I just made Smothered Chicken With Creamed Spinach And Mushrooms and the result is stupidly saucy, bacon-studded chicken that begs you to scroll for the recipe.
I’m obsessed with Smothered Chicken With Creamed Spinach And Mushrooms because it wrecks dinner expectations. Rich sauce, tangy cream cheese and browned chicken that soaks it up.
Yes, a bit messy. I love the way bacon and cremini mushrooms sing together, salty and earthy.
But the spinach slides in and makes it feel like I did something smart for dinner. This is one of my favorite Chicken Bacon Spinach Recipes to pull out when I want serious satisfaction without fuss.
Seriously crave-worthy, unpretentious, and exactly the kind of meal I want on repeat. No regrets.
Worth every messy bite. Always.
Ingredients
- Chicken breasts: hearty protein, so tender once pounded or halved.
- All purpose flour: gives a light, crispy coating for searing.
- Kosher salt: wakes up flavors, don’t skimp on a little more.
- Black pepper: peppery bite, adds warmth if you like extra.
- Smoked paprika: smoky color and depth, regular works fine too.
- Garlic powder: easy savory boost, pulls everything together quietly.
- Olive or neutral oil: keeps chicken from sticking, adds golden crust.
- Butter: makes the pan sauce rich and a touch silky.
- Bacon: salty crunch and fatty goodness, basically irresistible here.
- Mushrooms: meaty, earthy bites that soak up the sauce.
- Yellow onion: sweet base flavor, softens and caramelizes nicely.
- Garlic cloves: fresh garlicky punch, way brighter than powder.
- Baby spinach: light, leafy green that wilts into creamy sauce.
- Cream cheese: thickens sauce and gives that rich, tangy creaminess.
- Heavy cream: smooth, silky body for the sauce, decadent stuff.
- Chicken broth: adds savory depth and keeps sauce from feeling heavy.
- Parmesan cheese: salty, nutty finish that melts into the sauce.
- Thyme: herbaceous hint, little leaves that smell amazing.
- Lemon juice: bright pop to cut through the richness, optional.
- Parsley: fresh color and herb lift at the end.
- Red pepper flakes: optional heat, just a pinch wakes things up.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 1/2 to 2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness or sliced in half
- 1 cup all purpose flour, for dredging
- 1 tsp kosher salt plus extra for seasoning
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, more if you like
- 1 tsp smoked paprika (or regular paprika if you dont have smoked)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 3 tbsp olive oil or neutral oil, for frying
- 2 tbsp butter, for pan sauce
- 6 slices bacon, chopped
- 8 oz cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 10 to 12 oz fresh baby spinach (about 6 cups loosely packed)
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, optional to brighten flavors
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
- Pinch of red pepper flakes, optional for a little heat
How to Make this
1. Pat chicken dry, season with salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder, then dredge each piece in flour, shaking off excess.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until shimmering, add chicken and brown 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through, transfer to a plate and tent with foil.
3. In the same skillet add chopped bacon and cook until crisp, remove with a slotted spoon to the plate with chicken leaving bacon fat behind.
4. Add butter to the bacon fat, then toss in sliced mushrooms and chopped onion, sauté until mushrooms brown and onions soften about 5 to 7 minutes, season with a pinch of salt and red pepper flakes if using.
5. Stir in minced garlic and thyme, cook 30 seconds until fragrant, then add chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the pan.
6. Reduce heat to medium low and add cream cheese, stirring until melted and smooth, slowly pour in heavy cream while stirring to make a silky sauce.
7. Add fresh spinach in batches, stirring each batch until wilted, then fold in grated Parmesan, cooked bacon, lemon juice if using, and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
8. Return chicken to the skillet nestling into the creamed spinach mixture, spoon sauce over the top, cover and warm together 2 to 3 minutes so flavors marry.
9. Finish with chopped parsley and a little extra Parmesan if you want, taste once more for seasoning.
10. Serve immediately over mashed potatoes, rice or crusty bread to soak up the sauce, and enjoy.
Equipment Needed
1. Large heavy skillet (10 to 12 inch) for browning chicken and making the sauce
2. Meat mallet or rolling pin to pound breasts even, or a sharp knife to halve them
3. Tongs for flipping chicken and stirring in the pan
4. Slotted spoon to lift crisp bacon out of the fat
5. Cutting board and a good chef knife for bacon, mushrooms, onion and parsley
6. Measuring cups and spoons for flour, cream, broth and seasonings
7. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula to scrape browned bits and stir the sauce
8. Plates, foil and a small bowl for dredging the chicken and tenting while you finish the sauce
FAQ
Smothered Chicken With Creamed Spinach Bacon And Mushrooms Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Chicken breasts: use boneless skinless chicken thighs for more flavor and moisture, or turkey cutlets if you want a leaner, milder option.
