Smothered Chicken with Creamed Spinach
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
4 cups fresh spinach, chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper, to taste
Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions:
1. Cook the Chicken:
Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 6-7 minutes per side, or until fully cooked and golden brown. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
2. Cook the Bacon:
In the same skillet, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove and crumble. Set aside, leaving about 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the pan.
3. Sauté the Mushrooms:
Add the sliced mushrooms to the skillet and sauté in the bacon fat over medium heat until they are browned and tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside with the bacon.
4. Make the Creamed Spinach:
In the same skillet, add the remaining olive oil and minced garlic. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add the heavy cream and bring it to a simmer. Stir in the chopped spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes until wilted.
Stir in the Parmesan cheese and let the sauce thicken for another 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Smother the Chicken:
Return the chicken breasts to the skillet, nestling them into the creamy spinach sauce. Spoon the sauce over the chicken.
Add the cooked mushrooms and crumbled bacon on top of the chicken.
6. Simmer and Serve:
Let the chicken simmer in the sauce for another 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.