When it comes to weeknight dinners, you want a recipe that comes together quickly and doesn’t require any hard-to-find ingredients. This creamy Tuscan chicken meets those criteria, and will have the whole table raving, too. It’s a flavorful one-pot meal, made by simmering chicken breasts in a creamy Parmesan sauce. Sun-dried tomatoes and basil give the dish some Tuscany-inspired Italian flavors—and as a bonus, you get to pack in some extra greens!
Tuscan Chicken Ingredients
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- Olive oil
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Salt
- Pepper
- All-purpose flour
- Butter
- Onion
- Garlic
- Chicken broth
- Heavy whipping cream
- Grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- Garlic powder
- Fresh baby spinach
- Soft sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
Directions
Step 1: Season the chicken
On a clean cutting board, use a sharp knife to halve the chicken breasts horizontally. This will give you four thin chicken breast halves.
Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in flour, shaking off any excess flour before searing it.
Editor’s Tip: Dredging the chicken in flour is optional, but it will give you nice color and a thicker sauce.
Step 2: Sear the chicken
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Brown the chicken on both sides, then remove it from the pan and set it aside.
Editor’s Tip: Resist the urge to move the chicken around while it’s searing! Once it lifts up easily and it’s browned, flip and sear the other side.For the best sear, make sure your chicken has been out of the fridge for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
Step 3: Make the creamy sauce
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In the same skillet, melt the butter. Add the onion, cooking and stirring until it’s tender, one to two minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute.
Add the broth and bring it to a boil, stirring to loosen the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the cream, 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese and the garlic powder, and cook over medium-low heat until the sauce begins to thicken, about five minutes.
Step 4: Finish and serve the Tuscan chicken
Return the chicken to the pan, then add the spinach, the tomatoes and the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan. Cook everything, covered, until the spinach is wilted and a thermometer inserted into the chicken reads 165°F, about 13 to 15 minutes. Serve while the chicken is still warm.
Tuscan Chicken Variations
- Add extra veggies:Consider adding extra vegetables, like seared mushrooms or fresh tomatoes.
- Mix up the greens:You can always substitute a different leafy green for the spinach, such as kale or chard.
How do you store Tuscan chicken?
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge, and eat them within three to four days. Freezing this dish is technically possible, but it could affect the creamy texture of the sauce. Because of this, we recommend you eat it before you have to freeze it.
Tuscan Chicken Tips
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What do you eat with Tuscan chicken?
This dish pairs well with all the delicious carbohydrate options. Serve it over rice, with any pasta shape or even on mashed potatoes. You can also enjoy it with a green salad or some slices of crusty bread.
Creamy Tuscan Chicken
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, optional
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small onion, halved and sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1/3 cup julienned soft sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
Directions
- In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt and pepper. If desired, dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess. Brown chicken on both sides; remove from pan. In the same skillet, melt butter. Add onion; cook and stir until tender, 1-2 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.
- Add broth; bring to a boil, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Stir in cream, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and garlic powder; cook over medium-low heat until sauce begins to thicken, about 5 minutes.
- Return chicken to pan; add spinach, tomatoes and remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Cook, covered, until spinach is wilted and a thermometer inserted in chicken reads 165°, 13-15 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
1 chicken breast half with 1/2 cup sauce: 591 calories, 41g fat (21g saturated fat), 187mg cholesterol, 857mg sodium, 12g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 2g fiber), 43g protein.
Author
Risa Lichtman
Risa is a recipe developer, food writer, trained chef and activist. When she’s not writing about cooking techniques and creating recipes for Taste of Home, she’s running her food and drink business, spending time with her wife and pets, and running a soup group.
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This creamy, rich chicken dish is special enough to serve to company. Even better, it comes together in only 45 minutes. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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