Lemon Parmesan Spinach Chicken
Tender chicken in a creamy parmesan sauce with plenty of fresh spinach and lemon flavor. Quick and easy!
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
Flattening the chicken breasts to the same thickness helps them cook through properly and stay moist. You can use a meat tenderizer or a rolling pin to even them out.
Using fresh spinach is a favorite because it quickly wilts without making the sauce watery. If you’ve only got frozen spinach, thaw it and wring out all the water before adding it to your dish.
Avoid using pre-shredded Parmesan, as it also doesn’t melt into the sauce. Grating your Parmesan cheese right before you use it can enhance the sauce with flavor and texture.
Zesting a lemon is easier when it’s still whole, so remember to do this before you juice it.
After your sauce is ready, taste it and adjust the seasoning with more salt, pepper, or lemon juice. Fine-tuning the flavors right at the end can make a big difference.
You can pour a little white wine into the pan before adding the chicken broth if you have it on hand.
Nutrition
Calories: 402kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 135mg | Sodium: 580mg | Potassium: 504mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 800IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 153mg | Iron: 1mg
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 402kcal