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All the comfort of warm spinach-artichoke dip—only dinner-worthy. Pan-seared garlicky chicken in a light lemon butter sauce with fresh thyme, spinach, artichokes, and parmesan cheese to make it cozy. Serve this chicken with crusty bread for dipping into that yummy lemon sauce! Add a salad on the side to round this meal out. Perfection! Make it on a busy weeknight or for casual company. Simple steps, big flavor, and easy to tweak with what’s in the fridge.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Familiar dip flavors in a full, satisfying meal.
- One-pan friendly with pantry staples; easy to adjust richness, spice, and add-ins.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken: Chicken breasts will be leaner, but chicken thighs will be juicier and more forgiving. Pat very dry for better sear.
- Spinach: Fresh preferred, but frozen works too..thaw and squeeze very dry to avoid watering down the sauce.
- Artichokes: Marinated is best for flavor, canned can work too. Drain well; pat dry to prevent splattering.
- Creamy elements: Cream, cream cheese, or a splash of milk with grated Parmesan
- Acid & brightness: Lemon juice/zest or a spoon of brine from the artichokes to balance richness.
- Add a little heat: Red pepper flakes or Calabrian chili for warmth.
Recipe Inspiration
Spring recipes are here! I’m embracing this season we’re in, the longer days are just wonderful. The warming temperatures have me dreaming of summertime (and South Florida, which is where I would love to be right now). And all of the flowers that are growing left and right are so beautiful.
I love highlighting seasonal ingredients, and two of my favorites this time of year are spinach and artichokes. I haven’t shared many recipes with this combination of produce, so I’m always a happy girl when I have a new recipe to share!
This is a really great one-skillet saucy, lemony butter chicken. It’s a breeze to make any night of the week.
I like to serve this with warm ciabatta bread (the Whole Foods ciabatta is really great) and a fresh salad. The bread is a must, it’s delicious for dipping in the sauce.
Here Are The Details
Step 1: season the chicken
Salt and pepper the chicken. For this recipe, I use thinly sliced chicken breasts. You can also switch it up and use pork chops. I’ve actually made this both ways, and if you enjoy pork chops, they’re a great option.
Dredge the chicken through a mix of flour, onion powder, and garlic powder.
Step 2: sear the chicken
Working in an oven-safe skillet, sear the chicken over medium heat until it’s golden on both sides, then remove it from the pan.
Step 3: make the lemon butter sauce
In that same pan, add a few slices of butter, a sliced lemon, chopped garlic, and fresh thyme.
At this point, everything in the skillet should smell delicious. Let the butter cook until browned. Now add lemon juice and broth.
Mix in the spinach and artichokes.
Step 4: finish up the dish
Slide the chicken into the sauce and sprinkle over a handful of grated Parmesan cheese.
Bake for 5 to 10 minutes to finish cooking the chicken.
Now serve the dish as you desire and enjoy!! I threw some fresh herbs on top like basil or cilantro – whatever you have on hand. You could also add red chili flakes or capers for more flavoring. It’s a real crowd-pleaser and comes out of the oven looking pretty and smelling even more delicious.
Perfect for an easy weeknight dinner, but also great for entertaining. It really brightens the table!
Variations
Lighter: Swap part of the cream for milk; finish with extra lemon and herbs (sauce will be thinner).
Dairy-free: Use full-fat coconut milk or a plant creamer; expect a slightly sweeter, less “cheesy” profile—counter with lemon and extra salt.
Add carbs: Spoon over orzo, rice, or pasta; the sauce will loosen on contact—reduce slightly beforehand for a thicker cling.
Extra veggie: Fold in peas or chopped roasted peppers for color and sweetness.
More heat: Chili flakes or a spoon of Calabrian chili paste.
Can I use frozen spinach?
Yes, thaw and squeeze out as much liquid as possible so the sauce stays creamy (frozen keeps a softer texture than fresh).
Chicken breast vs Chicken thighs – what’s better here?
Both work; thighs are juicier and more forgiving, while breasts are leaner. Use similar sizes for even cooking and a dry surface for better sear.
How do I keep the sauce from curdling?
Lower the heat before adding dairy, whisk until smooth, and avoid rapid boiling. If it splits, whisk in a splash of warm broth to emulsify.
Can I make it dairy-free?
Use a rich plant-based creamer or coconut milk and balance with extra lemon and salt; texture stays silky but flavor is less “cheesy.”
Looking for other easy weeknight dinners? Here are some favorites.
Easy Greek Sheet Pan Chicken Souvlaki and Potatoes
Browned Garlic Butter Creamed Corn Cheese Ravioli
One Skillet Cheesy Broccoli Cheddar Orzo Bake
Lastly, if you make this Lemon Butter Spinach and Artichoke Chicken, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Lemon Butter Spinach and Artichoke Chicken
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 552 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken cutlets or small breasts
- salt and black pepper
- 1/4 cup all-purpose/gluten-free flour
- 2 tablespoons onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 lemon, sliced + 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- chili flakes
- 1/2 cup broth
- 1/2 cup salsa verde (optional)
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 jar (12 ounce) marinated artichokes, quartered
- 1/3 cup cream
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the flour, onion powder, and garlic powder in a shallow bowl and dredge the chicken through the flour mix.2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and the chicken in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Sear on both sides until golden, about 5 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the skillet.3. To the skillet, add the butter, lemon slices, garlic, thyme, and chili flakes. Cook for 2 minutes until the butter browns. Add the lemon juice, broth, salsa verde, if using, and spinach. Slide the chicken and any juices left on the plate back into the skillet. Add the artichokes. Pour in the cream. Simmer 2 minutes.4. Sprinkle over lots of parmesan, then bake for 5 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.5. Serve the chicken and sauce with fresh herbs.
