One-pan Creamy Chicken with Spinach (Without Heavy Cream)

Creamy Chicken with Spinach in a yummy white bechamel sauce is a delicious comfort food. It will certainly meet the expectations of the pickiest eaters. Once you have tried it, add it to your favorite easy chicken dinner recipe collection. 

Why You'll Like This Creamy Spinach Chicken

Chicken breasts are the type of meat that you either like or not. Depending on the cooking method, they can end up on the dry side. Some people don't like this (in my family, my hubby, and kiddos), and others don't mind (myself). 

So, considering that chicken breasts have a low-fat content and are a healthier option when eating chicken, I had to find a way to make them so everyone would be satisfied. Thus far, this creamy chicken and spinach recipe didn't disappoint. We all liked how juicy and creamy it was, but not very heavy to digest. The white sauce is a classic recipe for bechamel sauce, with garlic and onion as a flavorful addition. 

Spinach is always a good idea for added nutritional benefits. However, it is essential to cook it correctly so that all beneficial ingredients stay intact. 

Spinach Nutrition

Fresh spinach is a potent vegetable when it comes to nutritional value. It is very beneficial when eaten raw. You can get creative and add it to smoothies or on your sandwiches. 100 g of baby spinach (about 3 ⅓ cups) provides:

• 2.9 g of protein (6% of recommended daily intake (RDI))
• 1.6 g of dietary fiber (6% RDI)
• 68 mg calcium (7% RDI)
• 92.9 mg of magnesium (29% RDI). If you suffer from leg cramps, you might need more magnesium in your diet. This is also common during pregnancy. Check out what helped me with my magnesium deficiency.
• 582 mg of potassium (22% RDI)
• 26.5 mg of vitamin C (35% RDI)
• 283 mcg of vitamin A (40% RDI)
• 116 mcg of folate (29% RDI)
• 1.26 mg of iron (over 10% RDI)

Just take a look at how much vitamin A is in spinach. Wow! Vitamin A plays an essential role in our immune system, healthy vision, skin health, and overall proper function of our organs. 

One concern with leafy greens where spinach belongs is oxalic acid (oxalates). It is a natural compound found in plants, so we ingest it. Our bodies naturally get rid of oxalates as waste. The bad thing with oxalates is that they bind calcium while leaving the body and can lead to kidney stones in some people. 

Since oxalates bind calcium and other minerals, the presence of oxalates in our bodies can lower mineral absorption. So, cooking is the best way to reduce the amount of oxalates in spinach. 

Ingredients You'll Need in this Creamy Spinach Chicken Recipe

• 1.2 lb chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
• ½ tsp oregano, ground
• ½ tsp thyme, ground
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp olive oil for chicken
• 6 oz baby spinach fresh (170 gr)
• ¼ onion, medium, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter (15 gr) for white sauce
• 1 ½ tsp regular flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp nutmeg powder, ground
• ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes
• Parmesan cheese to sprinkle

Substitutions & Variations

• Instead of chicken breasts, you can use skinless chicken thighs or even boneless skinless chicken tenders.
• Spinach works beautifully with juicy chicken breasts, but you can experiment with other greens like kale and Swiss chard for a different flavor profile.
• You can use Italian seasoning as an addition to or instead of the abovementioned spices.
• For a varied meal, serve the creamy chicken and spinach over different bases like quinoa, couscous, crusty bread, or your favorite pasta.
• You can replace part of the milk with heavy cream or half-and-half for an ultra-creamy sauce.
• Add some lemon juice or lemon zest to the bechamel sauce for a citrusy flavor. 
• Add some red pepper flakes to the chicken spice mix if you prefer spicy meals. 

How to Make Spinach

Spinach goes so well in cooked dishes. It especially goes well with chicken breasts in this creamy chicken spinach recipe. But when it is overcooked, it becomes soggy. Spinach comprises about 93% water, which is released rapidly when cooked. This is why spinach shrinks in volume as you cook it. 

There are many methods to cook spinach. When making omelets, I like to add chopped spinach to the eggs and cook it very quickly. 

