Ugh, the weeknight dinner struggle is so real, isn’t it? Some nights I just stare into the fridge, convinced there’s nothing edible we can make in under an hour. Well, let me tell you about the hero that saves my sanity nearly every Tuesday: the Creamy Chicken Mushroom Spinach Skillet. Seriously, this thing is magic. It comes together so fast because everything cooks right in one pan, which means cleanup is a breeze!

Why these three together? The earthy mushrooms soak up all that garlicky goodness, the chicken gives you the protein punch, and the spinach just melts right into that silky sauce. It’s hearty without feeling heavy. If you need a dinner that tastes like you spent hours fussing but actually took less than thirty minutes, you need to try this skillet. You can find even more super quick meals over at this collection of easy dinners.

Why This Creamy Chicken Mushroom Spinach Skillet is Your New Favorite

Honestly, what’s not to love about a dinner that’s fast, tastes incredible, and barely dirties any dishes? This recipe cuts right through the weekday crunch. If you’re looking for speed, flavor, and minimal cleanup, this is it. Check out how quick it is!

It’s a true one-pan wonder, meaning cleanup is ridiculously easy.
The total time clocks in right around 30 minutes—unbeatable for a homemade meal.
The sauce—oh my gosh—it’s rich, savory, and coats everything perfectly.

If you love quick cleanup like I do, you should also peek at this one-pan garlic butter chicken idea!

Quick Prep and Cook Time for the Creamy Chicken Mushroom Spinach Skillet

This is what I love most about the Creamy Chicken Mushroom Spinach Skillet. You only need about ten minutes to chop everything up, and then the cooking process is a speedy twenty minutes. Twenty minutes! That means I can get dinner on the table before my kids even start asking if they can have cereal instead. It flows so smoothly from the cutting board right into the skillet.

Essential Ingredients for the Creamy Chicken Mushroom Spinach Skillet

Okay, let’s talk about what you actually need to pull off this amazing dinner. You don’t need a million exotic things, which is another reason I love this Creamy Chicken Mushroom Spinach Skillet so much! It relies on good, solid kitchen staples. I always make sure my chicken breasts are cut uniformly into bite-sized pieces—this means they cook evenly and quickly, which is key for a thirty-minute meal.

You’ll need about one pound of that chicken, a good glug of olive oil to start things off, and a full eight ounces of cremini mushrooms, which you’ll want to slice up nicely. Don’t forget the flavor boosters: two cloves of minced garlic and just a touch of dried thyme. For the liquids, we’re keeping it simple with one cup of chicken broth and a half cup of heavy cream for that irresistible richness. Two big cups of fresh spinach wilt down to nothing, so don’t be shy with it! Finally, a quarter cup of grated Parmesan cheese brings it all home. If you’re curious about making things richer without using canned soup, check out this cream of mushroom soup base recipe for inspiration!

Step-by-Step Instructions for the Creamy Chicken Mushroom Spinach Skillet

Putting together this Creamy Chicken Mushroom Spinach Skillet is pretty straightforward, which is exactly what we need when we’re tired! The key to making it taste incredible, not just okay, is layering those flavors one right after the other in the same pan. That means we don’t clean anything until the very end!

Grab your biggest skillet—you’ll need the space. We start by getting the chicken seasoned up perfectly with simple salt and pepper. Don’t skip seasoning the chicken separately; it makes a difference!

Searing the Chicken and Sautéing Aromatics for the Creamy Chicken Mushroom Spinach Skillet

First things first, get that olive oil nice and hot over medium-high heat. I mean genuinely hot, but not smoking! When you toss in the chicken pieces, you want them to sizzle immediately. That sizzle is the sound of a great sear, which locks in flavor. Cook the chicken until it’s browned all over and cooked through—maybe five to seven minutes. Take the chicken out and set it aside for a minute.

Now, drop those sliced mushrooms right into the leftover chicken fat and oil. Let them brown up nicely for about five minutes until they give off some moisture and soften. This is where the deep, savory base starts forming! Next, toss in your minced garlic and dried thyme. You only cook this for about sixty seconds; seriously, if it burns, it’ll taste bitter, so watch it closely!

Building the Cream Sauce and Finishing the Creamy Chicken Mushroom Spinach Skillet

Time for the flavor bomb! Pour in the chicken broth and immediately start scraping up all those little brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. That stuff is called fond, and it’s pure gold for flavor in this Creamy Chicken Mushroom Spinach Skillet. Let that bubble and reduce down for three minutes or so.

