Crispy chicken on a bed of gorgeously creamy spinach – this truly is what dinners are made of!
This is one of those dinners that you never want to end. Thankfully, it’s so easy to put on repeat! Follow me…
Creamed Spinach
There’s a fine line when making creamed spinach, with it being bland or completely and utterly delicious. Just spinach + cream and you’re going to be disappointed, even if it’s heavily seasoned.
Extra goodies
Alongside the spinach and cream, I love a base layer flavour of shallots and garlic (fried in butter, of course). Adding parmesan gives an awesome boost of flavour, whilst a good pinch of nutmeg really brings everything to life. These small adjustments will leave you wanting to eat the entire thing straight from the pan with a spoon.
Wilting the spinach
You’re going to start with A LOT of spinach, but just remember it’ll wilt down a heck of a lot. I like to fry it before adding to the sauce, just so the sauce doesn’t end up watery. Once it’s fried just squeeze out the excess moisture before adding back to the sauce.
Process shots: add spinach to pan (photo 1), fry then remove (photo 2), fry shallots in butter (photo 3), fry garlic (photo 4), add cream, parmesan and seasoning (photo 5), simmer then stir in spinach (photo 6).
Crispy Chicken
Many recipes add the chicken right in the pan with the creamed spinach, but I much prefer whipping up some crispy chicken instead. I love the contrast in texture and the breading clings to the gorgeous, creamy spinach.
To start, you’ll want to halve the chicken breast right through the centre to make two even-sized breasts. From there, I like to pound the thick parts to even thickness (you can use a rolling pin, mallet or even a heavy pan).
Then it’s just the classic flour -> egg -> breadcrumbs and you’re good to go!
Process shots: halve breast (photo 1), pound (photo 2), dredge in flour (photo 3), then egg (photo 4), then breadcrumbs (photo 5).
You don’t need much oil to fry the chicken – just enough to comfortably fill the base of the pan. It won’t take long to cook either because the chicken should be relatively thin.
Once it’s cooked, I like to rest it on a wire rack with paper towels underneath to catch excess oil.
Process shots: add chicken to hot oil (photo 1), fry both sides then remove (photo 2).
How to serve Chicken with Creamed Spinach
To serve, I like to spoon the spinach onto a plate, then rest the chicken on top, although you could put the chicken to one side. I highly recommend a sprinkling of parmesan, and you can add a gentle squeeze of lemon juice to cut through the richness if needed.
To film this recipe, I served with Parmentier Potatoes, but here are some other ideas:
- Mashed Potato
- Chips
- Rice
- Crusty Bread
For more similar recipes check out my Spinach Artichoke Chicken and Spinach Bourisn Chicken!
Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this chicken and creamed spinach shall we?!
How to make Chicken and Creamed Spinach (Full Recipe & Video)
Chicken and Creamed Spinach
Equipment
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
- Large Pan & Wooden Spoon
- Tongs
- Cling Film & Rolling Pin (for pounding chicken)
- 3 Large Shallow Dishes (for dredging chicken)
- Wire Rack & Kitchen Roll/Paper Towel (for resting chicken)
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1x large Chicken Breast (300g/10.5oz)
- 1/2 tsp EACH: Salt, Italian Seasoning
- 1/4 tsp EACH: Black Pepper, Paprika, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder
- 2 tbsp Plain Flour
- 1 large Egg, beaten
- 45g / 3/4 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- 120ml / 1/2 cup Veg Oil, or as needed for frying
Creamed Spinach
- 200g / 7oz Baby Spinach (see notes)
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 1 Echalion, finely diced (sub 2x small regular shallots)
- 2 cloves of Garlic, finely diced
- 160ml / 2/3 cup Double/Heavy Cream
- 20g / 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 1/8 tsp EACH: Ground Nutmeg, White Pepper, Salt, or to taste
To serve
- sprinkling of Parmesan
- 2 Lemon Wedges, optional (see notes)
Instructions
Creamed Spinach
- Add a light drizzle of oil to a large pan (or use oil spray) over medium heat then add the spinach (you may need to work in two batches). Use a wooden spoon to press down, then begin stirring until the spinach has wilted. Remove and place in a bowl to one side, then use a fork to press down on the spinach and squeeze out as much excess water as possible over the sink.
- Melt the butter into the pan then add the shallots. Fry until soft and golden, then add the garlic and fry for another 30 seconds or so. Pour in the cream then stir in the parmesan, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Simmer and stir for a couple of minutes until everything thickens, then stir in the spinach. Check for seasoning and adjust if needed. The sauce might be a little thick at the start, but the spinach should thin it back out again.
Chicken
- Horizontally slice the chicken breast right through the centre to make 2 even-sized breasts. Lay a sheet of cling film over and use a rolling pin, mallet or heavy pan to pound the thick part to even thickness (don't go overboard or the chicken will break apart).
- In a small bowl combine all of the chicken seasoning.
- Line up 3 large shallow dishes: first with flour + half of the seasoning mix, second with beaten egg and third with Panko + the rest of the seasoning mix. One by one, dredge the chicken through the flour, into the egg, then in the Panko, ensuring you thoroughly coat it at each stage. Give it a gentle shake then place to one side.
- Add enough oil to comfortably coat the base of a large pan and place it over medium-high heat. Once hot (a crumb should rapidly sizzle – 180C/350F to be accurate) add both pieces of chicken and fry both sides for 3-4 minutes until golden and crispy. Timings will depend on how thick the chicken is (safe internal temp is 74C/165F for reference). Place on a wire rack with paper towels underneath to catch excess oil.
Serving
- Spoon the creamed spinach onto a large plate then place the crispy chicken on top. Add a squeeze of lemon juice if you want to, then dust over some extra parmesan. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Your Private Notes:
Nutrition
Looking for more?
You’ll find plenty more delicious comfort food like this in my Debut Cookbook ‘Comfy’
