This one pot creamed spinach chicken is paleo, Whole30 friendly and dairy free but you’d never guess! Juicy seasoned chicken is cooked in one skillet with a creamy, “cheesy” sauce and spinach that’s easy and great for weeknights! The leftovers are perfect for lunch the next day too.
I have a new quick easy dinner recipe for you here that you’re going to love!
I’m assuming if you stumbled on this recipe that you’re already a fan of spinach like I am.
In fact as a kid, spinach was my number one veggie. But of course there was a caveat – it had to be with cheese! Like spinach pie (how I LOVE spinach pie!)
I’d been wanting to create a creamed spinach recipe but personally, I think it’s better to add some protein and call it a full meal!
I decided on my favorite, go-to boneless skinless chicken thighs because they have loads of flavor and are so juicy, they’re the perfect compliment to the creamy spinach sauce!
Let’s get into all the recipe details.
What You Need to Make this Creamed Spinach Chicken
Like with my spinach artichoke pasta, I decided to use Kite Hill Cream Cheese here to get a thick and creamy sauce.
Kite hill cream cheese is almond milk based and paleo + Whole30 friendly. I usually buy mine at Whole Foods but they also carry it at many grocery stores as well as Target now.
Here’s everything you’ll need to prepare the recipe:
- boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Sea salt and black pepper
- garlic and onion powder
- smoked paprika
- dried thyme
- olive oil or ghee
- fresh onion and garlic
- 8 oz container almond milk cream cheese (Kite Hill)
- chicken bone broth
- fresh lemon juice
- dijon mustard
- nutritional yeast, optional, for cheesy flavor
- baby spinach
How to Make This One-Skillet Creamed Spinach Chicken
Season the chicken thighs on both sides with salt and pepper and all the spices, then heat large skillet.
Cook the chicken about 7 minutes per side, or until the outside is nicely browned and inside is cooked through. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside and wipe the skillet of any burnt pieces.
Lower the heat a bit and add the remaining oil, then cook onions and garlic until fragrant. Add in the cream cheese, broth, lemon juice and mustard, plus the nutritional yeast, if you’re using it. Whisk well to combine as you cook for 60 seconds.
Stir in the spinach and cook just until it wilts, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Return the cooked chicken back to the skillet and let simmer for one minute to heat through, then remove from heat and serve immediately.
What To Serve with This Creamed Spinach Chicken
This chicken is delicious on it’s own or over sautéed cauliflower rice to keep it low carb.
I usually use frozen cauliflower rice, purchased from the store, which cooks really quickly.
Since you have lots of sauce, the cauliflower rice won’t need much seasoning – just salt and pepper and a little garlic powder.
I like to sauté it in ghee or olive oil, for just a minute or two so it doesn’t soften too much.
You can also serve the chicken with roasted potatoes or sweet potatoes if you don’t need to keep it low carb.
I hope you’re ready for a seriously tasty, easy meal that you’ll want to keep in your dinner rotation!
Grab your favorite big skillet and all the ingredients because it’s time to cook – let’s go!
One Skillet Creamed Spinach Chicken {Whole30, Keto}
One Skillet Creamed Spinach Chicken {Whole30, Keto}
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Sea salt and black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 tablespoons olive oil or ghee, divided
- 1/2 medium onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 8 oz almond milk cream cheese I used Kite Hill
- 3/4 cup chicken bone broth
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast optional, for cheesy flavor
- 8 oz baby spinach
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
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Season the chicken thighs on both sides with salt and pepper and all the spices.
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Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil or ghee to the skillet, then once hot, add the chicken in a single layer. Cook about 6-7 minutes per side, or until the outside is nicely browned and inside is cooked through. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside and wipe the skillet of any burnt pieces.
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Lower the heat a bit and add the remaining oil. Add the onions and cook until translucent, then add the garlic and cook another 45-60 seconds. Add in the cream cheese, broth, lemon juice and mustard. Stir in the nutritional yeast if using. Whisk well to combine as you cook for 60 seconds.
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Stir in the spinach and cook just until it wilts, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Return the cooked chicken back to the skillet and let simmer for one minute to heat through, then remove from heat and serve immediately. This is delicious on it’s own or over sautéed cauliflower rice to keep it low carb!
Nutrition
Want More One Skillet Chicken Recipes? Try One of These!
Smothered Chicken with Gravy and Herbs
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I’m going to try this today! But I’m going to make one change, and I recommend you look into my reason why. Spinach contains huge amounts of oxalates, which can cause some of the symptoms that make people choose to cook paleo: Arthritis, Gout, Inflammation, Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Joint pain, Kidney stones, Mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), which causes allergic-like reactions, Muscle pain, Painful urination, Rashes, Urinary tract infections (UTIs). If you look at the table of oxalate content of foods, you’ll see some relatively high content in some of our favorite paleo foods, such as dates (24mg per date), almonds (122 mg per ounce), beets (76mg per 1/2 cup). But those can still be eaten in moderation (note the serving sizes though). SPINACH contains oxalates on a different level: a 1/2 cup of COOKED SPINACH contains 755mg of oxalate. Luckily for us, there is a great alternative: ARUGULA, with 2 mg per cup. There is a great resource about oxalates at The Oxalosis and Hyperoxaluria Foundation ohf.org/vegetables-oxalate/ . Click on “Calc Oxalates per Serving” to sort by high to low, click again for low to high.
This One Skillet Creamed Spinach Chicken looks absolutely delicious! I love how simple yet flavorful it is. Can’t wait to try it out for dinner this week! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
This One Skillet Creamed Spinach Chicken looks absolutely delicious! I love how it’s both Whole30 and Keto friendly – perfect for my meal prep this week. Can’t wait to try it out!
I normally never leave comments…well I made this the other night and it is INCREDIBLE!!!! I did add a can of mushrooms to it. I am so looking forward to having it again for dinner tonight!! This is one recipe I will continue to make!!!
This One Skillet Creamed Spinach Chicken looks absolutely delicious! I love how it’s both Whole30 and Keto-friendly. Can’t wait to try this recipe for dinner tonight! Thank you for sharing!
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This One Skillet Creamed Spinach Chicken looks absolutely delicious! I love how quick and easy it is to prepare. Can’t wait to try it with my Whole30 meal plan this week! Thank you for sharing such a tasty recipe!
This One Skillet Creamed Spinach Chicken recipe looks amazing! I love how it’s both Whole30 and Keto-friendly. Can’t wait to try it out for dinner this week! Thank you for sharing!
This One Skillet Creamed Spinach Chicken looks absolutely delicious! I love that it’s both Whole30 and Keto-friendly. Can’t wait to try making this for dinner this week! Thanks for sharing the recipe!