Creamy Spinach Artichoke Chicken

$11.53 recipe / $2.88 serving
by Beth - Budget Bytes
4.96 from 43 votes
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It’s no secret that I love spinach artichoke dip and I’m always looking for ways to make it into a legit dinner, instead of just an appetizer that I accidentally over-indulged in. For this Creamy Spinach Artichoke Chicken I’ve combined a rich and garlicky cream sauce with fresh spinach and chopped artichoke hearts, then spooned it over the skillet seared chicken breasts. It’s quick, easy, and totally impressive enough for date night. So grab a chilled bottle of white wine, take out a few slices of Freezer Garlic Bread, and let’s get this dinner started.

Want more ways to eat your Spinach Artichoke Dip for dinner? Check out my Spinach Artichoke Pasta, Spinach Artichoke Pizza, and Spinach Artichoke “Grilled Cheese”.

One piece of Creamy Spinach Artichoke Chicken being lifted out of the skillet with a spatula.

Can I Use Frozen Spinach?

Yes, absolutely. To use frozen spinach in place of the fresh spinach, just thaw the spinach and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Add it to the sauce at the same point in the recipe as the fresh spinach is added in the directions. 

How to Serve Creamy Spinach Artichoke Chicken

This recipe includes quite a bit of luscious creamy sauce, so you’ll probably want to serve this over either pasta, rice, or with some crusty bread to wipe up all that sauce. If you’re trying to keep things low carb, you can serve this chicken over a steamed vegetable, like asparagus or broccoli, which would also be awesome with the creamy sauce.

Does This Recipe Reheat Well?

Speaking from experience (I had leftovers for lunch today), yes, yes it does reheat very well! I think this one could successfully be meal prepped. And while I haven’t tried freezing this recipe, I don’t expect that it would hold up. Creamy sauces often don’t stand up to freezing and thawing.

Creamy Spinach Artichoke Sauce being spooned over a piece of browned chicken
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Creamy Spinach Artichoke Chicken

4.96 from 43 votes
Creamy Spinach Artichoke Chicken is a creamy and indulgent chicken dish that is fast and easy, but still impressive enough for date night.
Creamy Spinach Artichoke Sauce being spooned over a piece of browned chicken
Servings 4
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 20 minutes
Total 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1-1.25 lb. total) ($6.29*)
  • 1 pinch salt & pepper ($0.03)
  • 1 Tbsp cooking oil ($0.04)
  • 4 oz. fresh spinach ($0.60)
  • 1 12oz. jar quartered artichoke hearts in water ($2.79)
  • 4 cloves garlic ($0.32)
  • 1 Tbsp butter ($0.18)
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth ($0.07)
  • 1/2 cup sour cream ($0.22)
  • 4 oz. cream cheese ($0.40)
  • 1/4 cup milk ($0.08)
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan ($0.44)
  • 1 pinch crushed red pepper ($0.02)
  • salt and pepper to taste ($0.05)
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Instructions 

  • Place the chicken on a cutting board and cover with a sheet of plastic to prevent splatter. Use a mallet or rolling pin to gently pound the chicken out to an even thickness (about 3/4-inch thick). Slice each chicken breast in half to create two pieces each. Or, use thin sliced chicken breast filets. Season the breasts with a pinch of salt and pepper.
  • Heat the cooking oil in a large skillet over medium. Once hot, swirl the oil to coat the surface of the skillet. Add the chicken breasts and cook until golden brown on each side and cooked through (5-7 minutes each side).
  • While the chicken is cooking, roughly chop the spinach into smaller pieces. Drain the artichoke hearts and roughly chop them as well. Mince the garlic.
  • Once the chicken is cooked through, remove it to a clean plate and cover to keep warm. Add the butter and minced garlic to the skillet and continue to sauté over medium for one minute or just until the garlic begins to soften.
  • Add the chicken broth to the skillet and stir to dissolve the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Cut the cream cheese into chunks and add it to the skillet along with the sour cream. Whisk the ingredients together and continue to cook over medium, whisking continuously, until the cream cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth. Add the milk and stir until smooth again.
  • Add the Parmesan, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and some freshly ground pepper to the skillet. Continue to heat and whisk for a couple minutes more. Finally, stir the spinach into the sauce, a handful or two at a time, until wilted (this should only take about a minute), then stir in the artichoke hearts.
  • Return the chicken to the skillet and spoon the creamy spinach artichoke sauce over top. Serve hot.

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Notes

*I used organic chicken this time, hence the slightly higher price for the chicken.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 435.93kcalCarbohydrates: 11.15gProtein: 39.03gFat: 26.8gSodium: 1067.08mgFiber: 4.13g
Read our full nutrition disclaimer here.
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Scroll down for the step by step photos!

Close up overhead shot of Creamy Spinach Artichoke Chicken in the skillet.

