Lemon Parmesan Spinach Chicken (Printable)

Golden seared chicken in creamy Parmesan spinach sauce with fresh lemon zest and garlic. Ready in 40 minutes.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

→ Vegetables

02 - 3 cups fresh baby spinach
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced

→ Dairy & Cheese

04 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1/3 cup heavy cream
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Pantry Staples

07 - 1 lemon, zested and juiced
08 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
09 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
11 - 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herb blend

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Position rack in the center.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with salt, pepper, and dried Italian herbs.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken breasts for 2-3 minutes per side until a golden crust forms. Remove and set aside; they will finish cooking in the oven.
04 - Reduce heat to medium. Melt butter in the same skillet, add minced garlic, and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Add fresh spinach to the skillet and sauté, tossing gently, until just wilted, about 2 minutes.
06 - Pour in heavy cream, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Stir to combine and bring briefly to a simmer.
07 - Sprinkle in the grated Parmesan cheese and stir continuously until melted and the sauce thickens slightly.
08 - Nestle the seared chicken breasts back into the spinach cream sauce, spooning some sauce over the top of each piece.
09 - Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
10 - Serve hot directly from the skillet, garnished with additional lemon zest or shaved Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The lemon cuts through the richness of the cream and Parmesan so perfectly that even people who claim they do not like creamy sauces will go back for seconds.
  • Everything cooks in one skillet, which means you get a gourmet tasting meal with almost no cleanup on a busy weeknight.
02 -
  • Do not skip drying the chicken before searing, because even slightly damp breasts will steam instead of browning and you will lose that gorgeous golden crust.
  • Watch the garlic carefully in the butter, as it goes from fragrant to burnt in seconds and burnt garlic will make the entire sauce taste bitter.
03 -
  • Let the chicken rest for five minutes after it comes out of the oven before slicing, because this keeps the juices inside the meat instead of running all over your plate.
  • If your sauce seems too thin after adding the cream, let it simmer an extra minute before adding the Parmesan, since reducing it slightly concentrates both the flavor and the thickness.

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