Tuscan Chicken is an easy recipe made with pantry ingredients and restaurant-style results! Seasoned tender chicken cutlets are smothered in a rich and flavorful creamy parmesan sauce loaded with sun-dried tomatoes and fresh spinach that’s ready in less than 30-minutes.
Looking for more chicken recipes to try? Be sure to make these crispy baked chicken wings, these easy sheet pan chicken thighs, or this popular mayo parmesan chicken.
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Creamy Tuscan Chicken Recipe
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more flavorful chicken recipe than this one! I like to make it when I want something as equally impressive as it is easy to make and, of course, it has to be mouthwatering. This one fits the bill and then some!
This recipe for Tuscan chicken is perfect for a simple weeknight dinner for the family and can easily be served to dinner guests as well.
It’s made with chicken cutlets that are pan-seared until golden and then smothered and simmered in a beautifully smooth and luscious garlic-infused cream sauce with plenty of sun-dried tomatoes and spinach.
This savory, garlicky, and creamy Tuscan chicken sauce is what elevates this Italian-inspired recipe to new heights.
You’re going to want to serve it with bread because you won’t want to waste a drop of it!
Ingredients/shopping list
Just a few simple ingredients come together to deliver such complex flavors.
- Chicken Breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are cut in half crosswise to make larger breasts thinner, but you can also pound them with a meat mallet to even out the thickness. You can also use boneless chicken thighs if you’d like.
- Salt & Pepper: To season the meat just before adding the flour coating.
- Flour: Dredging the cutlets in flour will help to absorb the moisture and give them a nice golden brown crust. Once the breasts are put back in the sauce to simmer, the flour also helps to thicken the sauce.
- Olive Oil: Used to sauté the cutlets first and then the aromatics for the sauce.
- Red Onions & Garlic: As mentioned, Tuscan chicken has layers of deliciousness and it all starts with sautéd garlic and onion.
- Sun-dried Tomatoes: If using the ones packed in oil, wipe any excess with a paper towel. Some oil residue is fine, you just don’t want too much. Once in the sauce, these dried tomatoes will rehydrate and become nice and soft without losing that intense flavor.
- Baby Spinach: It looks like you’re using a lot of spinach, but it wilts quickly and cooks down a lot. This adds a pop of green to the dish, loads of nutrients, and added taste that pairs so well with the tomatoes.
- Parmesan Cheese: Gives the cream sauce a sharp, rich, and briny flavor. Use freshly shaved or grated from a block if you are able. It tastes much fresher that way.
- Heavy Cream: This is what makes the sauce as rich and creamy as it is. Heavy cream has the right amount of fat needed for the right consistency.
- Fresh Basil: or other fresh herbs. Added as a garnish just before serving.
Variations/ Substitutions
There are so many versions of Tuscan chicken that it’s easy to get creative with yours. Here are just a few ways you can add in, omit, or swap certain ingredients:
1. Shred or dice the cooked chicken before adding it back into the sauce.
2. If you’re short on time, use pre-cooked, shredded chicken. Add into the skillet after sautéing the sundried tomatoes.
3. For a lighter sauce, use half and half or plain Greek yogurt or coconut cream instead of the heavy cream.
4. You can also add a little white wine or chicken stock to the sauce to not only help thin it out but give it extra flavor too.
5. To sauté the chicken and aromatics, feel free to add a little melted butter along with the oil. The buttery flavor is just another way to enhance the taste!
6. Like a bit of spice? Sprinkle in some red pepper flakes.
7. Not a fan of sun dried tomatoes? Try using red bell pepper or roasted red peppers instead. You can also choose to use fresh cherry tomatoes if preferred.
8. Toss in some add-ins like sliced fresh mushrooms, olives, or capers.
9. Use a different protein. Swap the chicken for shrimp, scallops, or salmon.
What to Serve with this Creamy Chicken Recipe
It’s great over your favorite pasta or rice but also over mashed potatoes. You could keep it low carb and do garlic mashed cauliflower or cauliflower rice and a simple strawberry spinach side salad or kale salad. Steamed or roasted veggies on the side are always a good idea and last but not least a basket of homemade sourdough bread to scoop up that Tuscan chicken sauce!
How to Make Creamy Tuscan Chicken
It’s easier than you think to make a delicious restaurant quality chicken dish as flavorful as this one. It’ll soon become part of your weekly dinner rotation!
Step 1: Place the flour on a plate, in a bowl, or baggie. Add seasoned chicken breast to flour and toss to make sure all pieces of chicken breast are evenly coated.
Step 2: Heat oil over medium heat and add the chicken to the large skillet to cook for 5 minutes on both sides until golden brown. Work in batches if necessary, so you’re not overcrowding the pan. Set cooked chicken aside.
Step 3: In the same skillet, add the remaining oil and sauté the onions for 2-3 minutes on medium-high heat until they are translucent and soft. Then, add the sun-dried tomatoes and garlic to cook for another 1-2 minutes.
Step 4: Next, add the spinach and stir just until it is wilted.
Step 5: Pour in the heavy cream, some of the parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper.
Keep it on low heat for a couple of minutes until the sauce thickens and then place the chicken back in the skillet to cook for 2-3 minutes on low heat.
Step 6: Top with fresh basil and serve over white rice or penne pasta. Enjoy!
Tips
- If you need to pound your chicken to get it an even thickness, I recommend doing this by placing the breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap. This helps to prevent raw chicken splatter.
- Once you slice your chicken breasts in half, you’ll end up with more pieces. It’s, for this reason, you may need to work in batches. Overcrowding the pan won’t allow for all sides to cook or brown evenly.
- Add oil in between batches so nothing burns. For extra flavor, you can also use the oil that comes from the jar of sundried tomatoes.
- Grating your own Parmesan will give you a smoother sauce because it will melt easier. The pre-shredded stuff might leave you with a grittier consistency.
- Use gluten-free flour if desired.
FAQ’s
Keep any leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To reheat, you can use either the microwave or place it back in a skillet to heat through. If the sauce has thickened too much, splash a little chicken broth, water, or extra cream in there to loosen it up.
Technically you can, although freezing cream is sometimes a risk. Once thawed the consistency changes and can sometimes be hard to get back. You may need to splash a little chicken broth or cream to help get it back to its original textures.
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Tuscan Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts boneless skinless
- Salt and pepper
- ½ cup flour
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup sun dried tomatoes sliced
- 4 ½ cups baby spinach
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup fresh basil sliced
Instructions
- Place the flour on a plate or in a baggie.½ cup flour
- Cut the chicken in half lengthwise so it is thin and sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides then coat both sides in flour. (You can also pound the chicken with a mallet for more even pieces. I like to place the chicken in between plastic wrap when pounding to prevent splatters. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after handling raw chicken).2 chicken breasts, Salt and pepper
- In a large skillet, add 2 tablespoons of oil and heat over medium heat.3 tablespoons olive oil
- Add the flour coated chicken and cook for 5 minutes on both sides until golden brown. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the pan and place it on a plate. (Cook in batches if necessary and add more oil between batches).
- In the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of oil and onions sauté for 2-3 minutes on medium-high heat until they are translucent and soft.1 medium onion
- Then add the sliced sun-dried tomatoes and garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes.½ cup sun dried tomatoes, 4 cloves garlic
- Next, add the spinach and stir just until it is wilted.4 ½ cups baby spinach
- Add in the heavy cream and ½ cup of parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and season with salt and pepper and heat over medium low for 2 minutes until the sauce thickens.1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 cup parmesan cheese, 1 cup heavy cream
- Place the cooked chicken back in the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes on low heat.
- Top with fresh, chopped basil. Serve over your favorite pasta or rice with a side of crusty bread or salad .⅓ cup fresh basil
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclosure
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.
Rob Grobe
Mmmmmmmm Tuscan Chicken ,cant wait!! Thank You!
Sherri
You’re so welcome!