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Creamy baked chicken breasts recipe is easy and delicious comfort food. These baked chicken breasts couldn’t be more simple to make! Chicken breasts are seasoned and then smothered in a luscious cream sauce with sun-dried tomato and spinach until extra tender and juicy! This baked chicken breast recipe is geared toward low-carb meals and is ready in less than 40 minutes. Perfect for any night of the week – even for special occasions. Don’t forget to check our other chicken breast recipes too. Enjoy!
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Ingredients list for the Creamy Baked Chicken Breasts Recipe
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes, optional
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1/3 cup chopped sundried tomatoes, drained from oil
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh spinach
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Baked Chicken Breasts
Anyone who cooked with skinless boneless chicken breasts before knows that they can be amazingly versatile. This method for cooking chicken breast in the oven is quick, simple, and yields excellent results. Baked chicken breasts are juicy and infused in a rich cream sauce. Say goodbye to dry, rubbery, tough, and bland chicken breasts!
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
How to bake chicken breast in the oven
First, we season the chicken breasts generously and arrange them in the baking dish with the sundried tomatoes. Then we pour the cream sauce over and around the chicken before transferring the baking dish to the oven for 25 or 30 minutes. Once the chicken breasts are done, we add the chopped spinach and cover the baking dish to wilt the spinach into the sauce. Easy!
How to get juicy baked chicken?
Baked chicken breasts are naturally lean, packed full of protein, and easy to make, but they also tend to dry out when baking or roasting. Our secret is to cook chicken breast directly into the cream sauce at a relatively high temperature. Yes, the secret to really juicy chicken is a high temperature to lock in the juices. Because we use half cream and half chicken broth, the cream sauce won’t curdle or separate. 25 to 30 minutes of baking time should be ok. Use an Instant thermometer to check the doneness of baked chicken. It should read 165ºF (74ºC) in the thickest part of the meat.
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
How to season chicken breast for baking?
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are naturally mildly flavored. Most of the time a good mix of herbs and spices helps flavor up white meat. Here a breakdown of out seasoning for baked chicken:
- Italian seasoning
- Salt
- Pepper
- Paprika
- Garlic powder
- Chicken broth: yes, chicken broth will delicately infuse the meat; we count that as a seasoning!
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Directions
1. To make the oven-baked chicken breasts: Preheat your oven to 425ºF (225ºC). Flatten the chicken breasts to get them to an even thickness.
2. Place chicken breasts in a 9×13″ baking dish (or a larger one, just make sure they don’t touch or overlap because this will increase baking time).
3. Combine 1/4 teaspoon salt, Italian seasoning, paprika, red chili pepper flakes, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Drizzle chicken with olive oil and rub chicken breasts generously with seasoning. Add in chopped sundried tomatoes.
4. In a bowl, whisk together heavy whipping cream, chicken broth, garlic powder, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt until combined. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese and pour around the chicken in the baking dish. Sprinkle with more parmesan if you like.
5. Bake the chicken at 425ºF (225ºC) for 25 – 30 minutes, until you reach an internal temperature of 165ºF (74ºC) in the thickest part of the chicken. You may need to bake chicken longer, depending on the size of the chicken breasts.
6. Remove the baking dish from the oven and stir spinach into the sauce. Cover and allow the baked chicken to rest for 5 to 10 minutes while the spinach wilts into the creamy sauce. Sprinkle with more chili pepper flakes if you like. Serve the creamy baked chicken breasts immediately. Enjoy! ❤️
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Tips for the creamy baked chicken breasts recipe
- If your chicken breasts are very large, you can slice them horizontally to make cutlets instead of flattening them. The thinner the chicken breasts, the quicker they cook!
- You can use heavy whipping cream or half-and-half in the sauce. Do not worry if the sauce is a little watery because of chicken broth. It will reduce and thicken while baking in the oven. No cornstarch is needed!
- If you like a kick of spice in your baked chicken, add a tablespoon of Sriracha or a pinch of Cayenne into the cream sauce!
What to serve with the baked chicken breast?
We like to serve the baked chicken breasts over cauliflower rice to stay low in carbs, or you can try it over zucchini noodles, quinoa, brown rice, etc…
How long to keep the baked chicken leftovers?
You can keep the creamy baked chicken breasts for 2 days in an airtight container in your refrigerator. Reheat covered in the oven.
More baked chicken recipes
- Baked Tuscan Chicken Casserole
- Easy Oven Baked Chicken Bites
- Salsa Fresca Chicken Bake
- Creamy Baked Fajita Chicken Casserole
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Leave a Reply
Janel
2024-03-20 19:41:43
This was SO good. I used a can of garlic, olive oil and basil tomatoes instead and doubled the seasoning and liquids. I also cooked orzo noodles right in the dish with it. Will make this over and over for sure! Thank you!
Cindy
2024-02-06 18:58:44
This was delicious. Awesome recipe.
Alyssa
2024-02-06 17:24:02
I am making this right now and for some reason it looks like my cream is curdled... is that normal?
Tracey
2024-02-04 22:11:08
I've been married 33 years and my husband said this is the best meal that I have ever cooked. It was delicious and the chicken was perfect. I've never pounded it out before or dried it and I think that made all the difference too! Thanks for a fantastic recipe.
Brandy Taylor
2023-10-31 01:54:23
This recipe is so delicious!! Can I double the sauce to be able to add to mashed potatoes?
Sharon
2023-05-19 09:59:55
Was very delicious but the sauce didn't thicken.
Ericka
2023-04-19 21:52:24
I think I can confidently say that this is the best thing I have ever eaten...WOW!! I licked the plate, not ashamed. I can't wait to make it for guests!!
Biana
2022-07-28 13:56:55
I love love love this recipe! It’s mine and my fiancé’s favorite! Just curios, if I wanted to put this in the slow cooker, would you have an idea how the timing would be and when to insert certain parts to the recipe?
Robin
2022-04-18 17:37:34
What an easy and delicious weeknight meal to make with simple ingredients most people have on hand. The chicken was so moist and flavorful. I didn't have sundried tomatoes so used roasted peppers; I'm sure the actual recipe is even better. I also didn't have fresh spinach so sprinkled frozen chopped spinach before I poured on the sauce and that worked out fine. Since the oven was already on at 425 I roasted potatoes to serve with. Definitely adding sundried tomatoes to the shopping list and will work this into the dinner rotation regularly.
Joie
2022-04-03 21:13:47
This was so good! I served on top of cauliflower rice and a side of salad. My only complaint was that I wish there was more sauce! Next time I'll double up on the sauce to have more.
JB
2022-01-25 01:57:02
Have made this thrice already. It's delicious but everytime the sauce has spilt. Despite that it has been polished off.
Sharon
2022-01-22 20:36:33
I made this for my family for dinner tonight. They ate every bit of the chicken and then started eating the remaining sauce by spoonfuls. I was told I could make that again anytime. Thank you for the great and easy to make recipe!
Teresa
2021-12-30 17:09:51
This was delicious! The entire family loved it. I added the pepper flakes for a bit of a kick and because we love spinach at least doubled that. Served it with herbed mashed potatoes & string beans. It was excellent, super easy and quick. It will definitely be a weekday meal.
