Smothered Chicken with Creamed Spinach, Bacon & Mushrooms
Servings: 4
Total time: ~45 minutes
Vibe: Rich, savory, skillet magic
🛒 Ingredients
Chicken
-
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
-
1 tsp salt
-
½ tsp black pepper
-
1 tsp paprika
-
½ tsp garlic powder
-
½ tsp onion powder
-
2 tbsp olive oil or butter
Bacon & Mushrooms
-
5–6 slices bacon, chopped
-
8 oz mushrooms (cremini or button), sliced
-
3 cloves garlic, minced
Creamed Spinach Sauce
-
2 tbsp butter (if needed)
-
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
-
1 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half)
-
½ cup chicken broth
-
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
-
4 cups fresh spinach (or 1½ cups frozen, thawed & squeezed dry)
-
¼ tsp nutmeg (optional but 🔥)
-
Salt & pepper, to taste
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Season & Sear the Chicken
-
Pat chicken dry.
-
Season both sides with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder.
-
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
-
Sear chicken 5–6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through (165°F).
-
Remove chicken and set aside.
2. Cook the Bacon & Mushrooms
-
In the same skillet, add chopped bacon.
-
Cook until crispy, then remove and set aside (leave the fat in the pan).
-
Add mushrooms to the bacon fat.
-
Cook 5–6 minutes until browned and moisture evaporates.
-
Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
3. Make the Creamed Spinach
-
Reduce heat to medium.
-
Add butter if the pan looks dry.
-
Sprinkle in flour; stir 1 minute to cook it out.
-
Slowly whisk in chicken broth, then cream.
-
Simmer 3–4 minutes until thickened.
-
Stir in Parmesan, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
-
Add spinach and cook until wilted (or heated through if frozen).
-
Stir bacon back in.
4. Smother the Chicken
-
Nestle chicken back into the skillet.
-
Spoon sauce generously over each piece.
-
Simmer 5 minutes so everything gets cozy and flavorful.
🍽️ Serving Ideas
-
Mashed potatoes
-
Rice or risotto
-
Pasta
-
Cauliflower mash or zucchini noodles (low-carb friendly)
❓ Q & A
Q: Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?
Absolutely. Thighs are juicier and very forgiving—cook them a bit longer if needed.
Q: Can I make this low-carb or keto?
Yes!
-
Skip the flour (or use ½ tsp xanthan gum).
-
Use heavy cream.
-
Serve with cauliflower mash or sautéed veggies.
Q: What mushrooms work best?
Cremini (baby bella) = most flavor
Button = classic
Shiitake = fancy, earthy upgrade
Q: Can I use frozen spinach?
Yep. Just thaw and squeeze out excess water or the sauce will thin out.
Q: How do I make it lighter?
-
Use half-and-half instead of cream
-
Reduce Parmesan slightly
-
Add more spinach and mushrooms for volume
Q: Can I make this ahead?
Yes!
-
Make everything, cool, refrigerate up to 3 days.
-
Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of cream or broth.
Q: Why is my sauce too thin?
-
Simmer longer
-
Add a little extra Parmesan
-
Mix 1 tsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp cold water and stir in.
