This high-protein, low-carb Smothered Creamy Skillet Chicken is mouth-wateringly delicious and comes together in one skillet! It’s a delicious, easy dish that’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
I think we can all agree that healthy recipes can and should taste delicious. But this smothered creamy skillet chicken may just become your new favorite!
As the name suggests, this dish is smothered with delicious, creamy flavors and thickened with our low-calorie friend, cashew milk (hi, 25 calories per serving, nice to meet you). And the lovely sauce keeps the chicken from drying out while it cooks!
I don’t know about you, but skillet meals have got to be my favorite. All that sizzle, smelling each flavor developing into one incredible sauce, and the gently-glazed sear that each ingredient acquires in that skillet bath…
Aren’t those magic words for any busy person looking for a delicious, quick meal?
How to make smothered creamy skillet chicken
Cooking with a skillet is a great way to whip up an easy meal that is PACKED with delicious flavor! Besides a little chopping and mixing, most of this recipe will come together right on the stove:
Step 1: Add 1 tsp. of olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat.
Step 2: Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then add them to the skillet. Sauté for 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and almost cooked through, then set aside.
Step 3: In the same hot skillet, add the remaining tsp. olive oil and lower heat.
Step 4: Add garlic and allow to cook for about 30 seconds.
Step 5: Add green onion and half of the broth. Raise the heat to medium.
Step 6: Add mushrooms & peppers, bringing everything to a medium simmer. Cook for 5 minutes.
Step 7: In a separate bowl, whisk together the yogurt, cashew milk, and 1 tsp. parsley, then pour into the skillet.
Step 8: Add spinach and stir until combined.
Step 9: Allow sauce to bubble lightly with vegetables, lowering heat if needed and stirring occasionally, for 5 more minutes.
Step 10: Nestle chicken breasts into the skillet. Add remaining broth and mascarpone or cream cheese, then cook for 5-10 more minutes until chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened.
Step 11: Season with salt and pepper, top with remaining parsley, and serve.
Easy to make, minimal clean-up, healthy, and SO delicious. This dish is pretty much perfect if you ask me!
Choosing your protein
I am one of those people that has chicken most nights of the week. It can be added to ANYTHING and taste absolutely delicious. Plus, it has the staying power that this hungry girl needs.
And as one of the leanest proteins you can eat, it’s the basis of many healthy dishes.
But don’t feel like chicken breast is the only option here! Fish would pair wonderfully with these flavors if you find yourself craving seafood. Or, if you’re looking for a meatless route, tofu would be a great option as well.
Feel free to switch it up!
Adding the vegetables
We always have bell peppers or sweet baby peppers on hand these days, which is why I decided to include them in this dish.
But if you prefer to keep things a bit simpler, you can omit the peppers and double up on the spinach and mushrooms!
When it comes to the green onions, I personally love the color and flavor they add. However, red onions make a great caramelized addition as well.
Thickening the sauce
You guys. I sort of have a new beverage love, and it is unsweetened cashew milk. I mean, 25 calories per serving, and it makes everything creamy to the max… Hello?! What more could you ask for?
But really, any milk will work if you don’t have cashew on hand! The most similar substitute would be another kind of nut milk, although you may want to consider adding a little more cream cheese or mascarpone to make sure the dish is nice and creamy.
I’ve also tried it with both Greek and regular plain yogurt, and both were fine. Greek definitely bumps up the protein levels!
Storage
For any leftovers, be sure to store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should stay good for 3-4 days.
You may notice that the flavor is even richer the next day. As it sits in the fridge overnight, the sauce has a chance to really meld and deepen, making for a delicious ready-to-go meal later in the week.
So do yourself a favor and MAKE SURE you have leftovers!
More low-carb, high-protein chicken recipes
At Diabetes Strong, we’re all about the healthy, low-carb, high-protein recipes. If you enjoyed this one, be sure to check out a few more of our favorites!
- Stuffed Chicken Breast
- Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken Breast with Cream Cheese
- Mustard Baked Chicken Tenders
You can also browse my roundup of healthy diabetic chicken recipes to find your next favorite recipe!
When you’ve tried this dish, please don’t forget to let me know how you liked it and rate the recipe in the comments below!
