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Garlic Butter Chicken with Creamy Spinach and Bacon – Rich, creamy, and hearty, the entire family will love this easy chicken recipe. It has an amazing flavor because of sauteed garlic, bacon, and parmesan that cut through the cream and spinach. You can make this chicken, bacon and spinach recipe on a weeknight right on your stove top. With only 30 minutes of total work, this chicken dinner recipe is simple, fast and delicious – Enjoy!
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Ingredients list for the Creamy Garlic Butter Chicken with Spinach and Bacon
- 6 chicken thighs, boneless and skin off (or chicken breast)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 6 cloves garlic, finely diced
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1/3 cup chicken broth (or dry white wine)
- 1/2 cup crispy bacon, chopped
- 1 3/4 cups half and half
- 3 cups baby spinach leaves
- Salt and fresh cracked pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
- Crushed chili pepper flakes, optional
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch (cornflour) mixed with 1 tablespoon of water (optional, if you like a thicker sauce)
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 garlic butter chicken thighs with creamy spinach and bacon: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken thighs on both sides with salt and pepper, and sear in the pan for 5-8 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Once cooked, remove chicken from the pan and set aside.
2. Melt the butter in the remaining cooking juices leftover in the pan. Add in the onion and garlic and fry until fragrant (about one minute). Pour in the chicken stock (or white wine, if using), and allow to reduce down slightly. Add the crispy bacon and fry for 1-2 minutes to release the flavors.
3. Reduce heat to low heat, add the half and half (or heavy cream), and bring to a gentle simmer, while stirring occasionally. Make sure to lower the heat to avoid the sauce to separate. Add Italian seasoning and season with salt and pepper to your taste.
4. Add in the spinach leaves and allow to wilt in the sauce, and add in the parmesan cheese. Allow sauce to simmer for a further minute until cheese melts through the sauce. For a thicker sauce, add the cornstarch mixture (1 teaspoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon water, see the ingredients list) to the skillet, and continue to simmer while quickly stirring the mixture through until the sauce thickens.
5. Add the cooked chicken back into the pan; sprinkle with chili pepper flakes (if using), and spoon the sauce over each chicken thigh. Serve the Garlic Butter Chicken with Spinach and Bacon over pasta, rice, or a low-carb favorite like zoodles, cauliflower rice, or steamed veggies. Enjoy!
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Chicken recipes notes:
- You can sub bacon with chopped sundried tomatoes for a nice flavor.
- Remove chicken thighs from the refrigerator about 15 minutes before cooking to bring them close to room temperature.
- Season chicken just before cooking to prevent drawing out moisture and drying out the meat.
- If using chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs, pound them or slice horizontally to make the thickness even. The chicken will cook faster this way.
What other readers say about this Garlic Butter Chicken recipe
“This was so amazing! But I cooked the chicken in the bacon grease, onions, and garlic. Then removed all of that and then added new onions and garlic and keep on with the sauce instructions after that. It was sooo good! My boyfriend said it’s one for the books! I would definitely double the sauce recipe though.” – Annika
“Amazing! Even my pickiest eater ate it!” – Tiffani
“Best recipe off Pinterest followed directions turned out perfect!” – Ally
“I have made it twice now. Tonight it will be over rice. I used sun-dried tomatoes this time. Great for a cold night.” – Chelli
“We added heavy cream and bacon, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach. AMAZING! Thanks for sharing this chicken recipe…” – Marlene
More chicken recipes
- 20 Easy Chicken Thigh Recipes That Are Quick to Fix
- Garlic Butter Chicken Bites with Lemon Asparagus
- CrockPot Tuscan Garlic Chicken With Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- Crock Pot Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken
- Garlic Butter Chicken and Potatoes Skillet
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Leave a Reply
Stacey
2024-04-17 19:34:29
I made this but instead of chicken I used Shrimp!!! It was absolutely delicious
Judy
2023-12-23 19:25:23
This was excellent. Followed previous reviewer and fried bacon first and then fried chicken in bacon grease. The mix of flavors with bacon, Italian seasoning, onion, garlic,chili peppers and Parmesan cheese made an excellent sauce. Short on cream so used milk for part and it was delicious. A real saver.
