Lemon Parmesan Spinach Chicken Recipe
This lemon parmesan spinach chicken recipe is a favorite for a quick weeknight dinner. We serve it over pasta or orzo for something easy to make with tons of flavor.
The best part? It’s all made in one pan, which means hardly any cleanup. It’s a great lemon recipe in late winter when you’re craving something fresh but nothing is in season.
Lemon Parmesan Spinach Chicken
Equipment
- Meat mallet (for pounding the chicken)
- Large sauté pan (for cooking the chicken and making the sauce)
- Wooden spoon or spatula (for stirring the sauce)
- Tongs (for turning the chicken)
- Zester or grater (for zesting the lemon)
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- salt and pepper (for seasoning the chicken)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon zest of 1 lemon
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 cups fresh spinach leaves
- additional Parmesan cheese for garnish
- thinly sliced lemon for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken. Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness using a meat mallet. Then, season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Cook the chicken. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Then, add the chicken breasts and cook for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and fully cooked. Next, remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Make the sauce. In the same pan, sauté the minced garlic for 1 minute until fragrant. Then, add the chicken broth, lemon juice, and zest, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil. Next, reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce slightly thickens. Stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted and combined.
- Add the spinach and return the chicken. Add the fresh spinach to the sauce and cook for about 1 minute until it wilts. Return the cooked chicken to the pan, spooning the sauce over the top. Sprinkle additional Parmesan cheese over the chicken and spinach. Cover the pan and cook for another 2 minutes, allowing the cheese to melt and the spinach to become tender.
- Serve. Garnish with thinly sliced lemon and extra Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
The first time I cooked Lemon Parmesan Spinach Chicken, my family instantly loved it. The creamy Parmesan mix and the fresh lemon taste make this dish stand out. It’s hardly on the table before everyone starts to dig in, and I appreciate how easy and quick it is to make. The best thing? It only uses one pan, so I spend less time cleaning up and more time enjoying the meal. Whether it’s a hectic weeknight or a laid-back dinner with friends, this recipe always impresses. And trust me—you’re not going to have any leftovers!
If you’re a fan of quick and flavorful meals with spinach and chicken, you might also love this Chicken and Spinach Pasta skillet recipe. It’s another easy, one-pan option with a creamy, zesty twist.
I hope you love this easy, creamy chicken dinner.
Key Ingredients and Tools
Fresh lemons: Use fresh lemons since their zest and juice add a fresh, bright flavor that complements the cream and Parmesan’s richness. Bottled lemon juice doesn’t compare. Bottled lemon juice can do the job if you’re out of fresh lemons, but fresh lemons taste better.
Heavy cream: It’s the key to a creamy, rich sauce. Half-and-half is an alternative if it’s unavailable, though your sauce might be a little lighter.
Parmesan cheese (freshly grated): choose freshly grated Parmesan cheese for superior flavor and a smoother melt. The pre-grated kind often contains additives that can affect how well it melts. No Parmesan cheese? Try Pecorino Romano or Grana Padano instead. They’re a bit saltier and have a stronger taste.
Fresh spinach: It’s perfect as it cooks down well in the sauce without adding extra water. If you don’t have fresh spinach, frozen spinach that’s been thawed and squeezed dry works, though your sauce might be a bit more watery.
Meat mallet: It can be very useful for getting your chicken breasts to an even thickness, which helps them cook uniformly and stay moist. A rolling pin or the bottom of a sturdy pan can work in a pinch if you don’t have one.
The combination of fresh lemon and creamy Parmesan sauce adds a special touch without much work, and you can easily tweak it to make it your own. Pair it with whatever sides you like, try different veggies, or change the seasoning to match what you like.
By Katie Shaw
Katie lives in Virginia with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens. She loves creating simple tutorials for sourdough, bread, and soap. Her recipes, articles, and YouTube videos reach millions of people per year.
Made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious. I replaced the heavy cream with plain Greek yogurt. Thanks a ton.
Hey Cody, that sounds like a great twist on the recipe! Greek yogurt is such a nice, light swap for heavy cream. I’m so happy you enjoyed it, thanks for giving it a try! Hope you get a chance to make it again soon!
We really liked it. Need an adjustment on the sauce for thickening. Next time I’ll add more cheese or add some cornstarch to make a nicer sauce. It was very runny but it was delicious! I’d make it again for sure.
Hey Ann, thank you so much for your feedback! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! I really appreciate you sharing your experience, and I’m so happy to hear you’d make it again!
The flavor was really good, but it turned out soupy. Not sure what happened. I’m almost certain I used the correct amount of broth, lemon and cream. I’ll have to make it again and see if it turns out any differently.
Hey Michele, thanks for trying the recipe! The extra liquid might be from the spinach, especially if it wasn’t well-drained. Next time, you could simmer the sauce a bit longer to thicken it or add a little cornstarch or flour if needed. Let me know how it turns out!:)
SO delicious!!
Thank you!! I’m so glad you loved it!
Would this work with Feta cheese?
Hey Bob,
Yes, feta could work in this dish, although it would give it a different, tangier taste compared to the creamy and mild Parmesan. Feta won’t melt in the same way, so you might end up with a crumblier texture in the sauce. To balance it out, you could add a touch more cream or chicken broth if it gets too thick. Let me know if you give it a try!