Description
Comforting spinach chicken bake delivers a rich, cheesy melody of Mediterranean flavors that dance across your plate. Savory chicken nestled with tender spinach and melted cheese promises a delightful dinner you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 2 lbs (907 g) boneless skinless chicken fillets
Dairy and Cheese:
- 4 tablespoons (57 g) salted butter
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- 1 ½ cups (170 g) mozzarella cheese, freshly shredded
Herbs, Spices, and Vegetables:
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup (42 g) all purpose flour
- ½ medium sweet onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 lb (454 g) fresh spinach
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 ½ cups (360 ml) chicken broth
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and grease a rectangular baking vessel, ensuring smooth coverage to prevent sticking.
- Season chicken fillets with salt and pepper, then delicately dust each side with a thin flour coating.
- Heat butter in a skillet over medium temperature and sear chicken until achieving a rich golden exterior, approximately 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer cooked chicken to a protective foil tent.
- Using the identical skillet, introduce remaining butter and gently caramelize onions until translucent and fragrant.
- Incorporate minced garlic and sauté briefly to release aromatic flavors without browning.
- Deglaze the pan with chicken broth, meticulously scraping accumulated flavor fragments from the skillet’s surface.
- Allow liquid to reduce by half, concentrating the savory essence of the sauce.
- Introduce cream, stirring continuously and permitting the mixture to reduce and thicken.
- Fold fresh spinach into the creamy mixture, allowing leaves to wilt and incorporate seamlessly.
- Reintroduce chicken to the skillet, letting it bathe in the luxurious sauce and absorbing complementary flavors.
- Transfer chicken and spinach cream sauce into the prepared baking dish, ensuring even distribution.
- Generously sprinkle mozzarella cheese across the surface for a decadent, melty finish.
- Position the dish under the broiler, watching carefully to achieve a golden, bubbling cheese crust.
- Remove from oven and delicately garnish with a whisper of nutmeg and fresh parsley for an elegant presentation.
Notes
- Golden-brown chicken ensures a delightful crispy exterior that locks in juicy flavors, creating a restaurant-quality main dish.
- Quick sautéing of onions and garlic builds a rich flavor foundation that transforms ordinary ingredients into an extraordinary meal.
- Reducing the sauce concentrates its taste, allowing cream and broth to create a silky, luxurious coating that clings perfectly to the chicken.
- Wilting fresh spinach directly in the sauce infuses the greens with incredible depth, making even vegetable-hesitant eaters enjoy every bite.
- Broiling with mozzarella cheese creates an irresistible golden crust that adds a gorgeous visual appeal and delivers a satisfying crispy texture.
- Finishing with fresh nutmeg and parsley provides a bright, aromatic touch that elevates the entire dish from good to gourmet.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 486
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 714 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 17 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 143 mg