Name: Skillet Lemon Chicken with Spinach
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces; 1 cup diced red bell pepper; 0.5 teaspoon salt; 0.5 teaspoon ground pepper; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 0.5 cup dry white wine; 1 teaspoon cornstarch; 1 medium lemon, zested and juiced; 10 cups lightly packed baby spinach; 8 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese

Skillet Lemon Chicken with Spinach

4.7

(9)

7 Reviews

This simple, ultra-quick chicken dinner—packed with spinach and peppers—is delicious on its own or served over brown rice or your favorite pasta.

Carolyn Casner

Updated on September 19, 2023

Reviewed by Dietitian

Jessica Ball, M.S., RD

Tested by

EatingWell Test Kitchen

Active Time:

25 mins

Total Time:

25 mins

Servings:

Yield:

1 serving

Nutrition Profile:

Low-Carb Nut-Free Soy-Free High-Protein Egg-Free Gluten-Free

Jump to Nutrition Facts

Can I Use Chicken Breast Instead of Thighs?

Yes! Chicken breast or chicken tenderloins can be used in place of the chicken thighs. So long as they are cut into bite-size pieces, the cooking time remains the same.

What Can I Serve with Skillet Lemon Chicken with Spinach?

This one-skillet meal is perfect served over whole-wheat pasta or brown rice. For a low-carb dinner, you can serve it over cooked spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles. To keep things ultra-fast and simple, serve this easy chicken and spinach recipe with a piece of crusty bread to soak up all the leftover sauce.

Tips for the Best Skillet Lemon Chicken with Spinach

This recipe is easy to master and takes only 25 minutes from start to finish. Keep these things in mind when you're making this chicken and spinach dish for the first time:

Add the Spinach in Batches

This recipe calls for 10 cups of spinach, which is a lot! In order for it to all fit in the pan, add the spinach in batches (by the handful), letting the first batch wilt before you add another.

Serve It Right Away

The lemon and white wine in this recipe are both acidic and can turn the spinach brown if it sits too long. The taste will remain unchanged, but this dish will be most presentable right after it leaves the stove, so plan on serving it right away.

Additional reporting by Hilary Meyer

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup diced red bell pepper
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 medium lemon, zested and juiced
10 cups lightly packed baby spinach
8 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, bell pepper, salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is just cooked through, 7 to 9 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Whisk wine and cornstarch together in a measuring cup. Add to the pan along with the lemon juice and zest; stir to coat, then bring to a simmer. Add spinach by the handful; cook, stirring, until wilted, about 2 minutes more. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan.

Diana Chistruga

Originally appeared: EatingWell.com, February 2020; updated October 2022

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

317	Calories
16g	Fat
11g	Carbs
26g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Serving Size 1 cup
Calories 317
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 11g	4%
Dietary Fiber 4g	15%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 26g	52%
Total Fat 16g	21%
Saturated Fat 4g	19%
Cholesterol 78mg	26%
Vitamin A 10420IU	208%
Vitamin C 93mg	104%
Folate 26mcg	7%
Sodium 526mg	23%
Calcium 184mg	14%
Iron 6mg	34%
Magnesium 128mg	31%
Potassium 287mg	6%

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.