Healthy Creamy Spinach Chicken

Creamy spinach chicken in large shallow pan with blue spoon.

This creamy spinach chicken is a quick, healthy and delicious meal idea the whole family will enjoy. It is made without any cream (not even the 'skinny' kind) and comes together in just over 20 minutes!

Course Dinner, Main

Cuisine Low fat

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes

Total Time 22 minutes

Servings servings

Calories 295kcal

Author Monika Dabrowski

Equipment

Food processor
Large pan with lid
Small pan for frying the garlic

Ingredients

1.1 pounds chicken breast skinless, boneless, cut into 2-3 strips each
4.94 ounces fresh spinach
1½ tablespoons olive oil plus 1 tbsp for frying the garlic
2 tablespoons butter
1½ tablespoons flour
¾ cup+1½tbsp milk
½ cup+1½tbsp vegetable stock made using ½ stock cube
⅓ teaspoon onion granules
3 tablespoons fromage frais/fromage blanc or quark/Skyr/creme fraiche
4 tablespoons parmesan finely grated
3 garlic cloves thinly sliced
Fine sea salt and pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Start by preparing the spinach. Chop it roughly, place in a food processor and pulse a few times until finely chopped (but not pureed completely). Set aside while you prepare the chicken and make the sauce.
Fry the chicken in 1.5 tablespoons of oil for about 2-3 minutes on each side (it should not be fully cooked at this point). Transfer the chicken into a bowl (leaving the juices in the pan).
Using the same pan melt the butter then add the flour and whisk in until smooth.
Gradually whisk in the milk alternating with the stock and continue cooking until the mixture thickens and starts bubbling up. Stir in the onion granules, spinach, fromage frais and pepper to taste.
Return the chicken to the pan (along with any juices), cover and cook gently for about 5 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked (do not overcook it). Remove from the heat.
In a small pan heat up 1 tablespoon of oil and fry the garlic over a low heat until golden stirring all the time (take care not to brown it too much).
Scatter over the dish and serve.

Notes

I recommend chopping the spinach in a food processor but you can chop it very finely by hand if preferred (this will take longer to do).
You can cut the chicken into strips, as I have done, but you can also dice it, cut in half (lengthways) or cook the chicken breasts whole. Cooking times will vary according to how large your chicken pieces are.
Remember that chicken cooks very quickly so try not to overcook it.
Use a whisk (not a fork or spoon) to make the sauce.
Add the chicken along with any juices into the sauce.
As the sauce contains stock as well as parmesan cheese I recommend adding the salt (if at all) after you've added the parmesan. You may only want to add pepper.
Use either vegetable or chicken stock.
Fromage frais: substitute quark or Skyr (both low in fat) or creme fraiche (high in fat).
Use either parmesan or another strong cheese, such as grana padano, pecorino etc.
It is important to fry the garlic over a low heat stirring all the time to prevent it browning too much (or it will taste bitter).
Best served immediately. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the microwave.
Serve with pasta (ex. fusilli, penne), mashed potatoes, crusty bread, rice or quinoa.
Freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition