Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Skillet Chicken

From the roundup: 16 Easy Skillet Chicken Dinner Recipes for Busy Weeknights

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A jar of sun-dried tomatoes that had been sitting in my fridge door for two weeks and a bag of spinach that needed to be used by Friday are what pushed me toward this sun-dried tomato and spinach skillet chicken on a Wednesday night. The chicken thighs go into a hot, dry pan and stay there untouched for about five minutes, which is the part I had to learn the hard way because pulling them too early tears that crust right off. Once the sear is done, the broth and tomatoes go in, the pan gets loosely covered, and the whole thing finishes in about ten minutes while I am getting the rest of dinner on the table. Serve it over orzo or rice, or just put bread out and let everyone handle the sauce themselves.

How this one landed in the rotation

I started making this on nights when I had chicken thighs that needed to be used and a jar of sun-dried tomatoes that had been sitting in the fridge door for two weeks. The first time I made it I forgot to scrape up the brown bits before adding the broth and the sauce tasted flat. Scraping that pan is not optional, it is where most of the flavor comes from.

My older kids eat this without complaint, which in a house of five is basically a standing ovation. My youngest picks out the spinach but eats everything else, so I count it as a win.

Why you will love this

• One skillet, start to finish, so cleanup is a single pan and a cutting board.
• The oil from the sun-dried tomato jar replaces plain olive oil and adds flavor before you have added anything else.
• Chicken thighs stay juicy even if the simmer runs a couple of minutes long, unlike breasts.
• The cream cheese is optional, so you can keep it dairy-free or make it richer depending on who you are feeding.
• Leftovers reheat well over medium-low with a splash of broth, and the sauce is even better the next day over pasta.

Tips for success

• Pat the chicken completely dry before it goes in the pan. Any moisture on the surface will steam the chicken instead of searing it, and you will not get that golden crust.
• Do not move the chicken during the first five to six minutes. It will release from the pan on its own when it is ready to flip. If you are tugging at it, it needs more time.
• Watch the garlic closely in step three. It goes from fragrant to bitter in under a minute at medium heat. Pull it back if the edges are darkening fast.
• When you add the spinach, do it in two or three handfuls rather than all at once. A full three cups dumped in at once cools the sauce and takes longer to wilt evenly.

If the sauce turns out thin or flat

• If the sauce is thinner than you want, let it simmer uncovered for two to three extra minutes after the spinach wilts. It will reduce quickly.
• If it tastes flat, the lemon juice at the end is not decoration. Add it and stir before you decide it needs more salt.
• If you forgot to scrape up the brown bits when you added the broth, the sauce will taste mild. You can stir in a small spoonful of cream cheese to round it out.
• A pinch of extra red pepper flakes added with the sun-dried tomatoes gives the sauce more backbone if your family tolerates a little heat.

Substitutions

Boneless chicken breasts work here, but reduce the covered simmer time to about six minutes and check the temperature early. They dry out faster than thighs. Kale or Swiss chard can replace the baby spinach, just give it an extra two to three minutes to soften. If you do not have chicken broth, a dry white wine works well, or use water with a small pinch of bouillon.

For a dairy-free version, skip the cream cheese entirely. The sauce is good without it. If someone in your house cannot do spice, leave out the red pepper flakes and let people add their own at the table.

Make-ahead and storage

You can sear the chicken thighs a day ahead, refrigerate them, and then build the sauce and finish the simmer fresh when you are ready to eat. It cuts about ten minutes off a busy weeknight. Leftovers keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to four days. The sauce thickens overnight, so add a small splash of broth or water when reheating over medium-low on the stovetop.

This dish can be frozen for up to two months. The spinach will be softer after thawing but the flavor holds. Freeze the chicken and sauce together in a single container and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating gently on the stove.

Brittany Stage

Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Skillet Chicken

Golden-seared boneless chicken thighs simmered in a savory sauce of sun-dried tomatoes, fresh garlic, and baby spinach with a splash of chicken broth to bring it all together. On the table in 30 minutes with one pan.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Calories: 360

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs about 6 medium thighs
• 1 tsp kosher salt divided
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp oil from sun-dried tomato jar or olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and roughly chopped
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes adjust to taste
• 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 cups baby spinach loosely packed, about 3 oz
• 1 tsp lemon juice fresh or bottled, added at the end
• 2 tbsp cream cheese optional, for a creamy sauce

Equipment

• large skillet
• tongs
• wooden spoon or silicone spatula

Method

 

1. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season both sides with 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and all of the black pepper.
2. Heat the sun-dried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the chicken thighs smooth side down and cook without moving them for 5 to 6 minutes, until the bottom is deep golden brown. Flip and cook the second side for 4 to 5 minutes. The thighs do not need to be cooked through yet. Transfer them to a plate.
3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the sliced garlic to the same pan and cook, stirring, for about 60 seconds until it is fragrant and just starting to turn golden at the edges. Do not let it go dark or it will taste bitter.
4. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and red pepper flakes. Stir everything together for about 30 seconds, letting the tomatoes soak up the garlic-flavored oil. Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Those bits are flavor.
5. Nestle the seared chicken thighs back into the skillet, along with any juices that collected on the plate. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover loosely and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165 degrees F internally.
6. Add the baby spinach in two or three handfuls, stirring gently between additions, until it wilts into the sauce, about 2 minutes. If you are using cream cheese, drop it in now and stir until it melts into the sauce. Season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, taste, and adjust.
7. Squeeze in the lemon juice and give the pan one final stir. Serve immediately over orzo, rice, or with thick slices of sourdough to soak up the sauce.

Notes

Use the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar instead of plain olive oil. It is already seasoned and adds depth from the very first step at no extra cost. If the sauce reduces too much before the chicken is done, add another splash of broth.

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