PREP TIME: 20 mins | COOK TIME: 40 mins | TOTAL TIME: 1 hr | SERVINGS: 4
This Mediterranean-style chicken dish is another amazing weekend dinner that is also great for entertaining. Low-carb, gluten-free, and packed with protein and veggies. I’m sure your mouth will water just by looking at this juicy chicken smothered in a delightful creamed cheese with bacon and mushrooms.
Ingredients
Chicken:
1.5-pound chicken breast, skinless, boneless (4 small chicken breast or 2 large chicken breast, halved)
1 tbsp butter
¼ tsp lemon pepper seasoning
¼ tsp paprika
Salt
Creamed spinach:
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp vegetable oil
10 ounces of spinach fresh
⅔ c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
⅔ c. half and half
Other Ingredients:
4 slices of bacon, cooked, chopped
1 tbsp vegetable oil
4 slices Pepper Jack cheese or Monterey Jack Cheese with Jalapenos
4 ounces mushrooms, sliced
How to make Smothered Chicken with Creamed Spinach, Bacon, Mushrooms
Step 1: Prepare the oven. Preheat it to 375 degrees F.
Step 2: Grease the bottom of a baking dish with butter (for this recipe, I use a 13 x 9 x 4 inches deep oval casserole).
Step 3: Generously sprinkle all sides of the chicken breasts with salt, lemon pepper seasoning, and a little amount of paprika.
Step 4: Into the greased baking dish, place the chicken breasts, flat side down. Put in the preheated oven and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Creamed spinach:
Step 5: In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the spinach to the skillet and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes or until the spinach is starting to wilt, covered.
Step 6: Take the skillet off the heat, then add the minced garlic and half-and-half. Return to the heat and bring everything to a boil. While stirring constantly, add the shredded mozzarella cheese, cooking over high heat until the cheese begins to melt. This takes about 30 seconds.
Step 7: Decrease the heat and cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute while still stirring until the mixture is smooth. To taste, season with salt.
Mushrooms:
Step 8: Heat 1 tbsp oil in another pan. Then, add the sliced mushrooms and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes over medium-high heat until the mushrooms caramelize.
To assemble:
Step 9: Take the chicken out of the oven. On top of each chicken breast, place the creamed spinach, then chopped cooked bacon, cooked mushrooms, and broken slices of pepper jack cheese. Return to the oven and resume baking for another 15 to 20 minutes, uncovered, until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle and the juices run clear. In the last 2 to 4 minutes, broil the chicken if desired.
Nutrition Facts:
Amount per Serving: Calories 611, Fat 40g 62%, Saturated Fat 22g 138%, Cholesterol 185mg 62%, Sodium 709mg 31%, Potassium 1259mg 36%, Carbohydrates 7g 2%, Fiber 1g 4%, Sugar 1g 1%, Protein 54g 108%, Vitamin A 7330IU 147%, Vitamin C 23.8mg 29%, Calcium 430mg 43%, Iron 3.1mg 17%
Ingredients
- Chicken:
- 1.5-pound chicken breast, skinless, boneless (4 small chicken breast or 2 large chicken breast, halved)
- 1 tbsp butter
- ¼ tsp lemon pepper seasoning
- ¼ tsp paprika
- Salt
- Creamed spinach:
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 10 ounces of spinach fresh
- ⅔ c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ⅔ c. half and half
- Other Ingredients:
- 4 slices of bacon, cooked, chopped
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 slices Pepper Jack cheese or Monterey Jack Cheese with Jalapenos
- 4 ounces mushrooms, sliced
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the oven. Preheat it to 375 degrees F.
Step 2: Grease the bottom of a baking dish with butter (for this recipe, I use a 13 x 9 x 4 inches deep oval casserole).
Step 3: Generously sprinkle all sides of the chicken breasts with salt, lemon pepper seasoning, and a little amount of paprika.
Step 4: Into the greased baking dish, place the chicken breasts, flat side down. Put in the preheated oven and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Creamed spinach:
Step 5: In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the spinach to the skillet and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes or until the spinach is starting to wilt, covered.
Step 6: Take the skillet off the heat, then add the minced garlic and half-and-half. Return to the heat and bring everything to a boil. While stirring constantly, add the shredded mozzarella cheese, cooking over high heat until the cheese begins to melt. This takes about 30 seconds.
Step 7: Decrease the heat and cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute while still stirring until the mixture is smooth. To taste, season with salt.
Mushrooms:
Step 8: Heat 1 tbsp oil in another pan. Then, add the sliced mushrooms and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes over medium-high heat until the mushrooms caramelize.
To assemble:
Step 9: Take the chicken out of the oven. On top of each chicken breast, place the creamed spinach, then chopped cooked bacon, cooked mushrooms, and broken slices of pepper jack cheese. Return to the oven and resume baking for another 15 to 20 minutes, uncovered, until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle and the juices run clear. In the last 2 to 4 minutes, broil the chicken if desired.