In this recipe, I opted for a blanching method. Most of the oxalates in spinach are water-soluble, and studies show that the most effective way to reduce soluble oxalate is to cook it in boiling water. 

How to Make Creamy Chicken with Spinach

This creamy chicken and spinach recipe is easy to prepare. It doesn't involve any lengthy preparation, and you can have it ready in less than 45 minutes-an excellent, easy dinner for a busy weeknight. 

• Prepare about 1.2 lb of chicken breasts. There were two quite thick pieces of chicken breasts that I cut in half lengthwise to get four thinner pieces. This amount was enough for two adults and two small kids (there was some extra left).
• Transfer the chicken breasts into a glass container with a lid-season with olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano, and thyme. Close the lid and shake the container to coat evenly. Set aside to rest.
• Boil water in a pot for blanching the spinach.
• I used 6 oz (170g) of baby spinach in this recipe. Wash the spinach and drain it well.
• Transfer the spinach to the boiling water and boil for about 45 sec - 1 min.
• Remove the pot from heat and drain the water. Wash cooked spinach with some cold running water to stop the cooking process. Drain and set aside.
• Chop the onions, and prepare the garlic (you will mince it later).
• I used a cast-iron skillet to cook the chicken breasts, and I was thrilled with the outcome. The chicken breasts were sitting in oil and spices for about 15-20 minutes before cooking to ensure an even, nice coating.
• Oil the cast-iron skillet and heat it up on low heat. Add as much oil as will work for your cast-iron skillet. I usually start with 1 teaspoon of oil and make sure to have even coverage, and then wipe away any excess with a paper towel. Cook the chicken breasts until golden on both sides. Set aside.

How to Make White Sauce

This white sauce is essentially bechamel sauce, and I added garlic and onions for additional flavor. I bet many of you will frown at mentioning bechamel sauce. I did the same in the past. Many times, my bechamel sauce ended up clumpy with burned flour. I won't even comment on the taste. 

But this was before I found the correct proportion of butter (or oil), flour, and milk. And an essential part is to mix it often with a wooden spoon. Not fun, but necessary. So, this became my favorite recipe for onion and garlic bechamel sauce. 

• Heat butter in a large skillet on medium heat. 
• Add onion and cook until fragrant (about 5 min).
• Add flour and mix everything well with a wooden spoon. Hint: if it looks like there is more flour than oil (or butter) and flour is clumping, add a bit more oil (or butter) until the mixture looks creamy. 
• Slowly pour prepared milk while constantly mixing with a wooden spoon. This is where you want to avoid clumping the flour by adding milk slowly and mixing. 
• Add minced garlic and nutmeg, mix well, and cook until the sauce becomes bubbly. Remove from heat. 
• Cut the spinach you set aside and add it to the white sauce. At this point, you want to mix it all well and not cook more. 
• Nest the cooked chicken breasts you set aside in the creamy spinach sauce.
• Add the grated Parmesan cheese to the sauce, stirring until it's well incorporated.
• Add ½ cup of sun-dried tomato to the creamy chicken spinach and add additional salt and pepper to taste. 
• Serve the creamy chicken with spinach and béchamel sauce over rice, pasta, crusty bread, or with your choice of side dish.

Is This Creamy Chicken with Spinach Recipe Worth Trying?

It certainly is! It doesn't call for unusual ingredients; we should all have them in our kitchen regularly - garlic, onion, milk, butter, flour, chicken, and spinach. They are all part of a healthy eating regime that I recommend following. 

To achieve a healthy plate, you can pair it with grains such as rice or homemade bread. Whatever you decide, you will not go wrong if you enjoy it in moderation. 

Helpful Tips and Tricks

• Marinate the chicken breasts beforehand in herbs, garlic, or a simple seasoning mix to impart extra flavor.
• Taste the sauce as you go along and adjust the seasoning accordingly.
• Adjust the thickness of the sauce by adding more milk if it becomes too thick, or simmer it a bit longer if it's too runny.
• If you decide to use other greens, be mindful of the cooking time for the greens. Spinach wilts quickly, but heartier greens like kale might need a bit more time to soften.

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