Chicken in Creamy Spinach Sauce

Do I even need to say it?  Ok, fine.  Chicken thighs were on sale at the grocery store.  Yes, chicken thighs are often on sale at the grocery store.  It also tends to be much cheaper than beef and a lot healthier (yes, that will depend on how it is cooked, and of course does not include eating the skin of the chicken).

I had some spinach at home and decided to throw it into the sauce.  I find it difficult to find creative ways to use up spinach.  Spinach, to me, is simply not a versatile vegetable.  It doesn’t pair well with all different types of food.  Or, perhaps I’m just not a big fan of spinach.

Another nice “feature” of this dish is that it uses half and half.  It’s a great way to use up half and half, and it not as rich as heavy cream.

Chicken in Creamy Spinach Sauce

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

45 mins

 

Recipe type: Entree

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 8 bone-in, skin on chicken thighs
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

For the sauce:

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 ounces baby spinach
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1½ cups half and half
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the chicken, skin side down. Sear the chicken for 3 minutes on each side.
3. Place chicken into a 9 x 13 baking dish, skin side up, leaving space between each of the pieces of chicken. Roast the chicken until it has reached an internal temperature of 175 F, about 25-30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, after the chicken has been cooking for about 20 minutes, make the sauce.
5. In a large skillet, melt one tablespoon of butter over medium high heat. Add the garlic and spinach and cook until spinach has wilted, about 5 minutes. Whisk in flour and cook until flour is a light brown, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in half and half until well combined. Add thyme, basil and salt and pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring constantly until sauce has thickened slightly, about 4 minutes.
6. Place chicken on a plate and serve with the spinach sauce.

3.3.2998

Adapted from Damn Delicious