One-Pan Creamy Garlic Chicken with Spinach & Tomatoes
Serves 4 | Prep: 10 mins | Cook: 25 mins
Creamy, garlicky and on the table in around 35 minutes, this is an easy gluten-free dinner for nights when you want proper comfort food without creating a mountain of washing up. Serve it with microwave rice for an easy midweek option, or add some toasted gluten-free sourdough to mop up the sauce.
Ingredients
4 small chicken breasts, or 600–700g boneless chicken thighs
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tsp dried Italian herbs
½ tsp smoked paprika
200ml thickened cream
½ cup (125ml) gluten-free chicken stock
¼ cup (25g) finely grated Parmesan
2 large handfuls baby spinach
Salt and black pepper
Fresh basil or parsley, to serve (optional)
Method
Cook the chicken. Season the chicken with salt, pepper and smoked paprika. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat and cook the chicken for around 4–5 minutes on each side, until golden. Remove and set aside.
Add the flavour. Reduce the heat slightly and add the garlic, cherry tomatoes and Italian herbs to the same pan. Cook for 2–3 minutes until the tomatoes begin to soften.
Make it creamy. Pour in the chicken stock and cream, stirring to pick up all the flavour from the bottom of the pan. Add the Parmesan and stir until melted into the sauce.
Finish the chicken. Return the chicken to the pan, reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for another 8–10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly.
Add the greens. Stir through the baby spinach for the final 1–2 minutes, just until wilted. Taste and season as needed.
Serve immediately with plenty of that creamy tomato sauce spooned over the top.
Keep it easy
For a genuinely low-effort weeknight dinner, serve with a pouch of microwave rice and you've got dinner on the table without another saucepan to wash.
Or, if you're in full comfort-food mode, toast a few slices of gluten-free sourdough, drizzle with good olive oil and use them to mop up the creamy garlic sauce.
Other serving ideas: mashed potato, quinoa, gluten-free pasta or steamed green vegetables would all work well too.
Make it your own
You could also throw in mushrooms, zucchini or roasted capsicum if you've got vegetables that need using up. For a little heat, add a pinch of chilli flakes with the garlic.
GF reminder: As always, check packaged ingredients such as the chicken stock, spices and Parmesan to make sure they're suitable for your dietary requirements.