Now, lower the heat down to medium-low—this is crucial so the cream doesn’t boil too hard and split! Stir in the heavy cream and that Parmesan cheese until the sauce starts looking smooth and thick. Return your cooked chicken to the pan. Finally, toss in those two cups of fresh spinach. It looks like a mountain, but trust me, stir it constantly until it wilts down, which takes maybe a minute or two. That’s it! Dinner is served!

If you want to see how I build a rich sauce base for things like pasta, take a peek at this guide on garlic chicken mushroom creamy pasta sauce.

Tips for the Perfect Creamy Chicken Mushroom Spinach Skillet

Even though this Creamy Chicken Mushroom Spinach Skillet is super easy, a couple of little things can take it from great to absolutely restaurant-worthy. These are the tricks I picked up watching my sister try to rush it the first time—don’t make her mistakes!

First, about thickening that sauce: if you added the cream and it still looks a little thin after simmering, don’t panic. You can make a fast slurry with one teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with two teaspoons of cold water. Whisk that right into the simmering sauce, and give it just a minute to come back up to heat; it will thicken up beautifully without changing the flavor much. This is great if you didn’t let the broth reduce quite enough.

Second, when you add the spinach, make sure your heat is low, like I mentioned before! If the heat is too high when you toss in those two cups of fresh greens, they steam instead of wilting softly, and you end up with that watery puddle at the bottom of your Creamy Chicken Mushroom Spinach Skillet instead of a creamy coating. We want silk, not soup!

Third tip, and this is for flavor depth: before you add the garlic and thyme, wipe out any burnt mushroom bits—we only want the delicious browned bits from the chicken and mushrooms! Also, if you happen to have dried mushrooms, tossing in just half a teaspoon of dried porcini powder along with your chicken broth is my secret weapon for an intense, earthy background note that complements the spinach perfectly. It seriously boosts the savoriness of the whole skillet!

Don’t forget to check out this tip on how to get more creamy deliciousness into your meals if you ever need ideas!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Your Creamy Chicken Mushroom Spinach Skillet

The recipe card came with a little note about heavy cream, and I want to reinforce that! If you’re trying to keep things a tiny bit lighter in your Creamy Chicken Mushroom Spinach Skillet, you can absolutely swap the heavy cream for half-and-half. Now, just a heads up: it won’t be quite as thick or lush, so you might need to let that broth reduce down for an extra minute before adding the cream substitute.

Also, if you happen to be out of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, don’t stress! Chicken thighs work beautifully here too. They have a bit more fat, so they stay incredibly tender and don’t dry out during the searing process. They just take about two minutes longer to cook through. If you’re looking for other great ways to make creamy fillings, you should look at these four cream recipes!

Serving Suggestions for the Creamy Chicken Mushroom Spinach Skillet

So, you’ve made this gorgeous, savory skillet dinner, and now you’re wondering what to serve it with! Honestly, this sauce is so good you almost need something sturdy underneath just to make sure you get every last drop. It’s flexible, though, which is fantastic.

The classic way my family eats this is over a big bed of fluffy white rice. The rice soaks up that creamy mushroom sauce like a sponge, and it makes the meal feel really substantial. If you’re leaning toward Italian flavors, tossing this mixture right into some fettuccine or penne pasta works wonderfully too. Just be sure to reserve a little pasta water if you mix it directly in the skillet, just in case the sauce gets too tight!

And forget dainty side salads; you need something to sop up the sauce! Crusty sourdough bread toasted up—maybe rubbed with a little garlic—is perfect for dipping. But if you’re trying to keep things lower carb, which I try to do sometimes, you have to try serving it over roasted cauliflower rice. If you want the absolute best potatoes to go with it, I have this amazing recipe for Parmesan roasted potatoes that would be incredible right next to a bowl of this creamy chicken.

Storage and Reheating the Creamy Chicken Mushroom Spinach Skillet

Don’t you just hate wasting leftovers? Good news: the Creamy Chicken Mushroom Spinach Skillet keeps really well, but you have to be careful how you treat the sauce when you bring it back to life. It’s definitely a two-day meal, sometimes three if I’m lucky!

The most important thing is storage. You want to get those leftovers into an airtight container as soon as they are cool enough to handle, but don’t just leave them sitting on the counter for hours. Pop them in the fridge, and they should be good for about three to four days. I never keep mine longer than that, mostly because they usually disappear before then!

When you’re ready to eat your leftovers—and trust me, you’ll be looking forward to that second helping—you absolutely must reheat gently. Remember that heavy cream and Parmesan cheese? If you smash it in the microwave on high for two minutes, the sauce will likely break and get grainy. That’s the worst! I much prefer reheating it slowly in a small saucepan over low heat.

