Lemon Parmesan Spinach Chicken (Printable)

Tender chicken breasts in a creamy lemon Parmesan spinach sauce, ready in 40 minutes for an easy weeknight dinner.

# What you need:

→ Proteins

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)

→ Vegetables

02 - 3 cups fresh baby spinach
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced

→ Dairy & Cheese

04 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - ⅓ cup heavy cream
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Pantry Staples

07 - 1 lemon, zested and juiced
08 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
09 - ½ teaspoon kosher salt
10 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
11 - ½ teaspoon dried Italian herb blend

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Position the rack in the center.
02 - Pat chicken breasts thoroughly dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with salt, pepper, and dried Italian herbs.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear chicken breasts for 2–3 minutes per side until a deep golden crust forms. Remove and set aside; they will finish cooking in the oven.
04 - Reduce heat to medium. Melt butter in the same skillet, then add minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
05 - Add fresh spinach to the skillet and sauté, tossing gently, until just wilted, approximately 2 minutes.
06 - Pour in heavy cream, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a brief simmer.
07 - Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese into the sauce, stirring continuously until fully melted and the sauce thickens slightly.
08 - Nestle the seared chicken breasts back into the spinach cream sauce, spooning some sauce over the top of each piece.
09 - Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 12–15 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
10 - Serve immediately while hot, garnished with additional lemon zest or shaved Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The Parmesan forms a golden crust on the chicken that tastes like something you would order at a restaurant but it happens in your own kitchen with almost zero effort.
  • That creamy lemony spinach sauce is so good you will want to eat it with a spoon straight from the pan before anyone else gets near it.
02 -
  • Do not skip the drying step on the chicken because wet meat steams instead of searing and you lose that golden crust that holds the sauce.
  • The chicken does not need to be fully cooked during the sear because it finishes in the oven so pull it when it is golden even if it still looks raw inside.
03 -
  • Use an oven proof skillet from the start so you never have to transfer the sauce and chicken to a different pan before baking because every extra dish is a dish you have to wash later.
  • The real secret is zesting the lemon directly into the cream sauce rather than onto a cutting board first because all those fragrant oils end up in your food instead of on your counter.

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