One-Pan Creamy Chicken and Spinach
One-Pan Cream Chicken and Spinach is a comforting creamy chicken dinner with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach. This easy Italian dinner is done in 20 minutes and all in one-pan so you don’t have to do dishes! Not to mention it is Keto-friendly.
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ONE-PAN CREAMY CHICKEN AND SPINACH
It’s funny how much your life can change in just 24 hours. Thursday night we had a category 4 hurricane coming right for us. Naturally, I wanted to make our last meal a memorable one and this Creamy Chicken and Spinach was it.
The last time a hurricane was knocking on our door I made these Cheerios Treats. What can I say? When I’m stressed cooking relaxes me.
The next day I woke up to hear that the hurricane had shifted and we weren’t in the cone.
Here’s why you’ll love this chicken dinner. It’s all made in one pan! Creamy Parmesan sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach, this dinner is great over pasta or cauliflower rice.
CREAMY CHICKEN
- First, season the chicken well with salt and pepper and cook in olive oil for 3-5 minutes per side.
- Add some butter, onion, garlic, and red pepper to pan and sautee until onion is soft.
- Next, add some cream, cream cheese, chicken broth, and sun-dried tomatoes and simmer until thicker.
- Sprinkle with some Parmesan cheese and spinach. Let the spinach cook down.
IS THIS KETO-FRIENDLY?
Yes, with only 3 net carbs this dinner is the perfect Keto meal.
CAN I USE ROTISSERIE CHICKEN?
Yes, just skip step one and add the chicken to the sauce at the end until warm.
OTHER CHICKEN RECIPES
- One-Pan Cheesy Chicken, Broccoli, and Rice
- Chicken Salad
- Creamy Chicken Noodle Skillet
- One-Pan Chicken Fajita Rice
- One-Pan Monterey Chicken Pasta
- Chicken and Spinach Stuffed Shells
- One-Pan Bacon Broccoli Pasta
- Teriyaki Chicken
- One-Pan Chicken Tortilla Bake
- Chicken with Parmesan Cauliflower Rice
- One-Pan Garlic Butter Chicken
One-Pan Creamy Chicken and Spinach
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1.5 lbs skinless boneless chicken breasts or chicken tenderloins
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/3 cup finely diced onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 cups spinach leaves, (about 3 ounces)
- optional chopped fresh basil
Equipment
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Season chicken breasts well with salt and pepper. Cook chicken for 3-5 minutes per side or until chicken is no longer pink inside. Remove from the skillet and place on a plate.
- Add the butter, onions, garlic, and crushed red pepper to the skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the cream, chicken broth, sun-dried tomatoes, and cream cheese. Simmer over medium heat for a couple of minutes, whisking until creamy.
- Stir in the Parmesan and spinach and simmer until spinach has wilted. The longer you cook the sauce the thicker it will be. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Return chicken to the pan in the sauce until warmed then serve. Garnish with fresh chopped basil if desired. Serve plain, over pasta, or over cauliflower rice for a low-carb version.
Video
Notes
I have been searching for healthier recipes that are quick for a working family. I have to say this is one of the best recipes I’ve ever done across. My husband is a meat and potatoes kind of guy and when I told him I was making this he wasn’t too keen on the idea. Once he tried it, he couldn’t get enough of it! Surprisingly, we had leftovers. It was even better after being in the fridge overnight. insisted that I make it again. So tonight I did. I actually made a double batch so we can take it for lunch. I will definitely be following your recipes going forward. Thank you so much!
What a great compliment thank you!
This recipe is just absolutely wonderful!!! I will never stop making it. Served over cauliflower rice makes the best keto dish I’ve had in a while. Wanted to lick the plate lol. Thanks so much for your recipe.
Yay!
Absolutely yummy!
Made this and it tastes better than pasta from a lot of the fancier Italian restaurants. I saved this recipe for future meals. Thanks!
Thankyou!
I had no cream cheese so I had to do away with it. Even without the cream cheese, it was delicious! Thank you for the recipe 😀
You’re welcome!
I made this a couple of days ago and my family loved i! It was so delicious! I’m making it again tonight because I keep getting requests to make it again. This time I’ll use bowtie noodles and make it into a pasta.
Ooh yum!
