You’re in a hurry. You’re hungry. And you also want something more than a quick microwaved frozen dinner. 20-Minute Spinach Chicken Parm to the rescue!
I know it might sound like a dream, and in some ways it is, but I assure you this 20-Minute Spinach Chicken Parm recipe is the real thing. I love Chicken Parm, but I don’t make it that often because it can be labor intensive and time intensive. But this recipe cuts your time down significantly. In fact, there are quite a few recipes out there that take more than three times as long to make. Some of those are perfectly fine recipes. I’ve made and enjoyed them. Time, however, is not always on my side.
That’s the beauty of this recipe, though. You get a delicious, heart warming (and home warming!) meal, and you can have it on the table in under 30 minutes! Why so quick? The secret here is that we’re taking advantage of pre-made marinara sauce. You can buy a jar at the store or make your own. In either case, having some sauce on hand cuts down a lot on the time it takes to make this dish.
The other secret to this? Fresh spinach. Adding spinach to this tried-and-true recipe is the way to go. Lightly breaded chicken breasts on top of spinach and covered with your favorite marinara with melted mozzarella makes for a flavorful and quick dinner. What’s better than that?
Serve this 20-Minute Spinach Chicken Parm with a nice red wine and some candlelight and you just might feel like you’re out for a night on the town.
Print20-Minute Spinach Chicken Parm
You don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen for a good meal. This 20-Minute Spinach Chicken Parm hits all the high notes.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Entrées
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 4 slices
Instructions
- In a shallow dish, whisk the egg with 2 tablespoons water.
- Combine the panko and Parmesan cheese in a small bowl.
- Lightly season the chicken with salt and pepper and place into the dish with the egg mixture. Turn to coat evenly.
- Coat the chicken with the panko mixture, pressing gently to adhere.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add 2 chicken pieces to the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. Wipe the pan clean and repeat with the remaining oil and chicken.
- Remove the chicken from the skillet and pour half of the pasta sauce into the bottom of the skillet.
- Place the baby spinach in 4 piles around the pan. Gently lay one piece of chicken on top of each pile.
- Evenly top each piece of chicken with the remaining sauce and mozzarella slices.
- Heat under the broiler for 2 to 4 minutes until the cheese just melts and begins to brown.
- Serve immediately.
Have you tried this 20-Minute Spinach Chicken Parm recipe? Do you prefer to buy marinara sauce at the store or do you make your own ahead of time? Let us know in the comments how you like to make and serve this dish!