Smothered Chicken with Creamed Spinach, Bacon, and Mushrooms (High-Protein Version)

🍗🥓 Smothered Chicken with Creamed Spinach, Bacon, and Mushrooms (High-Protein Version)

A rich, creamy, and indulgent dish reimagined for high-protein gains — perfect for dinner or meal prep, Abrar.

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🛒 Ingredients (Serves 4)

Chicken

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 150–175g each)

• 1 tsp olive oil

• Salt and black pepper, to taste

• ½ tsp smoked paprika

Creamed Spinach Bacon & Mushrooms

• 100g turkey bacon or center-cut bacon, chopped

• 200g mushrooms, sliced

• 4 cups fresh spinach (or frozen, thawed and drained)

• ½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt

• ½ cup light cream cheese

• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• ½ tsp black pepper

• Optional protein boost: 1 scoop unflavored whey protein (mix into Greek yogurt)

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👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. Cook chicken:

   • Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and paprika.

   • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

   • Sear chicken 5–6 minutes per side until cooked through (internal temp 74°C / 165°F). Remove and keep warm.

2. Cook bacon & mushrooms:

   • In the same skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove and set aside.

   • Add mushrooms and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.

3. Make creamed spinach:

   • Lower heat, add spinach and cook until wilted.

   • Stir in Greek yogurt, cream cheese, Parmesan, garlic, pepper, and whey protein if using. Cook 2–3 minutes until creamy.

   • Fold in cooked bacon and mushrooms.

4. Combine:

   • Return chicken to skillet and spoon creamed spinach mixture over each breast.

   • Simmer 2–3 minutes to heat through.

5. Serve hot, optionally garnish with extra Parmesan or parsley.

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📊 Nutrition (Per Serving – Approx., 4 servings)

• Calories: ~420

• Protein: 45–50g

• Carbs: 8–10g

• Fat: 20g

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💪 High-Protein Tips

• Increase chicken to 200g per breast → 55–60g protein per serving

• Add extra whey protein to creamed spinach

• Fold in extra cottage cheese for creaminess and protein

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🔥 Lower-Carb / Cutting Version

• Keep spinach as base (skip mushrooms if desired)

• Use turkey bacon and nonfat Greek yogurt only

• Limit cream cheese to ¼ cup

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🍽 Serving Ideas

• Serve over cauliflower mash or zucchini noodles for a low-carb plate

• Pair with roasted green vegetables

• Great for meal prep — keeps 3–4 days refrigerated