If the sauce looks too tight or pasty when you start stirring it, just splash in a tiny bit of extra chicken broth or water while it’s warming up. That helps reintroduce the liquid and smooths everything right out. It brings your Creamy Chicken Mushroom Spinach Skillet right back to that perfect consistency we obsessed over the first night. While this skillet reheats well, if you’re looking for some amazing casseroles that are practically designed for leftovers, you should check out these easy beef casserole ideas for a totally different sort of make-ahead meal!

Frequently Asked Questions About the Creamy Chicken Mushroom Spinach Skillet

I always get so many questions once people start making this recipe, which is fantastic! It means you guys are excited to get cooking. Here are a few things that pop up time and time again about making the best Creamy Chicken Mushroom Spinach Skillet!

Can I use pre-cooked chicken in this Creamy Chicken Mushroom Spinach Skillet?

Oh, yes, this is the ultimate shortcut question! You totally can use pre-cooked chicken, like rotisserie chicken or leftovers. The steps change slightly, though. You’ll skip Step 2 and 3 entirely. Just add your cooked chicken back into the skillet right at Step 8—when you’re adding the sauce back in—so it just heats through. It saves you a solid eight minutes, which is amazing for emergencies! I have a few other speedy recipes over at this easy chicken dinner collection if you’re on a real roll!

How do I keep the sauce from becoming too thin?

This goes back to what I mentioned about thickening, but there are a few proactive things you can do to prevent a thin sauce in your Creamy Chicken Mushroom Spinach Skillet! First, make sure you let that initial cup of chicken broth reduce down by about a third before you add the cream. You want to concentrate those flavors. Secondly, using heavy cream instead of half-and-half really helps because of the higher fat content.

If, despite your best efforts, the sauce seems watery after everything is mixed, you can always use that cornstarch slurry trick—one teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with two teaspoons of cold water—whisked directly into the simmering sauce. It thickens up instantly!

Can I make this creamy chicken dish completely dairy-free? That’s a common one! It’s tricky because of the heavy cream and Parmesan, but you can substitute the heavy cream with a full-fat, unsweetened coconut milk (the kind in the can!) or a good quality cashew cream. Skip the Parmesan, and instead, add a teaspoon of nutritional yeast when you add the broth to get a cheesy/savory background note. It won’t be the *exact* texture, but it’s delicious!

Sharing Your Creamy Chicken Mushroom Spinach Skillet Experience

Okay, now that you’ve made this fantastic Creamy Chicken Mushroom Spinach Skillet, I seriously want to know what you think! Did those mushrooms brown perfectly? Did your family devour it in under ten minutes? Don’t be shy!

The very best part of sharing recipes is hearing how they turn out in your kitchen. Please hop down to the comments section below and leave me a star rating. Seriously, those quick ratings help other people decide if they should make this next week!

If you snapped a picture of your plated dinner—or better yet, a picture of your completely empty skillet!—tag me on social media. I love seeing how everyone styles this dish. Just use the hashtag for this recipe so I can find it among all the gorgeous food photos out there!

If you had any tweaks or brilliant substitutions that worked for you, please share those too! Someone else might be looking for a dairy-free option next week. If you ever have questions or need to get in touch about a recipe, you can always find the contact form right here at this link. Happy cooking, friends!

Creamy Chicken Mushroom Spinach Skillet

Author: ferecipe.com
Total Time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Diet: Low Fat

Print Recipe

Description

A simple skillet meal featuring chicken, mushrooms, and spinach in a creamy sauce.

Ingredients

Scale

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cups fresh spinach
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside.
Add mushrooms to the same skillet and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add garlic and thyme to the mushrooms and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Pour in chicken broth and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Let the broth reduce slightly, about 3 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in heavy cream and Parmesan cheese until the sauce thickens slightly.
Return the cooked chicken to the skillet.
Stir in the fresh spinach until it wilts, about 1-2 minutes.
Serve immediately.

Notes

You can substitute heavy cream with half-and-half for a lighter sauce.
Serve this dish over rice, pasta, or with crusty bread.

Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 20 min
Category: Dinner
Method: Skillet Cooking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 380
Sugar: 3
Sodium: 450
Fat: 22
Saturated Fat: 11
Unsaturated Fat: 8
Trans Fat: 0.5
Carbohydrates: 7
Fiber: 2
Protein: 38
Cholesterol: 110

Keywords: creamy chicken, mushroom, spinach, skillet, easy chicken dinner, one-pan chicken