Garlic Butter Chicken with Creamy Spinach Sauce and Roasted Potatoes

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This recipe started as a weeknight dinner experiment and very quickly earned a place in our regular rotation.

The potatoes roast while the chicken cooks in a cast-iron skillet, and the spinach sauce comes together in the same pan. It looks like the sort of dinner that took all afternoon, but it is actually manageable on a weeknight—which is exactly why I am keeping it.

Why This One Works

The chicken gets browned first and finished with garlic butter, so it has plenty of flavor before the sauce is even added. The roasted potatoes handle themselves in the oven, and the spinach folds into the sauce at the end without creating another side dish or another pan to wash.

It is rich and filling, but the spinach keeps the plate from feeling quite so heavy. Most importantly, everyone gets a complete dinner without me having to make three separate things at the same time.

Recipe Details

Serves: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: About 40 minutes

Ingredients

Roasted Potatoes

• 1½ pounds baby potatoes, halved
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Salt and black pepper

Garlic Butter Chicken

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about ½-inch thick
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Salt and black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 garlic cloves, minced

Creamy Spinach Sauce

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 5 ounces fresh spinach
• Salt and black pepper
• A pinch of red pepper flakes, optional

Directions

Roast the Potatoes

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Place the potatoes on a sheet pan or in a shallow casserole dish. Toss them with the olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.

Spread them into an even layer and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, turning them once halfway through. They are ready when the centers are tender and the cut edges are golden.

Cook the Chicken

While the potatoes are roasting, pat the chicken dry and season both sides with garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. If the chicken breasts are especially thick, slice them horizontally or gently pound them to an even thickness so they cook at the same rate.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for about 5 to 6 minutes per side, adjusting the time as needed for thickness, until the center reaches 165°F.

During the last couple of minutes, add the butter and garlic. Spoon the garlic butter over the chicken as it finishes cooking, then transfer the chicken to a plate.

Make the Creamy Spinach Sauce

Melt the remaining butter in the same skillet. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.

Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan, then let the sauce gently simmer for several minutes until it begins to thicken.

Add the spinach a handful at a time and stir until wilted. Taste and add salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if you are using them.

Return the chicken to the skillet and spoon the sauce over the top. Let everything simmer together for another 2 to 3 minutes.

To Serve

Serve the chicken with the roasted potatoes and plenty of the creamy spinach sauce spooned over the top.

A Little Note From My Kitchen

This was one of those dinners where the finished plate looked much more involved than the actual cooking felt. The potatoes were roasting while I worked on the chicken, and once the chicken came out of the skillet, the sauce was mostly a matter of stirring everything together.

That is usually the sweet spot for me: a dinner that feels like I made an effort without requiring every burner, every pan, and the last of my patience.