Savory Garlic Mushroom Chicken with Spinach
Creamy, juicy, and bursting with savory garlic and earthy mushrooms, this one-skillet dish delivers rich, velvety sauce, tender seared chicken, and bright wilted spinach for a comforting dinner.
Servings: 4 servings
Equipment
- Large Skillet
- Mixing Bowl
- Spatula
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 pieces Boneless, skinless chicken breasts Pounded to even thickness if needed
- to taste Salt For seasoning the chicken and final seasoning
- to taste Black pepper Freshly ground recommended
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil For searing the chicken
- 2 tablespoons Unsalted butter For sautéing mushrooms
- 2 cups Mushrooms Sliced (baby bella or cremini recommended)
- 4 cloves Garlic Minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 cup Chicken broth Low-sodium preferred
- 1/4 cup Heavy cream Room temperature for smoother sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dried thyme Or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
- 3 cups Fresh spinach Loosely packed, rinsed and drained
- 2-3 cups Cooked pasta or rice Optional, to serve
Instructions
- Season chicken breasts with salt and black pepper. If breasts are thick, gently pound to even thickness for uniform cooking. Pat dry with paper towels to help achieve a good sear.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. Carefully add the chicken and cook for 5–6 minutes per side until golden brown and fully cooked through (internal temperature 165°F / 74°C). Avoid flipping too often — let a crust form. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside on a plate tented with foil to keep warm.
- In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium-low and add the butter. Once melted, add the sliced mushrooms and sauté, stirring occasionally, until browned and their liquid has mostly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Use a spatula to scrape up browned bits for flavor.
- Add the minced garlic to the mushrooms and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
- Stir in the chicken broth, heavy cream, and dried thyme. Increase heat to medium and simmer gently for about 5 minutes until the sauce slightly thickens. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
- Add the fresh spinach to the skillet and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 2 minutes. The spinach will reduce significantly in volume.
- Return the seared chicken to the skillet, nestling it into the sauce. Spoon sauce and mushrooms over the chicken and cook for another 2 minutes to heat through and meld flavors.
- Serve warm over cooked pasta, rice, or with crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Cool to room temperature before refrigerating. The cream-based sauce can change texture when frozen; if you must freeze, place chicken and sauce in freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.