This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
Smothered Chicken with Creamed Spinach, Bacon, Mushrooms - a delicious way to cook boneless, skinless chicken breasts! Your chicken is guaranteed to be moist and tender.
Comfort food and healthy ingredients all in one dish! This smothered chicken recipe is gluten free, low carb, packed with protein and vegetables.
If you love stuffed chicken breasts, you'll love this easier "smothered" version of the stuffed chicken. The assembly is really easy: just put the creamed spinach, bacon, mushrooms and Pepper Jack cheese on top of seasoned chicken breasts and bake everything uncovered to perfection. This chicken dinner recipe is anything but boring!
How to make smothered chicken:
Generously season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt, lemon pepper seasoning and a small amount of paprika. Place the chicken breasts, flat side down, into the greased baking dish and bake for 15-20 minutes at 375 F:
In the mean time, make the creamed spinach. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add spinach and cook for only 1 or 2 minutes, covered, until the spinach is thoroughly heated through and start to wilt. Remove from heat. Add minced garlic and half and half. Bring to boil. Add shredded mozzarella cheese and keep stirring, on high heat, until mozzarella cheese starts to melt - about 30 seconds. Reduce heat to simmer and keep stirring until you have a nice, smooth creamed spinach - about 30 seconds or 1 more minute. Season with salt to your taste. Remove from heat.
In a separate pan, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Add sliced mushrooms and cook on high-medium heat for 1-2 minutes until mushroom caramelize. Do not salt mushrooms or it will prevent the caramelization.
Remove the chicken breasts from the oven (you baked them for 15-20 minutes). Top (or smother) each chicken breast with the creamed spinach:
Continue smothering the chicken with cooked and chopped bacon on top of chicken (make sure to cook the bacon in advance - I cooked it in the oven):
Add cooked mushrooms on top:
Add broken slices of pepper jack cheese (Monterey Jack cheese with Jalapenos):
Bake the chicken in the oven, uncovered for 15-20 more minutes, until chicken is cooked through, no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear. Broil for the last 2-4 minutes, if desired, being careful not to burn the cheese on top.
Smothered Chicken with Creamed Spinach, Bacon, Mushrooms
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1.5 lb chicken breast skinless, boneless (4 small chicken breast or 2 large chicken breast, halved)
- salt
- ¼ teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
Creamed spinach:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 10 oz spinach fresh
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- ⅔ cup half and half
- ⅔ cup mozzarella cheese shredded
Other Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 4 oz mushrooms sliced
- 4 slices bacon cooked, chopped
- 4 slices Pepper Jack cheese or Monterey Jack Cheese with Jalapenos
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F.
- Butter the bottom of the baking dish (I used an oval casserole dish measured 13 inches x 9 inches x 4 inches deep).
- Generously season chicken breasts on both sides with salt, lemon pepper seasoning and a small amount of paprika. Place the chicken breasts, flat side down, into the greased baking dish and bake for 15-20 minutes at 375 F.
How to make creamed spinach:
- In the mean time, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add spinach and cook for only 1 or 2 minutes, covered, until the spinach is thoroughly heated through and start to wilt. Remove from heat. Add minced garlic and half and half. Bring to boil. Add shredded mozzarella cheese and keep stirring, on high heat, until mozzarella cheese starts to melt - about 30 seconds. Reduce heat to simmer and keep stirring until you have a nice, smooth creamed spinach - about 30 seconds or 1 more minute. Season with salt to your taste. Remove from heat.
Cook mushrooms:
- In a separate pan, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Add sliced mushrooms and cook on high-medium heat for 1-2 minutes until mushroom caramelize. Do not salt mushrooms or it will prevent the caramelization.
Smothered chicken assembly:
- Remove the chicken breasts from the oven (you baked them for 15-20 minutes). Top each chicken breast with the creamed spinach, chopped cooked bacon, cooked mushrooms and broken slices of pepper jack cheese. Bake in the oven, uncovered for 15-20 more minutes, until chicken is cooked through, no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear. Broil for the last 2-4 minutes, if desired, being careful not to burn the cheese on top.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
THIS RECIPE IS AMAZING! I didn't change a thing. My family and friends loved it! (I had a left over breast and brought it to my friend at work. She ate it cold and said it was AMAZING. I will be cooking this again and again! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
You are very welcome! 🙂
Can we cut the fat & cholesterol?
I've been drooling over this recipe all week and finally made it. I definitely wasnt disappointed. Its a nice change from boring chicken. The only thing Id do different next time is no salt. Theres plenty between the bacon and cheese. But then again, I never salt anything, as a rule. I may or may not have used 6 slices of bacon instead of 4, too
So glad you tried this recipe and liked it! Yes, bacon usually adds enough saltiness to the dish.
Im rating 5 stars ahead of time. Lol my husband walked into the kitchen said it smells good and this is what im making. I cant wait intil its done. Yummmm also.. I dnt think my chicken takes about 15 to 20 mins for oven time.. Maybe its my oven?!?? My first dinner coming from a recipe. Thanks
Thank you for the wonderful comment! I am glad you tried this recipe! 🙂
Loved this recipe. Will most definitely use it again and again. I did not change and thing.
So glad you liked it! Thank you for leaving such a wonderful comment! 🙂
What is half and half?
To make 1 cup of half-and-half, combine 1/2 cup of heavy cream + 1/2 cup of milk.
It's was delicious instead of pepper jack cheese I used cheddar mixed with Swiss .thanks for recipe
I am glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Hi! Made this today and absolutely loved it
Thank you! So happy to hear that! 🙂
i love this and have stuffed the chix breast with spinach dip. and followed the rest to a tee
Wonderful idea!! I made a few changes to it. I used a feta, spinach cream cheese mixture instead of the mozzarella and spinach and Instead of the pepper jack cheese I just covered with mozzarella and broiled. My husband said I don’t know what kind of love you put in this but do it again! Definitely going to make it again!!
Mandy, so happy to hear that you and your husband loved this dish! The changes you made are so delicious! Love the addition of feta cheese!
Have you ever done this ahead of time or portions of it ahead of Time?
I've never done this dish ahead of time, but it's a good recipe for making ahead. You can assemble it in advance, cover it air-tight, keep it refrigerated, and then bake it for the last 15-20 minutes.
I just made this for my son and I for dinner tonight. My son said it was “good”. What more can you get out of a 23 year old at dinner time? I think sparks were flying. So I said is this a receipe we want to repeat he said yes!! I on the other hand say he’ll yes!!! It was delicious to say the least!! Thank you for posting this recipe. We eat plenty of chicken breast and always looking for interesting new ways to have it.
You're so welcome! Comments like yours truly make my day! Thank you for stopping by and leaving such a wonderful comment! 🙂
I just made this but will leave out the bacon next time. The chicken was already seasoned so I think the bacon made it a little more than I like. I will make it again, thank you
You're very welcome! So glad you liked it! This dish already has so many flavors in it, that you can definitely leave out the bacon and still have a super flavorful dish!
This was really delicious thank you for sharing
You're very welcome! 🙂
This is wonderful. I made it for a group of college students and they cleaned the platter!
Thank you! I am so glad you've enjoyed this recipe!
This was delicious! Will make it again.
Thank you! I am so glad you've enjoyed it! 🙂
What cooking time would you recommend for boneless thighs? Both the first time and second they are placed in the oven. Thanks.