“My boyfriend requested I make this and I had never even heard of it! Tracked down this recipe and gave it a try.”
This recipe creates a delicious and satisfying meal with tender baked chicken breasts smothered in a creamy, cheesy spinach sauce, savory bacon, and caramelized mushrooms, all topped with a touch of spicy cheese.
Smothered Chicken with Creamed Spinach Bacon And Mushrooms
Ingredients:
Chicken:
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Butter | 1 tablespoon |
| Chicken Breast (skinless, boneless) | 1.5 lb (4 small or 2 large, halved) |
| Salt | To taste |
| Lemon Pepper Seasoning | ¼ teaspoon |
| Paprika | ¼ teaspoon |
Creamed Spinach:
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Vegetable Oil | 1 tablespoon |
| Spinach (fresh) | 10 oz |
| Garlic (minced) | 4 cloves |
| Half and Half | ⅔ cup |
| Mozzarella Cheese (shredded) | ⅔ cup |
| Salt | To taste |
Other Ingredients:
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Vegetable Oil | 1 tablespoon |
| Mushrooms (sliced) | 4 oz |
| Bacon (cooked, chopped) | 4 slices |
| Pepper Jack Cheese or Monterey Jack with Jalapenos (slices) | 4 slices |
Instructions:
- Preheat oven and prepare baking dish: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Butter the bottom of a baking dish (approximately 13x9x4 inches).
- Season and bake chicken: Generously season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt, lemon pepper seasoning, and paprika. Place the chicken breasts flat side down in the buttered baking dish and bake for 15-20 minutes at 375°F.
Make the Creamed Spinach while the chicken bakes:
- Wilt spinach: Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the fresh spinach, cover, and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until the spinach is thoroughly heated through and starts to wilt. Remove the skillet from the heat.
- Add garlic and half and half: Add the minced garlic and half and half to the wilted spinach. Return the skillet to high heat and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Melt mozzarella: Add the shredded mozzarella cheese and stir continuously on high heat until the mozzarella starts to melt (about 30 seconds).
- Simmer until smooth: Reduce the heat to simmer and continue stirring until you have a nice, smooth creamed spinach (about 30 seconds to 1 minute more). Season with salt to your taste. Remove from heat.
Cook the Mushrooms:
- Sauté mushrooms: In a separate pan, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until they begin to caramelize. Do not salt the mushrooms during this stage, as it can inhibit caramelization.
Assemble the Smothered Chicken:
- Top chicken with spinach: Remove the partially baked chicken breasts from the oven. Spread the prepared creamed spinach evenly over the top of each chicken breast.
- Add bacon and mushrooms: Sprinkle the chopped cooked bacon over the creamed spinach, followed by the sautéed mushrooms.
- Add cheese: Top each chicken breast with a slice of Pepper Jack cheese or Monterey Jack cheese with jalapenos. You may need to break the cheese slices to fit.
- Final bake: Return the baking dish to the oven and bake uncovered for another 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear).
- Broil (optional): For the last 2-4 minutes of baking, you can switch the oven to broil if you want to brown and bubble the cheese on top. Watch carefully to prevent burning.
Serve the Smothered Chicken hot and enjoy the flavorful combination of creamy spinach, savory bacon, earthy mushrooms, and tender chicken with a hint of spice from the cheese.
