This Chicken Mushroom and Spinach Skillet Dinner is easy enough for a weeknight meal and elegant enough to serve to guests. Made with chicken cutlets, sauteed mushrooms, burst cherry tomatoes, wilted spinach, cream and parmesan … this is a delicious one-pan meal.
My friend Cauleen made this for us for dinner a couple of weeks ago, and we liked it so much that I’ve made it twice since then. Don’t you love it when you find an easy recipe that you like that much?
She referred to it as Tiktok Chicken, as she watched a video on how to make it.
Skillet meals are always popular around our house, and this is a one skillet chicken dinner that comes together in a jiff.
Chicken cutlets are so fun to cook with. They cook quickly and sear beautifully. Once they’re browned, they are moved to a plate so you can finish the meal.
Savory mushrooms and sweet tomatoes are then cooked in the same pan and finished with cream and butter to wilt the spinach. The spinach and tomatoes add color to the sauce and soak up some of that cream and parmesan making the finished dish divine.
Once that chicken is nestled back into the pan, you’ve got one of those creamy dream meals that your family will love. And it’s creamy in just the right way, the sauce is pure and rich without being thickened with flour.
Let’s take a look at this easy chicken mushroom and spinach dinner.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts: Cut into cutlets.
- Fresh Baby Spinach
- Sliced Mushrooms
- Parmesan Cheese
- Garlic
- Fat: Butter, oil and cream
Chef Tip: I like to purchase Cherub brand tomatoes. Cherubs are a variety of grape tomatoes which have a stronger outer skin and meatier, less watery flesh. They are easier to slice for salads, hold up better during cooking or roasting and are reliable year round with their mild, sweet flavor.
Step by Step Instructions
Be sure to see the recipe card below for complete ingredients and instructions.
- Step 1: Cut two chicken breasts horizontally to make four chicken cutlets. Heat a heavy large skillet over medium high heat. Once the skillet is hot, add the oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chicken cutlets and sear until browned on each side. This will take about three minutes per side. Remove the cutlets to a plate and cover to keep warm.
- Step 2: This creamy garlic parmesan sauce is divine for this mushroom chicken combo. Add the chopped garlic, sliced mushrooms and tomatoes to the pan. Cook, stirring frequently until the cherry tomatoes burst and the mushrooms have lost their moisture and browned.
- Add the spinach, 1/2 of the parmesan cheese, cream and butter to the pan and stir until spinach wilts. This will only take a couple of minutes.
- Nestle the chicken breasts into the mixture and cook for a couple of minutes or until chicken is warm. Garnish with remaining parmesan cheese and serve.
Pro Tip: When you add the cream and butter to the pan, use a sturdy spatula to scrape up any browned bits that are on the bottom of the pan. There’s so much flavor there.
Chicken Mushroom and Spinach Skillet FAQ’s
Yes, you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs. Chicken thighs are a great substitute. They stay juicier, have great flavor and are a less expensive alternative. They are thinner than chicken breasts, so there’s no need to slice them into cutlets. They’ll take a little longer to cook, so be sure they’re cooked through. Using an instant read thermometer is a good idea here. Chicken thigh temperature should reach 165 degrees.
Yes, however, keep in mind the cutlets you purchase at the store are very small and very thin. They’ll cook in a flash, so watch them closely. Purchased chicken tenders will also work here.
Leftovers and Storage
Since we’re empty nesters, this chicken spinach recipe is two meals for us. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This meal isn’t very freezer friendly as the texture of tomatoes will become compromised. To reheat leftovers, I like to add a drizzle more of cream and reheat the chicken and vegetables in the microwave. Cook them at 50% power for about 1 1/2 minutes or until heated through.
Variations
- Instead of using cream, combine 4 ounces of room temperature cream cheese thinned with 2-3 tablespoons of milk. Add this mixture when the recipe instructs to add the cream. Note: it takes about an hour for cream cheese to soften to room temperature.
- Serve this chicken mushroom and spinach mixture over pasta. You’re loosing the gluten free factor, but it’s a delicious option. You can also serve this over easy oven baked rice or with a lovely green salad.
