Golden-brown chicken in a creamy tomato sauce, with wilted spinach and cherry tomatoes.
Chicken thighs are browned in a skillet before being coated in a velvety tomato and cream sauce flavored with garlic, paprika and oregano. The spinach wilts into the sauce, while the cherry tomatoes retain their juicy bursts. Allow 25 minutes for this dinner for two. One to add to my keto main dishes.
What is creamy chicken with spinach and tomatoes?
The name sums up the dish: chicken, spinach, tomatoes and a creamy sauce, rich yet simple. Boneless chicken thighs are used here, as their tender meat holds up well to a good sear followed by a brief simmer. Red onion and garlic form the aromatic base.
Passata, a strained tomato purée, blends with the cream to make a smooth sauce with a milder flavor than tomato paste. Paprika adds gentle warmth and an appetizing color, while oregano brings a herbal note that complements the garlic. The tomatoes and spinach go in toward the end of cooking, leaving the former juicy and the latter wilted without disappearing into the sauce.
Why this version works
The recipe follows a simple sequence: brown the chicken well, loosen the browned bits in the skillet, then build a quick sauce with tomato, cream and aromatics. The thighs stay tender after simmering, making them ideal for a creamy dish served straight away.
Passata provides consistent tomato flavor and is available year-round, while fresh spinach and cherry or cocktail tomatoes make this a quick, colorful weeknight dish. Adding them at the end keeps the sauce from becoming too watery and helps the vegetables retain some texture. You can use dairy or plant-based cream, whether cooking cream, crème fraîche, almond cream or soy cream, preferably unsweetened.
The main ingredients
The 2 large boneless chicken thighs form the base: juicy pieces that brown well and enrich the sauce with their cooking juices. A small red onion adds subtle sweetness and helps loosen the browned bits, while 4 garlic cloves, cooked briefly, add flavor without bitterness.
Three handfuls of fresh spinach add a fresh green note and tender texture, while 10 halved cherry or cocktail tomatoes provide juicy bursts throughout the dish. The 100 ml of cream, dairy or plant-based, bring the sauce together and mellow the tomato flavor, while 2 tablespoons of passata provide a smooth base.
A teaspoon of paprika for color and gentle warmth, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano for a herbal touch, a little salt, pepper and oil for cooking complete the list. Success then comes down to the order: sear the meat to create browned bits, sauté the aromatics to loosen them, bring the sauce together over low heat, then add the fresh vegetables toward the end of cooking.
Cooking tips and serving
Browning the chicken at the start builds the flavor of the sauce; the pieces are not cooked through at this stage and will finish cooking in the sauce after a short rest under a sheet of foil. In the same skillet, the onion turns translucent and takes on the flavor of the browned bits, followed by the garlic to release its aroma. The passata, paprika, oregano and cream combine into a smooth sauce that simmers for about 15 minutes over low heat, so it does not thicken too quickly or cause certain plant-based creams to split. The halved tomatoes and spinach go in for the final 5 minutes, just long enough for the spinach to wilt and the tomatoes to soften without falling apart.
An overcrowded skillet prevents proper browning, and spinach that has not been dried well will dilute the sauce; a small splash of water will loosen it if it becomes too thick. To keep the dish low in carbs, serve it with riced broccoli; the dish has 5 g of net carbs per serving, excluding sides. Promptly transfer leftovers to a covered container in the refrigerator, then reheat gently in a skillet with a little water if the sauce has thickened.
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Creamy Chicken with Spinach and Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken thigh fillets organic, free-range
- 1 small red onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 3 handfuls fresh spinach
- 10 cherry tomatoes or snacking tomatoes
- 100 ml cream, dairy or plant-based cooking cream, crème fraîche, almond cream or soy cream
- 2 tablespoons tomato passata
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano dried
- a pinch salt Himalayan red or Celtic sea salt
- a pinch pepper black
- avocado oil, mild olive oil or high-oleic sunflower oil for cooking
Instructions
- Season the chicken with the paprika, salt and pepper.1 teaspoon paprika, a pinch salt, a pinch pepper
- Thinly slice the onion and chop the garlic.1 small red onion, 4 cloves garlic
- Heat the frying pan and add some oil. Sear the chicken on both sides. Remove it from the pan briefly and wrap it in aluminium foil.avocado oil, mild olive oil or high-oleic sunflower oil, 2 large chicken thigh fillets
- Sauté the onions until translucent. Then add the garlic and sauté briefly with the onions. Return the chicken to the pan.
- Add the passata, oregano and cream. Simmer for another quarter of an hour.2 tablespoons tomato passata, 1 teaspoon oregano, 100 ml cream, dairy or plant-based
- Halve the cherry tomatoes and add them along with the spinach. Simmer for another 5 minutes.10 cherry tomatoes or snacking tomatoes, 3 handfuls fresh spinach
- Is the sauce getting too dry? Add a tiny splash of water.
