Lemon Parmesan Spinach Chicken (Printable)

Juicy chicken breasts in a tangy lemon-Parmesan cream sauce with wilted spinach, ready in just 40 minutes.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

02 - 3 cups fresh baby spinach
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 medium lemon, zested and juiced

→ Dairy

05 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 1/3 cup heavy cream
07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Pantry

08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
09 - 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
10 - Salt, to taste
11 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and dried Italian herbs.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken breasts for 3–4 minutes per side until a golden crust forms. Remove from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
04 - Reduce heat to medium. Add unsalted butter to the skillet and let it melt. Sauté the minced garlic for about 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to brown it.
05 - Add the fresh baby spinach to the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, for approximately 2 minutes until the spinach is fully wilted.
06 - Pour in the heavy cream and stir in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Simmer the sauce for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it slightly thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
07 - Nestle the seared chicken breasts back into the skillet, spooning the creamy spinach sauce over the top of each piece.
08 - Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) and is cooked through completely.
09 - Remove from the oven and serve hot, garnished with additional freshly grated Parmesan cheese and lemon slices if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in the same pan, so you get all that golden chicken fond mixed right into every creamy bite.
  • It tastes like something you would order at a little trattoria, but it takes barely forty minutes from fridge to table.
02 -
  • Do not skip patting the chicken dry, moisture on the surface is the enemy of a good sear and you will end up steaming instead of browning.
  • Let the sauce simmer just until it thickens slightly, going too long will cause the cream to break and the Parmesan to become stringy.
03 -
  • Use a meat thermometer every single time, guessing is how chicken ends up dry or undercooked, and the few seconds it takes is worth it.
  • Grate the Parmesan as finely as you can manage so it melts seamlessly into the cream without leaving clumps.

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