How to Make Spinach Artichoke Chicken – Step by Step Photos

Pounded chicken breasts on a cutting board covered with plastic, rolling pin on the side

Place two boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1-1.25 pounds total) on a cutting board and cover with plastic to prevent splatter. Pound out the chicken to an even thickness, about 3/4-inch thick, using a rolling pin or mallet. Then cut each breast in half to create two smaller pieces. Or, you can buy those chicken breast filets that are already cut into thin slices. Season the breasts with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Browned Chicken Breasts in the skillet

Heat a tablespoon of cooking oil in a large skillet over medium. Once hot, swirl the oil to coat the surface of the skillet, then add the chicken breasts. Cook until the chicken is browned on each side and cooked through (5-7 minutes each side).

Chopped Spinach, Artichoke Hearts, and minced garlic

While the chicken is cooking, roughly chop about 4 oz. (half of an 8 oz. bag) of spinach. Drain a 12 oz. can of artichoke hearts, then roughly chop them as well. Mince four cloves of garlic. Set the spinach, artichoke hearts, and garlic aside.

Garlic and Butter in Skillet

Once the chicken has cooked, remove it to a clean plate and cover to keep it warm. Add 1 Tbsp butter and the minced garlic to the skillet. Sauté the garlic in the butter for about one minute.

Deglaze skillet with chicken broth

Add 1/2 cup chicken broth to the skillet and stir to dissolve all the delicious browned bits off the bottom of the skillet. I use Better Than Bouillon to make my broth, so I can mix up small amounts like 1/2 cup as needed, instead of opening an entire can or box.

Sour Cream and Cream Cheese in the skillet with chicken broth

Cut 4 oz. cream cheese into pieces, then add them to the skillet along with 1/2 cup sour cream. Whisk these ingredients together and continue to heat, while whisking, until the cream cheese has fully melted and the sauce is smooth. Add 1/4 cup milk and stir until smooth again.

Add Parmesan, pepper, and red pepper flakes to cream sauce.

Add 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and some freshly ground pepper to the sauce. Continue to heat and whisk for 1-2 minutes more.

Add Chopped Spinach to the garlic parmesan cream sauce

Stir the chopped spinach into the sauce, a handful or two at a time, until it is wilted. It should wilt almost immediately.

Add Chopped Artichokes to the creamy spinach sauce

Then stir in the drained and chopped artichoke hearts.

Return Chicken to the Skillet and spoon creamy spinach artichoke sauce over top

Finally, return the cooked chicken to the skillet and spoon the creamy spinach artichoke sauce over top of each piece.

A piece of Creamy Spinach Artichoke Chicken being lifted out of the skillet with a spatula, side view

Serve while everything is still hot! 🤤

Creamy Spinach Artichoke Chicken on a plate with a bed of pasta and a salad on the side

I served my Creamy Spinach Artichoke Chicken over some wide egg noodles with a big green salad on the side!

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Comments

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  1. Absolutely delicious! I added some mushrooms with the garlic and we can’t stop talking about it . Will absolutely make again

  2. My picky partner liked it and said, “we can do this one again!” I did add some extra salt and pepper but otherwise followed the recipe as written.

  3. Could you add mushrooms s and a red pepper with lemon juice without ruining the recipe?

    1. Hi Carol, I think you could add mushrooms and red pepper. I would sauté them in the skillet with the butter after the chicken has been browned and removed and before you add the garlic. I’m not sure about lemon juice, though, as this might curdle the creamy sauce. If I were to test adding lemon juice I would probably add it at the very end.

  4. I am anxious to make this today, found a recipe that calls for everything I actually have on hand so that was good to start with!
    Will follow up after we eat, looks really good and very straightforward insturctions!

    1. You CAN NOT, or you really SHOULD NOT give a 5 star review on something YOU haven’t made or tasted yet. It us truly misleading.

  5. This was amazing! My family loved it and I can’t wait to make it again tomorrow. I’m going to surprise my daughter with it, she’s been asking me to make it for a week now! 😊

    1. isn’t it fun when you cook something that your family loves and they request it again! way better than when they say dinner was ok, but not a favorite–kind way of saying don’t fix that again please!

  6. This was amazing! My family loved it and. Any wait to make it again tomorrow. I’m going to surprise my daughter with it, she’s been asking me to make it for a week now! 😊

  7. Made this and my son and husband went nuts. Its a great recipe for a dinner for company. Thank you!!

  8. Made this the first time tonight. Really delicious! Thank you so much for the recipe!

  9. I did not have milk on hand, so I used heavy whipping cream instead and it worked great!

  10. Made this recipe for the first time today Wow, it is incredible! Thank you for sharing!

  11. Made this recipe for the second time today and it was phenomenal. I accidentally used a full cup of chicken broth rather than a half, but it didn’t thin out the sauce and maybe even turned out better than the first time! I also used reduced fat milk and cream cheese.

  12. I made this for dinner last night and it was so delicious, just the cream sauce tasted amazing! I served it over pasta which was the perfect choice. I only used one (large) chicken breast and I think it was more then enough. I also added a little mozzarella on top of my serving. I made sure everything was prepped before hand, which helped make the cooking process seamless.