Excellent recipe. The depth of flavor with the sun dried tomatoes and fresh spinach was outstanding. Definitely a keeper!
Yay!
I am still a fledgling cook (I’m more a hail-a-taxi-to-a-restaurant-in-the-city kind of gal) but without a doubt, this is one of the BEST recipes I’ve ever made. Restaurant-worthy, in fact. I served with mini-Penne pasta, a simple green salad, crusty bread, and a nice Pinot Gris. Phenomenal! Going into my recipe file!
Many, many thanks! ❤️
We just had it last night and I agree it is great!
So yummy. Tweaked the recipe a bit and added more cream cheese and spinach. Absolutely fabulous! So easy. 5 stars!
Thank yoU!
This was delicious and so easy!
I swapped out tomato chutney for the sun dried (because I didn’t have any) served it over rice and it was a huge hit! I’ll definitely make this again.
Great way to use up spinach before it goes bad!
AWesome!
I made this and served it over white rice. It was TO DIE FOR DELICIOUS! Really, I felt like this could have been on the menu of a nice restaurant! I’m going to make it again soon substituting fresh shrimp for the chicken and pasta for the rice. Thanks for the great recipe!
You’re welcome Ellen!
This turned out great! My family loved it. I air fried the chicken first and added mushrooms. It was delicious served with cauli rice.
OH.EM.GEE. This is phenomenal. I pretended I was Julia Child and used 1/2 the butter with avocado oil to brown the chicken and added the other half at the end.
I never follow recipes but this one I did and it is just the cat’s meow!! Thanks for posting and sharing it!
Delicious!! I added a bit more onion by accident and it was still amazing. Will make again.
Family Favorite, my boys love this!
Ty so much for sharing. Now I prepare and share.
Yum! Happy to hear this.
This was amazing!!! I wouldn’t change one thing about it!!!! Lucky for me too in having all the ingredients on hand!!! Love too that it was all done within 30 minutes!!! I will make this again soon!!! I cook a lot and I know good food and know quality ingredients as well. It must be the first recipe in a very long time that I can say “it’s perfect”!!! Thank you so much!!!
Yay! That makes me happy!
Best one pan meal I had in a while! Definitely a family favorite now!! Thank you so much
You are welcome!
This has become a staple at our house. Absolutely delicious! Just wondering – can I prepare the sauce ahead of time, refrigerate and then reheat? I’m thinking of serving this over cheese ravioli to some vegetarian friends.
Yes, you can totally make it ahead of time.
Amazing recipe! Do you think the heavy cream can be substituted with canned coconut milk?
I haven’t tried it but I’m sure you could.
Hello! I would lice to make this tonight but don’t have sun dried tomatoes this time around. What alternative would you recommend? I do think it would still taste lovely without them anyway.
*like*
Sorry it’s probably too late. You can use fresh tomatoes or just omit them all together. Just gives them some freshness.
Made this twice now and it’s just delicious. So easy it’s going in the weeknight rotation
Yay! That makes me happy!
This was so easy to make. Absolutely delicious! Everything I have tried so far from this site has been on point. You are a trusted source for a great meal. Thank you.
Aw thanks Gillian.
I tried your recipe but I used white wine for broth and left out sundries tomatoes also added fresh tarragon and time absolutely loved it.
Will definitely do again thank you
Thanks Donna!
Very delicious and easy to make!
Thank you!
I made this last night but left out the cream cheese and cream and substituted in a small amount of goat cheese diluted with the chicken broth. It was so delicious.
Yum!
Absolutely delicious and so easy and quick to make! Forgot to give you 5 stars!
Thank yoU!
Absolutely delicious and easy to make!
Made this for dinner tonight and it was a huge hit with my family! Thanks for a five star recipe:)
I forgot to post the stars!
You’re welcome!
This is honestly one of my new favourite dishes and recipes. Absolutely perfect and amazing. Thank you !
Woo hoo! A definite win.
Excellent….Absolutely loved this dish and so did my family! I tried this for the first time. I had to improvise as I did not have heavy cream (used whole milk) or sundried tomatoes (used diced tomatoes) but it still had such a rich flavor. Can’t wait to try the recipe the next time exactly as listed. Will definitely make this again!
So glad you liked it!
Fab dish. Delish 🤤. Can u substitute “ creme fraiche” for the double cream?? Thanks
Yes! It will be a little different but yes.
