This recipe for creamy chicken with red pepper & spinach reminds me a little of Chicken à la King, a retro classic I grew up with but only much better. Red pepper replaces the green pepper, and the flavour marries perfectly with garlic, thyme, and cream. Baby spinach wilts into the sauce to a melting consistency adding a nutritious boost. This dish comes together very easily and bubbles away on the stove while you get busy making the rice. A perfect and easy weeknight supper.

I developed this recipe to pair with the KWV Classic Collection Chardonnay which has recently undergone a stylish packaging update. This elegantly styled Chardonnay shows orange blossom, pineapple, lime, and pear on the nose, and the palate is chalky with hints of citrus followed by a creamy, lingering finish. This easy drinker is delightful on its own or can be paired with seafood, creamy pasta, or chicken dishes. The wine can be cellared for up to 20 months after vintage.

Creamy chicken with red pepper & spinach recipe

Ingredients for creamy chicken with red pepper & spinach

8 – 10 pieces of bone-in chicken. I like thighs here.
A large onion and red pepper were diced.
Fresh thyme pulled off the stalks and crushed garlic bring in the aromatics.
A little flour is used to thicken the sauce slightly.
White wine and strong stock (double the quantity for 1 cup) form the base of the sauce.
A tablespoon of honey or brown sugar gives a slight hint of sweetness.
A cup of cream makes this creamy and delicious.
baby spinach leaves add a delicious nutritious boost.

What to serve this creamy chicken with?

Rice is the best serving suggestion with this and you can see my method below the recipe on how to make perfect fluffy basmati or jasmine rice here.

Add another vegetable of your choice such as green beans, roasted zucchini, or gem squash. This creamy chicken is very sauce so extra crusty bread is lovely to mop up the sauce.

How to make perfectly fluffy basmati rice

This is my tried and tested recipe but does vary slightly from brand to brand

Serves 4

1 1/4 cup basmati rice which you soak in water for 15 – 30 minutes. Then rinse until the water runs clear.

Bring 500ml water and 1 tsp salt to a boil with the lid on. As soon as it starts boiling, added the drained and rinsed rice. Put the lid back on and set a timer for 5 minutes. Do not open the lid. Boil over medium heat for 5 minutes then turn off the heat. Do not open the lid.

Allow the rice to absorb for 20 – 25 minutes then open the lid, add butter (as much as you dare) and fluff up with a fork.

*If for some reason there is still some water in the pot that hasn’t been absorbed, then fluff up over low heat to allow this to steam off.

A few chicken recipes you might also like:

Creamy chicken with braised leeks & carrots

The viral Marry Me chicken in an Instant Pot

Creamy chicken with sundried tomatoes & mushrooms

Creamy chicken & mushrooms

Creamy chicken with ravioli & spinach

Chicken Marbella

How to make this low-carb:

Leave out the flour and the honey to make this creamy chicken dish low-carb. It won’t be quite as thick but it will still be delicious.

Recipe – serves 4

Prep Time:15

Cook Time:35

Ingredients

8-10 pieces of free-range chicken thighs bone-in & skin on
2 – 3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
1 large onion finely chopped
1 large red pepper diced
2 tsp thyme leaves shredded off stalks and lightly chopped
2 cloves garlic crushed
2 Tbsp flour
250 ml 1 cup dry white wine
250 ml 1 cup strong chicken stock 2 stock sachets
1 Tbsp honey or brown sugar
250 ml 1 cup cream
1 tsp finely chopped parsley
1 x 200gm packet of baby spinach leaves

Instructions

Lightly coat the chicken pieces in olive oil and season well with salt and pepper.
Place the chicken pieces skin-side down in a large 30cm casserole or skillet. Bring to medium heat and allow the skin to brown. The chicken will be ready to turn when the skin is sufficiently browned otherwise it will stick. Brown the other side and then set the pieces aside.
Add the butter to the pan and fry the onions for about 3 minutes until starting to soften. Add the red pepper and thyme and continue to cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute or so. Sprinkle over. The flour and toss with the vegetables to thicken to a paste (about a minute). Add the wine and allow that to bubble for about 2 minutes until most of the liquid has evapourated, then add the stock. Cook for about 2 – 3 minutes further. Add the sugar and the cream and cook for another minute or so.
Put the chicken pieces back into the sauce and allow to bubble on the stovetop either with a lid on or off over low heat for 25 minutes.
Remove the chicken pieces and set them aside on a plate or tray. Add the spinach to the sauce and stir s that it wilts completely into the sauce. Putting a lid on helps with this. Once the spinach is totally wilted in, add the chicken pieces back in and warm through over low heat for a few minutes.