
The outcome was delicious but sauce was thin. How would you suggest thickening it?
Cornstarch Slurry: Mix equal parts cornstarch and cold water to create a slurry. Start with one tablespoon of each, mix until smooth, and stir it into the simmering sauce. Allow the sauce to cook for a couple of minutes as it thickens. Adjust with more slurry if needed, but add gradually to avoid making the sauce too thick.
Simmer to Reduce: Allow the sauce to simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes. The liquid will reduce, naturally thickening the sauce without the need for additional thickeners.
Made it for 10 people and everyone loved it. Itโs Delicious!
I love hearing that everyone loved it, Kathleen ๐
This was so good! Everyone loved it. There were no leftovers. The only advice I can give is to maybe double the ingredients for the sauce to make more of it because itโs delicious!
I cut the recipe in half for 2 people & we have enough for another meal – yay! This was delicious. I used 2 chicken breasts that equaled 2 lbs. & cut them in half & pounded them to equal thickness. I used a bit of broth & white wine to deglaze. I also added a 2 oz. packet of cream cheese with the mozzarella. I’ve had cans of artichoke hearts in my pantry forever to make a recipe I found out my boyfriend is not actually a huge fan of (he doesn’t really like artichoke hearts come to find out) & wanted to put them to use. I was hoping smothering them with a creamy cheese sauce would do the trick – & it did!! He was raving last night about how good this was & how he couldn’t believe how much he liked the artichoke hearts. I served it with wild rice & steamed broccoli. Thanks for the awesome dish!
Absolutely a keeper! I loved this following the recipe. My husband, who is extremely picky, was a huge fan of it too.
Made some different substitutions on later tries (used shredded chicken that I had already peeled in freezerโworks great. Used white wine instead of brothโpermanent substitution for us. Left out shallotsโno problem!). Itโs delicious and forgiving.
Why does the number of chicken breasts change when moving between US customary and metric ?
Not sure, but I will report that to my recipe card developer. Thanks for letting me know ๐