I stole this recipe for Creamy Artichoke Chicken from a cookbook called Add A Pinch. Browned chicken and sautéed mushrooms start this entrée. A cream sauce is made with a butter and flour base, with chicken stock and cream cooked until thickened. Chicken and mushrooms are added to the sauce with artichokes and the entrée finishes cooking in the oven. This can be served as is, or over cooked pasta.
March 16th is National Artichoke Heart Day and making Creamy Artichoke Chicken is a great way to celebrate (to see more Food Holidays see the National Food Holidays category or look at the Food Holiday Calendar).
Did you know? The artichoke is an edible thistle that dates back eons and was prized by ancient Romans as a food of the nobility.¹ (see more trivia in the Trivia tab)
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a 12 inch ovenproof skillet over med-high heat, heat 1 ½ tbsp olive oil. Add 6 boneless chicken breasts (I serve this dish over pasta so I cut the chicken bite size) and cook until well browned on both sides, about 8 minutes per side. Transfer to platter.
Using the same skillet set over medium heat, add ½ tbsp olive oil. Add ¼ lb fresh sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring, until browned, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a small bowl.
Next, melt 2 tbsp butter in the same skillet set over medium-high heat. Whisk in 2 tbsp flour until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture begins to bubble, about 5 minutes.
Whisk in 1 cup chicken stock and 1 cup heavy cream.
Reduce the heat to med-low and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce begins to boil and thicken, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 1 tsp stone house seasoning mix. Add the cooked mushrooms, 9 oz frozen artichoke hearts that have been thawed and ½ cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese and stir well.
Nestle the chicken into the sauce and vegetables and spoon the sauce over the chicken. If this won’t fit in the skillet (mine was almost going to overflow) you can transfer this to a casserole dish.
Bake until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear when the chicken is pricked with a knife, about 30 minutes. If serving over pasta, cook pasta while dish is baking.
Serve immediately as is or over cooked pasta.
Creamy Artichoke Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 6 chicken breasts boneless, skinless
- ¼ lb fresh mushrooms sliced
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp stone house seasoning
- 9 oz frozen artichoke hearts thawed, drained and quartered
- ½ cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 F.
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In a 12 inch ovenproof skillet over med-high heat, heat 1 ½ tbsp olive oil. Add chicken breasts and cook until well browned on both sides, about 8 minutes per side. Transfer to platter.
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Using the same skillet set over medium heat, add the remaining ½ tbsp olive oil. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until browned, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a small bowl.
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Next, melt the butter in the same skillet set over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture begins to bubble, about 5 minutes. Whisk in chicken stock and cream. Reduce the heat to med-low and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce begins to boil and thicken, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in seasoning mix. Add the cooked mushrooms, artichoke hearts and Parmesan cheese and stir well. Nestle the chicken into the sauce and vegetables and spoon the sauce over the chicken.
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Bake until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear when the chicken is pricked with a knife, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
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(Stone house seasoning: to make a ½ cup mix together ¼ cup salt + 2 tbsp pepper + 1 tsp garlic powder)
Recipe Notes
I season the chicken and mushrooms when cooking them, instead of waiting and only seasoning the sauce. When serving over pasta, double the sauce ingredients and cut the chicken bite size before cooking.