Excellent recipe. I piled in the spinach because I had so much. Also used half and half as I did not have cream on hand. Thru in a few diced fresh tomatoes as I did not have sun dried or tomato paste. DELISH!
Sounds tasty!
I made this as a meal prep option over broccoli with roasted sweet potatoes. -all I got to say is wow. Just amazing. Thanks!
So happy to hear that!
I was truly surprised at just how good this is! I honestly NEVER comment or rate! This is a wonderful addition to my repertoire!
Thanks for commenting this time Clyde!
OMG!!!! This is so delicious. I just started a no carb and extremely low suger diet due to getting type 2 diabetes. Followed direction s and came out perfect next time will be faster to make and could add either bacon or mushrooms or both which I think would be a nice twist. Will make this often.
Thanks Guy! I’m glad you liked it.
I have made this recipe several times. So good! You can be loosey goosey with some of the ingredients, this comes out great every time!
Totally. Very flexible!
This was sooo good! My family loved it. I followed the recipe to a T and served with noodles. My husband thinks it tastes better than going out to a restaurant!
Yay! Huge win!
Can you freeze it?
I haven’t tried but I don’t see why not.
So yummy! Didn’t have sun dried so I used cherry tomatoes instead. Also made extra spinach and skipped ( myself ) the pasta. My boys really enjoyed this meal.
Great substitutions.
Made this for our 23rd wedding anniversary. It was perfect. Men who marry women who love to cook stay married. Ha!
Haha congrats!
This recipe was amazing! I made it last night and it was phenomenal. My second time trying a recipe online and im so glad i found it!
Thank you!
You’re welcome!
Has anyone tried this with frozen spinach?
Everyone liked it, thanks for a quick dinner recipe!
Thank you!
What are good side dishes for this recipe?
Delicious! Everyone loved it! It will be my “company” dinner!
A simple salad & garlic bread.
yuuuuummmo. Husband isn’t a fan of cheese stuff too much but this was a hit!
I’m going to make this tonight but I don’t have heavy cream what can I use for a substitute? Or can you just skip that part? How will it be creamy though without the heavy cream?
Yeah definitely won’t be creamy without cream. Sorry! Cream cheese?
can you use milk instead of heavy cream?
Yes. It definitely won’t thicken up as much though.
Really good! Used rotisseri chicken breast.
Glad you liked it!
Is this freezer friendly?
Yes!
I really liked this recipe. It was light but hearty.
Made this tonight. My family loved it! Pure yumminess!
Thank yOU!
The best casserole I ever made. Just added a can of ro-tel diced tomatoes with chilies. It gave the chicken and spinach the extra bite of heat. Love this recipe.
Excellent idea!
Hi,
Can you tell me what I can use as a substitute for the cream cheese please ?
Many thanks
Sandra
The cream cheese just adds a little creaminess and thickness. You can just add more parmesan cheese.
Pardon me if this is a dumb question – but – about the sun dried tomatoes….. does the recipe call for sun dried tomatoes in oil or the kind you buy fully dry?? And if it calls for the ones you buy fully dry – do you just put them straight into the sauce or plump them up first??? Can you tell I am just learning to cook????
I use the ones in oil! Not a dumb question at all.
We just made this one tonight and it was off the charts delicious! Thank you! Highly recommended.
Thank you!
Made this tonight didn’t have parmesan and never used red pepper I tweaked it with a squirt of tomatoe puree and lots of black pepper I will defo be making it again
Thank you!
Crowd pleaser!
Thank you!
Easy and delicious I had all the ingredients on hand I served it over rice
Excellent! Quick to prepare, but elegant enough for company and luscious to eat. A big success
Thank yoU!
Used half and half instead of heavy cream because that’s all I had at home. Also, completely skipped the parmesan cheese because we didn’t have any. Came out amazing. Excellent recipe.
Glad you liked it!
Hi!!! What would be a good side dish with this? Thanks!
I would do a caesar salad or asparagus.
This dish is absolutely delicious! The flavor was perfect and the thickness of the sauce was just right. This was my second time making it and it has quickly become one of my family’s favorite. The only thing I did differently was cut the chicken into chunks and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Yummmmm
Thanks for the recipe
Yes, great idea to cut it into chunks!