Laura
2023-08-12 08:18:23
The recipes you have on your site are great low-carb for diabetics. But trying to find them is so frustrating. There are so many ads that I can't get to the recipe. The skip to recipe and print tabs are all covered up, and copying them is nearly impossible because the window is so covered with ads. This makes me very sad because you have so many incredible recipes.
TC
2023-08-08 22:59:25
Fantastic recipe! Was easy to make and low-carb, a plus. This recipe is definitely a keeper for my family. The only negative was the nutritional information - 914 calories for one serving?
Ana
2023-07-11 20:17:40
This recipe is so easy and delicious! And It’s toddler approved! My kiddos loved it. I served over some spaghetti noodles for them and they ate it right up. Definitely recommend.
Danielle
2023-04-05 21:51:00
Great recipe. I used sundried tomatoes and bacon, and added two cups of chicken broth when I added the chicken back in and stirred in dried bow tie pasta, then put the lid on and simmered into the pasta was cooked. It was a perfect one pan meal!
JaNae
2023-03-21 20:16:20
DELISHHHHHHH. I used flour instead of cornstarch, added to butter and bacon grease mixture, used 1 cup half and half and 1 cup veggie broth, and doubled the spinach. Sooooo yummy!!!
Tre
2023-02-25 22:11:24
Absolutely delicious! I added just a little more cheese and used the red pepper flakes for a little bit of heat. My husband said he would gladly order this in a restaurant.
Nancy
2023-02-19 19:43:41
Delicious! The sauce is yummy, I’m going to double up on it, next time, I also added sautéed mushrooms to mine.
Martin
2022-11-30 20:06:42
Superb!!! I Wwill add this to my meal plan.
Amanda
2022-11-29 16:16:20
Amazing! I used bone-in thighs (that's all I had) and I also added mushrooms to it. Served over egg noodles. So good!
Erik
2022-11-18 21:03:15
This was fantastic! Used chicken breast cutlets and highly recommend the red pepper flakes, that put it over the top.
N.R.
2022-09-20 17:57:28
Made it for my family tonight. They all loved it! And they're all picky. If you follow the recipe, it turns out super delicious! If you're looking for a new chicken recipe, that isn't too hard to follow, this recipe should be a go-to for you. It's a very delicious comfort food, that isn't too heavy of a meal.
Lindy
2022-08-24 05:37:56
soooooooooooooooooooooooo good.. so yummy, will definitely make it again :)
Mary
2022-06-23 22:30:59
Absolutely yummy! I did the bacon first so I could cook my chicken in it and I only added parmesean cheese on top of my finished dish, otherwise I followed the recipe exactly.
Paul childs
2022-05-29 20:25:01
Made this the other night and my wife loved it. Didn’t have fresh spinach so I used frozen….probably wasn’t quite as pretty as the original but flavor was awesome. Leftovers were incredible'
Alejandro
2022-05-11 19:40:27
This was a banger! Thank you for sharing.
Meredith
2022-03-24 21:21:09
Definitely don’t let the sauce come To a boil as was clearly stated in the directions…ooops I doubled the sauce and probably won’t next time. I also will add the sun dried tomatoes next time and not as a substitute for, but in addition to the bacon. Great recipe!!!
Brittany
2022-03-12 21:09:52
I made this tonight with rice, added some cilantro and popped it into the oven for a few minutes, turned it into a Casserole & the family loved it!
Rebecca
2022-02-28 20:11:09
Love, love love, this recipe!!
Greg Divine
2022-02-18 19:24:40
Made this tonight for dinner and everyone loved it! Easy to make and delicious & that’s a big win in my book . I’ve made several Eatwell101 recipes and they have all been wonderful. Thanks for sharing the recipe with us.
Jamie
2022-01-24 19:36:35
The flavor was great, but my sauce broke, wish I had known the wine would make it separate.
THE OG
2022-01-15 19:23:02
Made this tonight and it was AMAZINGLY AWESOME!!!! I will make this again. I also added grape tomatoes for extra flavor and color. O M G ! Thanks!
