Smothered Chicken with Creamed Spinach
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 1 tablespoon Butter
- 1.5 pounds skinless boneless chicken breasts (4 small chicken breasts or 2 large chicken breasts, halved)
- Salt
- ¼ teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
Creamed Spinach:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 10 ounces fresh spinach
- 4cloves minced garlic
- 2/3 cup half-and-half
- 2/3 cup grated mozzarella cheese
Other Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 4 ounces mushroom slices
- 4 slices cooked chopped bacon
- 4 pepper jack cheese or Monterey Jack cheese and jalapeños
Smothered Chicken with Creamed Spinach
Directions
Preheat oven to 375F.
Butter the bottom of a baking dish (I used a 13-inch deep x 9-inch x 4-inch oval baking dish).
Season the chicken breasts liberally on both sides with salt, lemon pepper, and a little paprika. Place the chicken breast flat side down in a greased baking dish and bake at 180℃ for 15-20 minutes.
To prepare creamed spinach:
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the spinach, cover, and cook until the spinach is cooked through and begins to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. Removed from heat. Add the minced garlic and half. Bring to a boil. Add the grated mozzarella and continue stirring over high heat until the mozzarella begins to melt (about 30 seconds). Reduce heat and continue stirring until a smooth spinach cream forms (about 30 seconds or another minute). Season with salt. Removed from heat.
Cook the mushrooms:
Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a separate saucepan. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook over medium-high heat until the mushrooms are caramelized, 1 to 2 minutes. Do not add salt to the mushrooms to prevent caramelization.
Braised Chicken:
Remove the chicken breasts from the oven (roasted for 15-20 minutes). Top each chicken breast with creamed spinach, chopped cooked bacon, cooked mushrooms, and slices of crumbled pepper jack cheese. Bake, uncovered, for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through, no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear. If necessary, grill for a final 2 to 4 minutes, being careful not to burn the cheese.