spinach lemon chicken bake

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Spinach Lemon Chicken Bake

This spinach lemon chicken bake features tender, moist chicken baked atop spinach in a bright lemon and rosemary cream sauce.

Ingredients

  1. 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts
  2. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  3. 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  4. 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  5. 2 tablespoons olive oil
  6. 1 small onion, thinly sliced
  7. 3 cloves garlic, minced
  8. 3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
  9. 1/2 cup heavy cream
  10. 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  11. 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  12. 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
  13. 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  14. 2 (5-ounce) packages baby spinach
  15. 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
  16. lemon slices

Directions

  1. Gather all ingredients.
  2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
  3. Place a chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap and set on a cutting board. Pound with a meat mallet to 1/2-inch thickness. Repeat with remaining chicken.
  4. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Then sprinkle chicken generously with flour, shaking off excess.
  5. Heat oil in an ovenproof 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to the skillet and brown 3 minutes per side (chicken may not be fully cooked). Transfer chicken from the skillet to a plate.
  6. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion to the skillet; cook and stir until tender, 4 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, 1 minute more.
  7. Add broth, cream, lemon zest and juice, rosemary, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil, about 2 minutes.
  8. Add spinach, in batches, stirring until wilted, about 1 minute.
  9. Stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and simmer until desired consistency, about 5 minutes.
  10. Return chicken to skillet. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
  11. Bake in the preheated oven until chicken is cooked through and sauce is bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes. An instant read thermometer, inserted into the thickest part of chicken, should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
  12. Serve garnished with lemon slices.