Mariana
2022-01-04 13:34:04
Very tasty and posh looking. We had it with rice. Perfect combo.
Annie
2021-12-30 22:25:08
I made the recipe exactly as written. It was absolutely wonderful and would impress any dinner guests you might have. Looks and tastes like restaurant food.
Missy Fulks
2021-12-14 12:47:41
This was absolutely wonderful. Hubby loved it and said it is a very "rich" entrée. However, I sautéed mushrooms with the onion and garlic and instead of wilting the spinach or cooking the bacon in the sauce, I cooked the bacon before the chicken and then cooked the chicken in the bacon grease. and then I topped the bow-tied pasta with fresh spinach and placed the chicken and poured the sauce over the top. Then I topped with more Parmesan Cheese and Crumbled Bacon. Hubby said the dish looked like a gourmet dish. Will definitely do this again. Thanks for sharing.
Bryanna
2021-11-24 20:51:55
Husband and i loved this recipe cooked with chicken thighs the only thing i suggest is to sear chicken in the pan 12 mins on each side and throw in the oven for 25 minutes while you make your sides and finish recipe
Cindy
2021-10-06 12:06:32
I liked it. My suggestion though: don’t use white wine, the acidity will curdle the half and half!
Carolan
2021-08-31 09:47:46
I made it with 8 thighs, 10 oz homemade low sodium chicken broth, 3/4 cup bacon crumbled, 2 pints heavy/half n half, 3/4 cup parmesan and 1/2 tbs Italian seasoning (essential). It turned out great. Note: you need to let it rest to bring out the seasoning. Also, I didn't add cornstarch and later added sauteed mushrooms and ate it over yellow boiling potatoes (great with the sauce). HINT, you can use egg yokes and heavy cream for a thicker sauce. I like it just the way it is -- delicious!
Jacqueline
2021-08-30 20:38:17
All I can say is Phenomenal another one for the books thank you all smile.
Averian
2021-08-05 17:59:49
Yes I made this dish and it was phenomenal! I used bacon AND the sun-dried tomatoes. My husband and I loved it. There was so much flavor exploding in our mouths. However, there was one thing I wish I had done. I used chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs. I did not pound the chicken breasts flat as suggested. It took longer to cook so the chicken wasn't as melt in your mouth tender as it could have been. I chopped the leftover chicken and added it to tomato basil soup. It was great!
Frances
2021-08-04 22:48:32
We love this recipe. It's in my top 5. Always make extra sauce and put bacon and Sun dried tomatoes. Thanks for the recipe.
Mary
2021-07-22 18:10:59
Hello my sauce turned out too runny even with corn starch. Is that because I used fat free half and half?
Tim
2021-07-11 13:23:20
Brilliant, just served it an hour ago and still savouring on the taste. Only thing I left out was the bacon, sind I want to leave red meat out of my diet for a week. Still, it was wonderful and so easy and quite fast to prepare!
Mischa
2021-06-28 22:18:38
This was an amazing dish. I too left out the bacon and used bacon grease in place of the both the oil and the bacon itself. I also added in chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in place of red pepper flakes and served over angel hair pasta! I big hit with the family that will be made again for sure!
Kathy
2021-06-11 02:41:12
Made this last night absolutely delicious dropped a few cherry tomatoes in for abit of colour definitely have this one again
David Parsley
2021-05-31 18:40:08
This is, hands-down, one of the tastiest recipes I've ever tried. My only change: I just the leftover bacon grease to sear the chicken thighs and didn't use any olive oil. Served over wild rice, this was spectacular. This will go into my regular rotation of dishes. Thank you!
Cathy
2021-05-31 17:37:01
Great recipe. Especially for low carb. I used bone in thighs and seared longer. Served over cauliflower rice. It was delicious.
Andrea
2021-05-12 22:23:56
Oh my goodness, was this a SPECTACULAR recipe! The kitchen smelled amazing, and the flavors were out of this world! It tasted like something from a high end restaurant. I used the white wine and served over mini bowtie pasta. Thank you for a perfect recipe that I will serve to company in the future. Note: It took me longer than 30 minutes (closer to an hour), but it was so worth it!
