What I love about Baked Boursin Chicken with Spinach and Tomatoes
This baked Chicken with Boursin cheese is a new family favourite of ours! Not only is it gluten-free, grain-free, high in protein and low in carbs… but it has a creamy Boursin cheese and tomato sauce that is absolutely delicious! This dish is hearty and healthy while not compromising on flavour at all! The herb cream sauce is full of roasted tomatoes, spinach, shallots, and garlic. It is the most perfect pairing for these juicy and tender chicken breasts.
You only need one oven-safe skillet for this recipe which means very minimal clean-up! After cooking, the baked chicken with Boursin cheese looks pretty enough to take right to the table for serving too. Garnish with a little fresh, chopped parsley and you will definitely wow your family or your guests!
What’s another bonus? You only need 6 ingredients for this recipe! They are all very common ingredients that you probably already have in your fridge. The combination of these 6 simple ingredients makes the most delicious dish. It is perfect for both a family weeknight dinner or for entertaining. If you’re looking for another one-pot chicken dish to wow your guests with, take a look at my recipe for Chicken Parmigiana with Burrata and Honey which is also a fan favourite! Or maybe Caprese Peach and Pesto Chicken for a summer-inspired twist.
Recipe Notes
A few things to keep in mind:
- Chicken – Ideally, you want to use boneless, skin-on chicken breasts for this recipe. I love having the skin on because it gets really crispy when it is initially seared in the pan. It adds good flavour and it looks nice too. You can, of course, use regular boneless, skinless chicken breasts as well if that is all that you have.
- Tomatoes – You will be using mini tomatoes for this recipe. Either grape or cherry tomatoes would work well.
- Shallots – I love shallots and they are commonly used in Italian-style dishes like this one. They have a more mild and sweeter flavour than typical onions. You can also use very thinly sliced white or yellow onions.
- Boursin cheese – Most of us know what Boursin cheese is. It makes an appearance more so during the holidays or in the summer months. It’s a soft, delicate and spreadable cheese that is typically put on top of crackers or on cheese boards. We are using the “garlic and herbs” variety for this recipe. You can find it in the specialty cheese section at the grocery store.
FAQ:
Yes! While skin-on yields a crispier sear and added flavour, boneless, skinless chicken breasts work just fine too. You can sear it the same way.
No problem! Simply sear the chicken on the stove top and then layer the spinach, shallots, garlic, tomatoes and chicken in a baking dish. Drizzle everything with olive oil and bake as directed.
Yes, you can use boneless, chicken thighs in place of boneless, skinless breasts if that’s what you have. Simply sear and bake them the same as directed.
I would only use frozen spinach if it is pre-thawed and squeezed. Otherwise, there will be too much water released while cooking in the oven and the shallots, garlic and tomatoes won’t caramelize.
Yes! Boursin actually has a vegan herbs and garlic “cheese” that can be used interchangeably with regular Boursin herbs and garlic cheese. Though, the overall flavour and texture will not be exactly the same.
I love to pair it with gluten-free pasta and a caesar salad for a more hearty meal. Or, keep it keto/low-carb and serve it just with a salad!
Baked Boursin Chicken with Spinach and Tomatoes
Equipment
- 1 Oven-safe skillet
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless organic chicken breasts
- avocado oil for cooking
- 4 cups fresh organic baby spinach leaves packed
- 3 cups grape or cherry tomatoes
- 3 medium-sized shallots sliced
- 4 cloves garlic smashed
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 150 grams "Herbs and Garlic" Boursin cheese
- 2 teaspoons sea salt divided
- 1 teaspoon black pepper divided
- fresh parsley chopped, for garnishing (optional)
Instructions
- Pat the chicken breasts dry and season them with salt and pepper on each side. Heat a large cast iron pan or oven-safe skillet over high heat and drizzle with avocado oil. Once hot, add the chicken breasts skin-side down and sear 1-2 minutes or until golden. Repeat on the other side. Remove chicken breasts to a plate.
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- To the same skillet, add the spinach on the bottom followed by the cherry tomatoes, shallots and garlic cloves.
- Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and season them with salt and pepper. Nestle the chicken breasts on top of the vegetables and bake for 22-23 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165F. Remove the chicken breasts to a wooden cutting board to rest.
- Add the Boursin cheese to the centre of the baking dish and return to the oven for another 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and burst the rest of the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon. Mix in the Boursin cheese until a creamy, thickened sauce forms.
- Slice the chicken breasts and return them to the pan with the sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve!
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