- Bacon: swap in pancetta or chopped prosciutto for a similar salty, cured taste, or try turkey bacon for a lower fat choice (won’t be as crispy).
- Heavy cream: use half and half plus 1 tablespoon melted butter to mimic richness, or coconut cream for a dairy free, slightly sweet alternative.
- Cream cheese or Parmesan: mascarpone works in place of cream cheese for a silkier texture, and Pecorino Romano can replace Parmesan if you want a sharper, saltier cheese.
Pro Tips
1. Don’t rush the browning — get the pan really hot then turn it down a bit so the chicken gets a deep crust without burning. If it’s browning too fast lower the heat, dont keep flipping it.
2. Save and use the bacon fat. It adds way more flavor than plain oil, so cook the mushrooms and onions in at least a tablespoon of that fat before adding butter, you’ll notice the sauce is way richer.
3. Add the spinach in batches and squeeze out excess moisture from wilted spinach before adding cheese, otherwise the sauce gets thin and watery. If it does thin out, simmer a few minutes uncovered to reduce.
4. Taste and tweak at the end. A splash of lemon or extra Parm can bring the whole dish back to life, and a pinch more salt at the very end often makes the flavors pop.
Smothered Chicken With Creamed Spinach Bacon And Mushrooms Recipe
I just made Smothered Chicken With Creamed Spinach And Mushrooms and the result is stupidly saucy, bacon-studded chicken that begs you to scroll for the recipe.
4
servings
1118
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large heavy skillet (10 to 12 inch) for browning chicken and making the sauce
2. Meat mallet or rolling pin to pound breasts even, or a sharp knife to halve them
3. Tongs for flipping chicken and stirring in the pan
4. Slotted spoon to lift crisp bacon out of the fat
5. Cutting board and a good chef knife for bacon, mushrooms, onion and parsley
6. Measuring cups and spoons for flour, cream, broth and seasonings
7. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula to scrape browned bits and stir the sauce
8. Plates, foil and a small bowl for dredging the chicken and tenting while you finish the sauce
Ingredients
-
1 1/2 to 2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness or sliced in half
-
1 cup all purpose flour, for dredging
-
1 tsp kosher salt plus extra for seasoning
-
1/2 tsp black pepper, more if you like
-
1 tsp smoked paprika (or regular paprika if you dont have smoked)
-
1/2 tsp garlic powder
-
3 tbsp olive oil or neutral oil, for frying
-
2 tbsp butter, for pan sauce
-
6 slices bacon, chopped
-
8 oz cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
-
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
-
3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
-
10 to 12 oz fresh baby spinach (about 6 cups loosely packed)
-
4 oz cream cheese, softened
-
1/2 to 3/4 cup heavy cream
-
1/2 cup chicken broth
-
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
-
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
-
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, optional to brighten flavors
-
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
-
Pinch of red pepper flakes, optional for a little heat
Directions
- Pat chicken dry, season with salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder, then dredge each piece in flour, shaking off excess.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until shimmering, add chicken and brown 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through, transfer to a plate and tent with foil.
- In the same skillet add chopped bacon and cook until crisp, remove with a slotted spoon to the plate with chicken leaving bacon fat behind.
- Add butter to the bacon fat, then toss in sliced mushrooms and chopped onion, sauté until mushrooms brown and onions soften about 5 to 7 minutes, season with a pinch of salt and red pepper flakes if using.
- Stir in minced garlic and thyme, cook 30 seconds until fragrant, then add chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the pan.
- Reduce heat to medium low and add cream cheese, stirring until melted and smooth, slowly pour in heavy cream while stirring to make a silky sauce.
- Add fresh spinach in batches, stirring each batch until wilted, then fold in grated Parmesan, cooked bacon, lemon juice if using, and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Return chicken to the skillet nestling into the creamed spinach mixture, spoon sauce over the top, cover and warm together 2 to 3 minutes so flavors marry.
- Finish with chopped parsley and a little extra Parmesan if you want, taste once more for seasoning.
- Serve immediately over mashed potatoes, rice or crusty bread to soak up the sauce, and enjoy.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 554g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 1118kcal
- Fat: 70.7g
- Saturated Fat: 29.5g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Polyunsaturated: 7.5g
- Monounsaturated: 33.2g
- Cholesterol: 319mg
- Sodium: 1515mg
- Potassium: 1432mg
- Carbohydrates: 29.5g
- Fiber: 3.3g
- Sugar: 2g
- Protein: 92g
- Vitamin A: 4000IU
- Vitamin C: 18mg
- Calcium: 186mg
- Iron: 4mg