This dish is absolutely delicious! The flavor was perfect and the thickness of the sauce was just right. This was my second time making it and it has quickly become one of my family’s favorite. The only thing I did differently was cut the chicken into chunks and season with salt, pepper and garlic power. Yummmmm
Thanks for the recipe
Very tasty and easy to make!
Glad you liked it!
I made this today and it was so delicious!!
Awesome!
My sauce didn’t thicken either 🙁 it was really watery like, even after I turned the heat up etc. and added a lot of other seasoning. Maybe I’ll lessen the chicken broth next time.
You have to simmer it for a while then it thickens; I promise. Be patient.
So good! I didn’t have ck broth so I used 2/3cup water and a extra 2 tbl butter. Probably cld have used a little corn starch or flour. I made It with mashed potatoes my husband loved it. I made the leftovers w noodles the next day.
Glad you liked it Julie!
What sides do you recommend I wanted to use pasta is there enough sauce?
Tasted delicious, but is too soupy. Have made it twice and the sauce has never thickened. Maybe next time we’ll try half of the chicken broth
Trust me if you cook it long enough it will thicken. I promise. Maybe a slightly higher heat than you are using.
First time cooking something creamy as I try to stay away from dairy products but this one was difficult to pass on and I’m glad I didn’t. Very simple yet delicious. I have a hart time cooking chicken breasts therefore I cut them into strips and it was perfect. Loved the recipe, will definitely make it again. Thank you!!!!
You are welcome!
This is wonderful! I wanted to drink the sauce with a straw!! The chicken took longer to cook than the recipe said but other than that I followed it to the letter. Super pleased!!
So good to hear!
This recipe is amazing!!
Excellent and easy to prepare! Definitely will make again.
The bomb! Pretty much made it just like it said but used fresh cherry tomatoes! My new ‘impress your friends’ dish!
This was soo good!! Didn’t put cream cheese and added some italian spices at the end, so tasty, my kids loved it!
Made this last night and it was delicious.
Took some liberties because had some left-over chicken and broth, heavy cream I needed to use, spinach in the freezer, good cocktail tomatoes, so, used those.
Did not use butter or cream cheese (cut down on fat)
Sprinkled a little dried oregano on sauce.
So, making it again tonight for company. Fresh chix breasts but everything else same.
Going to make mashed potatoes and a salad with pears and blue cheese, honey-mustard dressing.
Next time I will add mushrooms. They’d go great with this dish.
Thanks for the recipe. I realize I did not follow verbatim but it was real inspiration.
Awesome! I followed exact except I used chicken tenderloin and diced tomatoes. Soooo delicious!
Wonderful recipe with a little improvisation on my part. No sun dried tomatoes so used combination of harissa paste & tomato paste. Used a larger amount of ricotta cheese to use up what was in the fridge and no cream. Mostly the rest as per the recipe.
N.B used chicken thighs and they needed a lot more time cooking, so next time I will be prepared for that.
This one is for keeps. Thank you!
You are welcome!
Loved it…and so did the family (including two picky children)!! Cleans up easy, especially when there are no leftovers since everyone wanted seconds 😉 Another excellent keto recipe that the whole family can eat. Thanks so much for sharing!!
Thank you. We are doubling Keto recipes for the whole family too!
This recipe was absolutely delicious! I couldn’t help myself and had seconds!
I always have seconds too!
This is crazy delicious!! Thank you for this recipe!
You’re welcome! I agree. My family loves it!
Think it would taste good with half and half instead of the whole cream?
Yes! You could definitely sub that.
Excellent! I followed the directions and made no changes (maybe added a few more sun-dried tomatoes…but nothing significant). It was a real crowd pleaser….will definitely make again!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Is the garlic to be left whole or chopped?
I want to put walnuts in this recipe. About how many can I put in this recipe and should I toast
The nuts first???
Thank you.
I, for one, think you should *always* toast nuts before adding them to a dish, savory or sweet.
As for the amount of walnuts, that’s going to be subjective, but maybe start with 1/4 c, the same amount as the sun-dried tomatoes. You can always add more, but it’s hard to pick them out.
I didn’t have tomatoes but I did I add half of a yellow bell pepper and mushrooms (my husband’s obsessed) he RAVED over this. I will definitely make it again.
So good to hear!