Cast Iron Chicken with Creamy Spinach and Mushrooms

This sizzling Cast Iron Chicken with Creamy Spinach and Mushrooms brings steakhouse vibes right into your home kitchen in a single skillet. Juicy whole chicken quarters sear until golden and crispy, then bake over a creamy pan of sliced mushrooms and tender spinach. It is rich, comforting, and an effortless meal that will instantly upgrade your weeknight dinner rotation.

Here are a few more chicken recipes to check out: Creamy Chicken Marsala, Juicy Chicken Parmesan, Creamy Cast Iron Tuscan Chicken, Sicilian Chicken & Spinach Saute, Curry Chicken & Mushroom Risotto, and Creamed Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast

The secret to this one-pan meal is building rich flavor in the pan drippings from start to finish. Searing the seasoned chicken skin-side down in butter renders out deep savory flavors while locking in natural juices.

We then deglaze that flavorful cast-iron pan with a splash of sherry wine and chicken stock before folding in rich heavy cream, parmesan, and a bit of fresh lemon juice. The dish finishes in the oven, allowing the chicken to become fall-apart tender while keeping its crust perfectly crisp above the veggies and sauce.

Ingredients you’ll need to make Cast Iron Chicken:

For the cast iron chicken:

• Butter: Provides the high-heat cooking medium to fry and crisp the chicken skin.
• Sea Salt, Ground White Pepper, Ground Turmeric, Paprika: Seasonings for the chicken, giving it flavor and color.
• Minced Garlic: Infuses the foaming butter with savory aromatics right as the skin browns.
• Whole Chicken Quarters: The bone-in, skin-on cut that retains moisture and yields tender chicken when baked over high heat.

For the veggies and sauce:

• Butter: Restores the dish’s flavor after draining excess grease.
• Minced Garlic: Provides bold, fresh aromatics directly into the pan reduction.
• Sherry Cooking Wine: Deglaze the pan and lift up those leftover chicken drippings.
• Organic Ground White Pepper, Ground Thyme, and Garlic Powder: Pepper warms the cream reduction with smooth, peppery heat, and the thyme adds an earthy note that bridges the mushrooms with the chicken. Garlic powder dissolves evenly into the spinach, ensuring balanced garlic flavor in every bite.
• Chicken Stock: Stretches the sauce without diluting chicken flavor.
• Heavy Whipping Cream: Delivers a silky, velvety sauce that blends the cooking wine and pan juices.
• Parmesan Cheese: Melts smoothly to thicken the sauce and add salty, nutty umami richness.
• Lemon Juice: Provides a touch of citrus that cuts through heavy cream and rich chicken drippings.
• Fresh White Mushrooms: Absorb the sherry cream sauce like sponges while offering a savory, meaty bite.
• Fresh Leaf Spinach: Collapses quickly into tender greens.

How to make Cast Iron Chicken with Creamy Spinach and Mushrooms:

Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C).

Heat the Skillet: Place a 12-inch cast iron skillet (paid link) over medium heat and melt the first 3 tbsp of butter. Add the minced garlic to the foaming butter.

Season and Sear the Chicken: Season the chicken quarters evenly with sea salt, white pepper, turmeric, and paprika. Then immediately place the chicken quarters in the pan skin-side down. Brown the skin side undisturbed for 7 minutes, then flip and brown the other side for 5 minutes. Transfer the seared chicken to a plate and set aside.

Deglaze the Skillet: Carefully pour off most of the excess chicken grease, leaving just a thin coat of drippings. Add the remaining butter and let it melt over medium heat. Stir in the minced garlic, sherry cooking wine, white pepper, and chicken stock. Simmer for 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Build the Cream Sauce & Veggies: Pour in the heavy whipping cream, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, ground thyme, and sliced mushrooms. Cook for 2 minutes until the sauce begins to bubble and thicken slightly. Add the fresh spinach and sprinkle with the garlic powder. Stir gently and cook for 2 additional minutes until the spinach leaves are tender and wilted.

Assemble and Bake: Nestle the seared chicken quarters back into the skillet directly on top of the creamy spinach and mushrooms, making sure the chicken sits skin-side up above the sauce to keep it crisp. Remove from the stovetop burner and transfer the cast iron skillet (paid link) into the preheated oven. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the thickest part of the chicken thigh registers 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer. Rest for 5 minutes, spoon the creamy sauce around the chicken, and serve warm.

