Why You’ll Love This this Spinach Chicken Rice Florentine
This hearty, one-pot wonder transforms simple ingredients into a restaurant-quality soup that’ll have your family thinking you’ve been hiding culinary secrets.
The tender shredded chicken mingles with creamy rice and fresh spinach, creating that perfect spoon-to-bowl ratio where every bite delivers comfort food bliss.
Plus, with everything cooking in one Dutch oven, you get maximum flavor with minimal cleanup—because who’s time for a sink full of dishes when there’s soup this good waiting to be devoured.
Ingredients List
This delicious soup comes together with just a handful of pantry staples and fresh ingredients that you probably already have on hand.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast half
- 3 medium onions, finely chopped (1 1/2 cups)
- 1 (8 ounce) package fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 1 medium carrot, shredded (1/2 cup)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/3 cup uncooked long grain rice
- 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 (12 ounce) cans fat-free evaporated milk
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 4 cups fresh spinach, packed
- 2 teaspoons lemon peel, finely shredded
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Additional black pepper for serving
Health Considerations:
- The fat-free evaporated milk keeps this soup creamy without the heavy cream calories, making it surprisingly light for such a rich-tasting dish
- Fresh spinach packs this recipe with iron, vitamins, and nutrients that your body will thank you for later
- Using reduced-sodium broth helps control the salt content, though you might want to taste and adjust seasoning at the end
- Lean chicken breast provides plenty of protein without excess fat, perfect for those watching their waistline
Step by Step Directions
Making this creamy Spinach Chicken Rice Florentine is a straightforward one-pot process that builds layers of flavor from the ground up.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium heat.
- Add chicken breast and cook for 12-15 minutes until no longer pink, turning once halfway through.
- Transfer chicken to a plate to cool, then use two forks to shred into coarse pieces.
- Add chopped onions, sliced mushrooms, shredded carrot, and minced garlic to the Dutch oven; cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in uncooked rice and cook for 1 minute more.
- Add chicken broth, water, black pepper, and nutmeg; bring to boiling.
- Reduce heat and simmer covered for 15 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together one can of evaporated milk with flour until smooth.
- Stir the milk-flour mixture into the Dutch oven, then add the remaining can of evaporated milk.
- Cook and stir until the mixture becomes bubbly and thickened.
- Add the shredded chicken and fresh spinach; simmer for 5 minutes.
- Stir in lemon peel and lemon juice.
- Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with additional black pepper if desired.
Having the right professional kitchen equipment makes preparing complex one-pot dishes like this much more efficient and enjoyable.
Substitutions and Variations
- Spice it up – A pinch of red pepper flakes or some fresh thyme can completely change the personality of this dish, because sometimes we all need a little excitement in our soup bowls.
- Make it heartier – Diced potatoes added with the rice will turn this into a proper stick-to-your-ribs meal, perfect for those days when you need food that hugs you from the inside.
- Cheese lovers unite – A handful of grated Parmesan stirred in at the very end adds that umami depth that makes you wonder why you ever ate soup without cheese.
Additional Things to Serve With This Dish
This soup is basically a complete meal on its own, but sometimes you want to turn dinner into a proper feast, and that’s where the right side dishes come swooping in to save the day.
- Crusty bread or dinner rolls – Because to be frank, soup without something to dip and soak up every last drop feels like a missed opportunity, and those buttery carbs are practically begging to meet this creamy goodness.
- Simple green salad – A crisp mix of greens with a light vinaigrette cuts through all that richness beautifully, plus it makes you feel like a responsible adult who eats vegetables.
- Roasted vegetables – Carrots, Brussels sprouts, or green beans roasted until they’re caramelized and slightly crispy add texture contrast that your mouth will thank you for.
- Garlic bread – Sure, it’s basically the same as crusty bread, but garlic makes everything better, and sometimes we need that extra punch of flavor.
- Caesar salad – The tangy, garlicky dressing plays surprisingly well with the creamy, lemony soup, creating one of those unexpectedly perfect flavor combinations.
Cooking Tips & Tricks (Chef’s Notes)
Let me share some game-changing tips that’ll take your soup from good to absolutely divine.
- Don’t rush the chicken shredding – Wait until it’s cool enough to handle comfortably, because burned fingertips make for cranky cooks, and you want those shreds to be perfectly coarse and bite-sized.
- Toast that rice for extra flavor – That one minute of stirring the rice with the vegetables isn’t just busywork, it’s creating nutty depth that transforms the entire soup base.
- Whisk that flour mixture like your life depends on it – Lumpy evaporated milk and flour equals lumpy soup, and nobody wants to fish out flour blobs with their spoon.
- Add spinach in handfuls – Four cups of fresh spinach looks like enough to feed a small army until it hits that hot soup and shrinks down to practically nothing, so don’t panic when it seems like too much.
- Taste and adjust at the end – The lemon juice and pepper can vary wildly depending on your lemons and your taste buds, so start with less and build up to perfection.
- Let it rest for a few minutes before serving – This gives all those flavors time to mingle and get acquainted, plus it prevents you from burning your tongue on molten soup.
Nutritional Facts
This hearty soup delivers impressive nutritional value with lean protein, complex carbohydrates, and plenty of vitamins.
- High in protein – Each serving provides approximately 35-40 grams of complete protein from the chicken breast and evaporated milk, supporting muscle maintenance and keeping you satisfied longer.
- Rich in iron and folate – The fresh spinach contributes significant amounts of these essential nutrients, with iron supporting oxygen transport and folate vital for cell division.
- Excellent source of vitamin A – Carrots and spinach combine to deliver beta-carotene, promoting eye health and immune function.
- Calcium powerhouse – Fat-free evaporated milk provides substantial calcium content, supporting bone health without added saturated fat.
- Low in saturated fat – Using skinless chicken breast and fat-free dairy keeps the saturated fat content minimal while maintaining rich, creamy texture.
- Good source of fiber – The combination of vegetables and rice contributes dietary fiber for digestive health and sustained energy.
- Vitamin C boost – Fresh lemon juice adds immune-supporting vitamin C while enhancing iron absorption from the spinach.
- Approximately 320-350 calories per serving – Makes for a satisfying meal that won’t derail your daily calorie goals.
- Naturally gluten-free option – Simply substitute the flour with cornstarch or gluten-free flour blend for those with dietary restrictions.
Fun “Did You Know?”
Why does this comforting dish carry the elegant name “Florentine”? I’ll share the fascinating story behind it.
The term “Florentine” comes from Florence, Italy, where spinach was first cultivated in Europe during the Renaissance. Catherine de’ Medici, from Florence’s powerful banking family, brought spinach to France when she married King Henry II in 1533.
French chefs began calling any dish with spinach “à la Florentine” to honor her Italian heritage.