- White Wine: If you’ve got some leftover white wine sitting on your counter, add a couple of glugs to the pan after you’ve cooked the mushrooms and tomatoes. It’s a wonderful way to deglaze the pan and add another layer of flavor to this spinach mushroom chicken. Cook for a couple of minutes to reduce and cook out the alcohol, then proceed with the recipe.
Recipe for Chicken Mushroom and Spinach Skillet
I hope you give this Tiktok chicken a try. We love this recipe and find it so simple to enjoy for a weeknight meal. Plus it’s got that elegant feeling and incredible with flavor.
Popular Quick and Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes
Chicken Mushroom and Spinach Skillet Dinner
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil canola or vegetable oil work well here.
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut horizontally into cutlets
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 8 ounce sliced mushrooms I like baby bella mushrooms, button mushrooms will also work great.
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes grape tomatoes work best.
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and chopped
- 4 cups fresh spinach about two generous fist-fulls.
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated, and divided
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Cut two chicken breasts horizontally to make 4 chicken cutlets. Heat a heavy skillet over medium high heat. Once the skillet is hot, add the oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chicken cutlets and sear until browned on each side. This will take about 3 minutes per side. Remove the cutlets to a plate and cover to keep warm.
- Add the sliced mushrooms and tomatoes to the pan. Cook, stirring frequently until the cherry tomatoes burst and the mushrooms have browned and lost their moisture. Add the chopped garlic and saute until fragrant. About 30 seconds.
- Add the spinach, cream, 1/2 of the parmesan cheese and butter to the pan and stir until spinach wilts. This will only take a couple of minutes.
- Nestle the chicken breasts into the mixture and cook for a couple of minutes or until chicken is warm. Garnish with the remaining parmesan cheese and serve.
Notes
- Instead of using cream, combine 4 ounces of room temperature cream cheese with 2 tablespoons of milk. Add this mixture when the recipe instructs to add the cream. Note: it takes about an hour for cream cheese to soften to room temperature.
- Serve this chicken mushroom and spinach mixture over pasta. You’re loosing the gluten free factor, but it’s a delicious option.Â
- You can also serve this over easy oven baked rice or with a lovely green salad.
- White Wine: If you’ve got some leftover white wine sitting on your counter, add a couple of glugs to the pan after you’ve cooked the mushrooms and tomatoes. It’s a wonderful way to deglaze the pan and add another layer of flavor. Cook for a couple of minutes to reduce and cook out the alcohol, then proceed with the recipe
Nutrition
Tiktok Chicken Mushroom and Spinach Skillet … It’s What’s for Dinner
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Why Trust These Recipes? Lea Ann Brown has lived, worked and played in Colorado for 45 years. She has immersed herself in the Colorado Culinary space, is a Culinary School Graduate and publishes her Colorado food Blog, Cooking On The Ranch.
I can hardly wait to make this weeks recipes that yo have put out..all look and sound Wonderful.
Thanks,
B
So easy to make and delicious! I used sun dried tomatoes since I didn’t have fresh ones and the cream cheese variation. Oh my gosh!!! Yum 😋 and healthy too. Thank you
Lynn, thank you so much for taking the time to write a review. So glad you enjoyed the recipe. Make it a delicious day.
What could I substitute for the spinach. My family loves it raw but cooked turns its texture too soft. I would love to try it today. What about asparagus spears instead?
Good Afternoon Caroline.
Asparagus is an excellent choice. And actually I made this once using asparagus.
Swiss chard is another option, it doesn’t get so soft as quick as spinach.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
I so seldom leave a comment about a recipe I try, but this time I had to. This was so easy and completely delicious! It came together with ingredients I had on hand and tasted so incredible! In fact, it took so little time to make, we wound up having a very early dinner last night (not a problem at all — after smelling the delicious smells, we were ready). Thanks so much, Lea Ann!
I’m always up for an easy skillet dinner, too. And this one looks really tasty. And really colorful — eye appeal is so important when it comes to food. Neat dish — thanks.
Looks very good Chef. I like one pan meals, especially when they are healthy as well.