Tips & Tricks

• Moisture prevents crisping. Pat the chicken quarters thoroughly dry with paper towels before applying the salt and spices so the skin browns rapidly rather than steaming in the butter.
• When nesting the chicken back into the skillet for the oven bake, rest the pieces on top of the bed of spinach and mushrooms. Keeping the skin dry and exposed to radiant oven heat preserves that crispy crust.
• Cremini (baby bella) mushrooms make a fantastic swap for white button mushrooms, adding an even earthier, deeper woodsy note.
• If you do not have sherry cooking wine on hand, swap with ¼ cup dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio) or ¼ cup additional chicken broth mixed with 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar.

Storage & Reheating:

Fridge: Store cooled chicken, veggies, and sauce in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.

Reheat and Keep the Skin Crispy: Warm leftover chicken and sauce in a skillet over medium-low heat on the stovetop, or place the chicken on a baking sheet (paid link) in a 375°F oven or air fryer for 6 to 8 minutes to re-crisp the skin while gently warming the sauce separately.

If you’re watching your calories, this Cast Iron Chicken with Creamy Spinach and Mushrooms will still prove to be right on time. It is also perfect to enjoy as leftovers—well, if there are any left!

Cast Iron Chicken with Creamy Spinach and Mushrooms

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Make Cast Iron Chicken with Creamy Spinach and Mushrooms! Crispy, seared chicken quarters baked with spinach and mushrooms in a creamy sauce.

• Total Time: 48 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1/2x1x2x3x

• 5 tbsp butter, divided
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp organic ground white pepper, divided
• 1 tsp organic ground turmeric
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 2 whole chicken quarters
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1/4 cup sherry cooking wine
• 1/3 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 tsp lemon juice
• 3/4 tsp ground thyme
• 4 oz fresh white mushrooms, sliced
• 10 oz fresh leaf spinach
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

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Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C).
2. Place a 12-inch cast iron skillet (paid link) over medium heat and melt the first 3 tbsp of butter. Add the minced garlic to the foaming butter.
3. Season the chicken quarters evenly with sea salt, 1 tsp of white pepper, turmeric, and paprika. Then immediately place the chicken quarters in the pan, skin-side down. Brown the skin side undisturbed for 7 minutes, then flip and brown the other side for 5 minutes. Transfer the seared chicken to a plate and set aside.
4. Carefully pour off most of the excess chicken grease, leaving just a thin coat of drippings. Add 2 tbsp of butter and let it melt over medium heat. Stir in the minced garlic, sherry cooking wine, 1 tsp white pepper, and chicken stock. Simmer for 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
5. Pour in the heavy whipping cream, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, ground thyme, and sliced mushrooms. Cook for 2 minutes, until the sauce bubbles and thickens slightly. Add the fresh spinach and sprinkle with the garlic powder. Stir gently and cook for 2 additional minutes until the spinach leaves are tender and wilted.
6. Nestle the seared chicken quarters back into the skillet directly on top of the creamy spinach and mushrooms, making sure the chicken sits skin-side up above the sauce to keep it crisp. Remove from the stovetop burner and transfer the cast iron skillet (paid link) into the preheated oven.
7. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the thickest part of the chicken thigh registers 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer. Rest for 5 minutes, spoon the creamy sauce around the chicken, and serve warm.

Equipment

Cast Iron Skillet

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(paid link)

Notes

• Pat Chicken Dry First: Moisture prevents crisping. Pat the chicken quarters thoroughly dry with paper towels before applying the seasonings so the skin browns quickly rather than steaming in the butter.

• Keep the Skin Above the Liquid: When nesting the chicken back into the skillet for the oven bake, rest the pieces on top of the bed of spinach and mushrooms. Keeping the skin dry and exposed to oven heat preserves that crispy crust.

• Mushroom Variety Swaps: Cremini (baby bella) mushrooms make a great swap for white button mushrooms, adding an even earthier, deeper flavor.

• Wine Substitution: If you don’t have sherry cooking wine on hand, swap with ¼ cup dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio) or ¼ cup additional chicken broth mixed with 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar.

• Author: Eric Jones
• Prep Time: 8 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Calories: 785
• Sugar: 4 g
• Sodium: 1280 mg
• Fat: 58 g
• Saturated Fat: 27 g
• Trans Fat: 1.2 g
• Carbohydrates: 11 g
• Fiber: 3 g
• Protein: 56 g
• Cholesterol: 255 mg