One-Pot Creamy Lemon Chicken with Spinach & Artichokes
This one-pot creamy lemon chicken with spinach and artichokes is a quick and easy weeknight meal that feels fancy but is incredibly simple to make. It’s comforting, flavorful, and perfect for busy evenings.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- : Lara
Ingredients
Scale
Main ingredients
- 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (Trim off any extra fat and pat dry)
- 1 medium sweet onion (about 1 cup, diced)
- 2 ribs celery (about 1 cup, diced)
- 8 cloves garlic (crushed or finely minced)
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 0.75 cup dry white wine (optional, can substitute with additional chicken stock)
- 0.5 lemon lemon juice (about 1-2 tbsp, plus more to taste)
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 10 oz frozen spinach (thawed and well squeezed dry)
- 12 oz jar artichoke hearts (drained and quartered)
- 4 oz cream cheese (cut into cubes and softened)
- 0.5 cup fresh dill (chopped)
- 3 4 scallions (thinly sliced)
- 1 tbsp olive oil or neutral cooking oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- 0.5 tsp black pepper (Freshly ground is always best!)
Instructions
- Heat your olive oil in your pot over medium-high heat. While it’s warming up, season your chicken thighs all over with salt and pepper. Once the oil is shimmery, carefully lay the chicken in the pot. Let it sear for about 3-4 minutes per side, until it’s beautifully golden brown. Don’t overcrowd the pot; you might need to do this in batches. Once seared, take the chicken out and set it aside on a plate.
- Now, toss your diced onion and celery into the same pot. Cook them down, stirring now and then, until they’re nice and soft, about 5-7 minutes. They’ll pick up all those yummy browned bits from the chicken.
- Toss in your crushed garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir constantly for just about 1 minute until you can really smell that wonderful garlic aroma. Be careful not to burn the garlic!
- Pour in your chicken stock and white wine (if you’re using it). This is where you get to scrape up all those delicious caramelized bits from the bottom of the pot. That’s where so much flavor is hiding! Bring it all to a gentle simmer.
- Nestle your seared chicken thighs back into the pot. Turn the heat down to low, pop a lid on, and let it simmer away for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked all the way through. You want it to be tender and juicy.
- Stir in your thawed and squeezed spinach and the quartered artichoke hearts. Let them cook for about 5 minutes, just until the spinach is wilted and the artichokes are heated through.
- Now for the magic! Add your softened cream cheese cubes to the pot. Stir, stir, stir! Keep stirring until the cream cheese melts into a lusciously creamy sauce that coats everything.
- Stir in your lemon juice and chopped fresh dill. Oh, that smell! It’s already incredible.
- This is your chance to make it perfect for you. Taste the sauce. Does it need a little more salt? A bit more pepper? Maybe another squeeze of lemon for extra brightness? Go for it!
- Ladle this glorious creation into bowls and sprinkle generously with your thinly sliced scallions. It’s ready to be devoured!
Notes
This dish is fantastic served over pasta, rice, quinoa, or with a crusty bread for dipping into that amazing sauce. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days and reheated gently.