Denise
2021-05-12 07:56:12
Easy to make, lovely flavour ****
Vw
2021-05-04 12:59:49
Trying this tonight with chicken breast. Using cream of chicken soup instead of cornstarch and less stock. Also adding sundried tomatoes.
Jennifer Pearson
2021-04-26 20:37:27
Unreal recipe. This was so good. I googled "chicken and spinach"and this popped up and I just happened to have all the ingredients, and honestly this was amazing I'm going to make this so often now. I recommend you use fresh herbs and lots of them, I didn't have Italian seasoning so I used parsley, coriander, rosemary, and oregano, but just use everything you have. Amazing recipe :)
Niza Salas
2021-04-13 19:02:12
I cannot believe other people haven't left a review after using this recipe! Absolutely delicious, I am learning to cook and this recipe was easy to follow and have me an absolutely delicious result!! My whole family loved it, praised me and begged me to make it again soon.
Dawn Mitchell
2021-03-26 15:06:48
Can I make this In crockpot?
Shunta
2021-03-25 19:54:51
This recipe was AWESOME! My family loves it!
Pam
2021-03-06 07:48:23
This recipe was delicious and definitely a crowd pleaser! I used boneless skinless chicken thighs and did include sun dried tomatoes and used white wine. My son practically licked the pan let alone his plate. This dish is beautiful, easy and delicious. Definitely a keeper!
Pam
2021-03-06 07:48:00
This recipe was delicious and definitely a crowd pleaser! I used boneless skinless chicken thighs and did include sun dried tomatoes and used white wine. My son practically licked the pan let alone his plate. This dish is beautiful, easy and delicious. Definitely a keeper!
Kimberly
2021-03-04 12:04:05
This recipe is AMAZING. I like to serve this with orzo pasta...delish. My family says it's better than eating at a restaurant! (I add extra bacon because well...it's bacon) Make this now!!
Sharon
2021-02-24 21:35:41
This dish is DELICIOUS!!! I will be making this again, as well as using other recipes on this site. Well done Eatwell 101!
Marisa D.
2021-02-16 21:09:02
This recipe is amazing!
Katie
2021-02-14 20:07:10
This dish was so yummy. Followed recipe exactly. Served the chicken and sauce over egg noodles. I will make again.
Kathy
2021-01-30 19:45:06
The recipe was delicious, I added the sun dried tomatoes and the bacon my family loved it.. will definitely make again...
Kathy
2021-01-30 19:44:11
The recipe was delicious, I added the sun dried tomatoes and the bacon my family loved it.. will definitely make again...
Kathy
2021-01-18 23:14:19
Absolutely loved this recipe! Had mushrooms that I meant to add but forgot. This is definitely a keeper and wonderful for company! Served with rice pilaf. Used both skinless thighs and breasts. Don't wait to make it LOL!
Mary
2021-01-12 17:50:24
If you like all the ingredients in this dish, you will love this recipe. I was looking for a recipe that I can use up my fresh spinach. Fantastic flavors. I did cook egg noodles and poured this delicious meal on top. Amazing, you will love it!
Christina
2020-12-21 23:04:24
Made this for dinner tonight. It was a hit. Super good and flavorful. Used wine instead of chicken broth as suggested. Used grated Parmesan cheese (Kraft, as I didn’t have fresh). Used a bit less spinach only because I didn’t have the full amount the recipe called for. My family devoured it. The last bit of the sauce that was left in the pan was quickly sopped up with the bread we served it with by my husband.
Emily Haggerty
2020-12-12 17:30:24
Made this tonight! It was so good. But, I followed all the directions and ended up with very little sauce! Any tips on preventing on that happening again? I followed step by step!
Gretchen C
2020-12-07 18:34:46
This recipe was dead simple and so good!! All the flavors together make such a great "umami" (mouth feel) I served it with bowtie pasta and a Kendal Jackson Grand Reserve Chardonnay. Fantastic! I added the red pepper flakes early, by mistake, which infused that touch of heat quite nicely. I will definitely make this again. I think mushrooms would be a good addition, too. Great recipe!!