This post was originally published on April 17, 2024
I made this dish and it was pretty easy. It turned out so delicious!! It’s a keeper!
Hey Tanya,
Awesome! Love to hear that you enjoyed this dish, thanks for making it! xT
As I was hoping, this is just like picatta! I usually add artichokes to my picatta so this made me very happy.
Also added myself some capers to top it off! I served this over linguine, and included the artichoke juices to make sure I had enough broth! Very easy and delicious.
Thanks so much, Brooke!! Love to hear that this recipe turned out nicely for you! Thanks for making it! xT
The sliced lemons spoiled the taste of my sauce, which was unfortunate as it was turning out tasty before putting in the oven, and then after taking it out, the sauce changed to that super bitter taste from the lemons and there was no turning back. All the other flavor, and the herbs(!) were lost. I will also note that i only had fat-free cream onhand and didnt use the salsa verde – perhaps those 2 ingredients could have helped.
I do want to give this one another try, especially after ready all the other success stories :). Next time, i’ll take the lemons out once the lemony flavor is reached!
Hi Erin,
Thanks so much for trying this dish and sharing your feedback, I’m so sorry about the lemons! Please let me know if you try again without all of the lemon slices! xT
Served mine over orzo- was DELICIOUS!! Love your recipes !
Hey Jillian,
Wonderful! I appreciate you trying this recipe and your comment! So glad to hear it turned out well! x
Hi Tieghan,
Every Christmas I have a luncheon for 14 friends about 10 to 14 days before Christmas. I’d love to try this recipe what I usually do is make my dessert the day before morning of the luncheon I do the entrée it’s so much easier for me to do this in a pan and then warm it up. Do you have any suggestions as to how I can do this wonderful recipe in the oven
Thank you for any help. You can give forward to trying so many of your wonderful dishes.
Hi Karen,
Can you just follow the recipe as written and then warm in the oven when you are ready to serve? I think that would work nicely for you! xx
I’d like to make this for our dinner group. What would be a good side? Like potato or rice?
Hey Barbara,
Either one! I love serving with mashed potatoes and a side salad. I hope you love this dish, please let me know if you give it a try! xT
What a delicious recipe! Thank you so much! I did add the Verde.
Hey Laura,
Fantastic! Thank you so much for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, glad to hear it was enjoyed! x
Really good – everyone in the family liked it (which is rare). I did use the salsa verde and I’m glad I did – doesn’t taste like a salsa dish, but had a really nice complexity to the flavor and my kid who hates hot spice didn’t even know there was salsa in it and had seconds!
Hey Emily,
Fantastic!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, I appreciate you giving it a try and your comment! x
Your website does NOT allow me to print. It says jupiter is the prob….Second time telling you all
Hi John,
I’m so sorry to hear you are having issues. I just tested printing this recipe and it worked for me. If you are still having problems feel free to email contact@halfbakedharvest.com and someone from our team can walk you through the best way to print. I hope this helps! x
I print the recipes all of the time with no issues.
When should I add the orzo? Another person commented they added it.
Hey Karla,
I have never added orzo to this dish, you would need to increase the liquids, but I would add at step 3 and then it’s going to need longer to cook. Let me know if you give this recipe a try! xx
Soo good!
Hey Nadine,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and your comment! Love to hear that it turned out nicely for you:)
This was delicious. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I like this meal. Very very happy and full.
Hey Jenn,
Happy Friday! Thanks a lot for making this recipe and your comment, so glad it turned out well! xT
Can’t wait to make this! Will using canned artichoke vs marinated jarred artichoke make a big different in taste for this meal?
Hey Megan,
I prefer to use the marinated artichokes for this recipe:) Let me know how it turns out for you! xT
Soooo dang good! I didn’t use salsa verde so it wouldn’t be too spicy for my toddler, but now I wanna try it that way too! I didn’t have any chciken breasts on hand but was dying to try this, so I used some frozen shredded rotisserie chicken, and it worked great over mashed potatoes. Can’t wait to try this aguj over rice or pasta!
Hey Kari,
Happy Sunday! Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing what worked well for you, I love to hear that it was tasty! xT
I was skeptical making this recipe, thinking the cooking time for thinly sliced chicken was too long, and not being sure if I’d like the flavor of salsa verde. I should have known better than to second guess Tieghan! It’s absolutely delicious. The chicken was perfectly tender and the sauce was so good I sopped it up with THREE pieces of garlic bread, lol. A note of caution- I used a ten inch iron skillet and it was full to the brim, so when I put it in the oven, I slid a cookie sheet under it just in case it overflowed (it didn’t) Highly recommend this recipe!
Hey Linda,
Thank you so much:) So glad to hear that you enjoyed this dish! I appreciate you making it and your feedback! xT