Go Back

Smothered Chicken With Creamed Spinach Bacon And Mushrooms

Smothered chicken with creamed spinach, bacon, and mushrooms is a one-skillet dinner where seared chicken breasts finish in a thick, savory cream sauce. Crispy bacon drippings, sautéed mushrooms, and wilted baby spinach create a rich, spoon-topped texture that clings to every bite.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 740
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Boneless chicken breasts
  • 4 boneless chicken breasts
Bacon and mushrooms
  • 6 slices bacon, chopped
  • 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
Garlic
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
Spinach
  • 4 cup baby spinach
Cream and cheese
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Seasoning
  • 1 Salt and pepper, to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Crisp the bacon
  1. Cook the chopped bacon in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat until crisp, 6-8 minutes, then remove and set aside while leaving the drippings in the pan.
  2. Keep the bacon drippings in the skillet so the chicken can sear in the rendered fat.
Sear and finish the chicken
  1. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then sear in the bacon drippings over medium heat for 5-6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through.
  2. Remove the chicken breasts and set aside while you cook the mushrooms and sauce.
Build the mushroom-garlic base
  1. Add the sliced mushrooms to the same skillet and cook until golden, about 5 minutes.
  2. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Wilt spinach and make it creamy
  1. Add the baby spinach and cook just until wilted, then stir in the heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese.
  2. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
Smother and serve
  1. Return the chicken and crispy bacon to the skillet, spooning the creamy spinach sauce over top before serving.

Notes

Pro tip: use the bacon drippings for both the chicken sear and the mushroom sauté so the flavors stay concentrated in one skillet. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove until warmed through, adding a splash of cream if the sauce tightens. Freezing is not recommended because the cream sauce and spinach texture can soften after thawing. For a lighter option, swap half the heavy cream for evaporated skim milk and use reduced-fat Parmesan.