Smothered Creamy Skillet Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 lbs. chicken breast
- 8 oz. mushrooms, (chopped)
- 4 cups fresh spinach
- 4 cloves large garlic, (minced)
- 6 green onions (also known as scallions), (chopped)
- 7-8 mini sweet bell peppers, (sliced)
- 2 tsp. parsley, (chopped)
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup unsweetened cashew milk
- 2 tbsp. Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp. mascarpone or cream cheese
- 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
- Salt & pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Add 1 tsp. of olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat.
- Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then add them to the skillet. Sauté for 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and almost cooked through, then set aside.
- In the same hot skillet, add the remaining tsp. olive oil and lower heat.
- Add garlic and allow to cook for about 30 seconds.
- Add green onion and half of the broth. Raise the heat to medium.
- Add mushrooms & peppers, bringing everything to a medium simmer. Cook for 5 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the yogurt, cashew milk, and 1 tsp. parsley, then pour into the skillet.
- Add spinach and stir until combined.
- Allow sauce to bubble lightly with vegetables, lowering heat if needed and stirring occasionally, for 5 more minutes.
- Nestle chicken breasts into the skillet. Add remaining broth and mascarpone or cream cheese, then cook for 5-10 more minutes until chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened.
- Season with salt and pepper, top with remaining parsley, and serve.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Info Per Serving
This recipe sounded amazing, however it did not turn out well despite following it to the T. The chicken was not cooked enough and the sauce was missing a little flavor. I ultimately ended up adding some cheese to help.
Hi Rachel, I am sorry the recipe didn’t turn out well. We have updated the instructions to make it clearer that the last step involves cooking the chicken until it’s fully cooked.
Made this recipe tonight! So great and so flavorful – I put a little extra cayenne pepper 😉 but the chicken was so good mixed in with the cashew milk and chicken broth.. those two go together and you wouldn’t even think it!!! All in all 4 stars 😊
Going to try this out tonight on my picky 11 year old thanks for sharing 😋
Hello. I have an incredibly picky husband with diabetes. He won’t eat spinach or mushrooms. I an work around the ‘shrooms, but the spinach? Also, what do you serve with it to complete the meal?
If that doesn’t work for him you could just pick another of our many recipes: https://diabetesstrong.com/recipes/
If you decide to still make this dish you could complete the meal by adding greens or a carbohydrate on the side
The smothered chic recipe sounds tasty but cooking chic breast in skillet for 5 minutes ? ? ?
I can’t imagine this is true. Explain please
Hi Trish, the chicken breast go in the pan twice so the total cooking time is around 16 minutes. You start by browning them for 3 minutes on each side, then you finish cooking them with the rest of the ingredients until they are done.
The taste was amazing but it was a more like a broth than a cream for me. 🙁 not sure what I did wrong….
I am glad you liked it. If the sauce is too thin when the chicken is done, simply remove the chicken and reduce the sauce for another minute or two. That should do the trick.
Brittany, Your smothered creamy chicken skillet recipe was amazing!!!! Even my picky children loved it!!!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! It was a great hit & we will definitely make again & again!
Sincerely
Mitra
This was amazing and I served with couscous and it was amazing ????
I have almond milk and coconut milk. Which would be best? I’m giving this recipe a spin tonight
I would try almond milk. Coconut milk will probably work too, but I am not sure about how the flavor will match the rest of the ingredients (and I just don’t like the taste that much myself)
Thank u ????
Did you brine the chicken to moisten it?
.
Sometimes, but not always. When you cook it in a skillet like this, it should be very moist even without brining. If you do want to brine it, you can read my guide here: https://diabetesstrong.com/how-to-cook-the-perfect-chicken-breast/
AWESOME!! I made this dish and was super delicious. Thank you for the recipes. Good job.
What did you serve with it?
We typically serve it with rice because they are great at absorbing the sauce.
Cooked this for dinner this evening. Absolutely delicious! A real crowd pleaser, with my 2 children cleaning their plates and looking for me.
Easy to prepare, although it took me somewhat longer than 5 minutes preparation time. We used unsweetened almond milk, as couldn’t find cashew. The sauce was the highlight in my daughter’s opinion.
This will now be a regular.
Many thanks for sharing this.
Hi
I made this for friends and it turned out great. They absolutely loved it and so did my husband. It’s gone in my book of recipes and will do it often. My daughter is a barber and my friends husband went to have his hair cut and she said he was telling everyone about it. Huge compliment to you and me. Thanks so much!