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Autumn Chicken

ChickenGastro-PubStove-Top
Time :30 minutes
Yield :4 servings
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The Scoop

Introducing the chicken that put on a cozy sweater, made a creamy sauce, and decided a little chili was absolutely necessary.
Autumn Chicken is everything you want when the temperature drops: golden chicken nestled into a silky Parmesan cream sauce with wilted spinach, tender artichokes, sweet shallots, and a bright squeeze of lemon.
The creamy richness gets just enough attitude from crushed red pepper flakes, making every bite cozy without becoming sleepy.
Hack it:
Pound the chicken to an even thickness so it cooks evenly and stays tender instead of having one end finish before the other.
Don’t cook the chicken all the way through during the first sear. It finishes gently in the sauce, which keeps it juicy while letting it soak up more flavor.
Scrape the browned bits from the skillet as you add the broth. That’s free flavor sitting right there, and we’re not leaving money on the pan.
Let the cream sauce simmer gently rather than boiling hard. A low simmer helps it thicken smoothly without turning the cream grainy.
Add the lemon juice after the cream has thickened. The acidity brightens the rich sauce without overpowering it.
Leftovers:
Creamy Chicken Pasta: Slice the leftover chicken and toss it with the sauce and pasta for an effortless second dinner.
Autumn Chicken Toast: Spoon the creamy chicken and artichoke mixture over toasted sourdough and finish with parmesan.
Chicken & Spinach Quesadillas: Chop the chicken and tuck it into tortillas with mozzarella or cheddar, then crisp until golden.
Creamy Chicken Rice Bowl: Serve the chicken and sauce over rice with extra spinach and a squeeze of lemon.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 large chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, sliced in half crosswise, pounded to an even thickness
  • kosher salt, to taste
  • black pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 shallot, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
  • 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained, roughly chopped
  • 3/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated, plus more, to taste, for garnish
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • basil, optional, to taste, freshly chopped, for garnish

Directions

  • In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil.
  • Season the chicken halves with the salt and the black pepper on both sides.
  • Add the chicken halves to the hot oil and cook, flipping them once, until they are golden-brown but not quite cooked through, about 4-6 minutes per side.
  • Transfer the chicken halves to a plate.
  • Add the butter to the hot skillet and allow it to melt.
  • Add the shallots to the melted butter and cook, while stirring, until translucent, about 3 minutes.
  • Add the garlic to the shallot mixture and cook, while stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  • Add the spinach and the artichoke hearts to the shallot mixture and cook, while stirring, until the spinach is wilted.
  • Add the chicken broth, the heavy cream, and 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese to the spinach mixture and stir to combine.
  • Reduce the heat to low and allow the spinach mixture to simmer, while stirring occasionally, until it thickens into a sauce, about 2 minutes.
  • Add the lemon juice to the sauce and stir to combine.
  • Add the salt and the black pepper, as needed, to the sauce and stir to combine.
  • Add the chicken halves to the simmering sauce and cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 2-3 minutes.
  • Sprinkle with the red pepper flakes.
  • Plate the chicken topped with the sauce.
  • Garnish with the extra parmesan cheese and the fresh basil and serve.
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