Description
This Creamy Tuscan Chicken brings restaurant-style elegance straight to your dinner table with minimal effort. Tender, golden-seared chicken breasts are nestled in a luxurious garlic-Parmesan cream sauce studded with sun-dried tomatoes and baby spinach. Ready in about 30 minutes, it’s a comforting, crowd-pleasing one-pan dish perfect for busy weeknights or cozy date nights at home.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (drained if oil-packed)
- 2 cups fresh spinach (lightly packed)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides with Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken breasts in a single layer.
- Cook for 6–7 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature 165°F / 74°C). Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
- Reduce the heat to medium. In the same skillet, add the minced garlic and sauté for about 30–60 seconds, just until fragrant, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn.
- Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Let it simmer for 1–2 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Stir in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer (do not boil hard).
- Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and simmer for 2–3 minutes to soften and infuse the sauce with flavor.
- Add the fresh spinach and cook, stirring, until just wilted, 1–2 minutes.
- Sprinkle in the grated Parmesan cheese and stir until completely melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Return the chicken breasts (and any accumulated juices) to the skillet, nestling them into the sauce.
- Spoon the creamy Tuscan sauce over the chicken and let everything simmer together for 2–3 minutes, just to heat through and thicken slightly.
- Remove from heat, garnish with fresh basil, and serve hot with extra sauce spooned over each piece of chicken.
Notes
- If your chicken breasts are very thick, slice them horizontally into cutlets so they cook evenly and stay tender.
- For a thinner sauce, add a splash more chicken broth; for a thicker sauce, let it simmer a few extra minutes or add 1–2 tablespoons of additional Parmesan.
- Sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil add extra richness; just drain well before chopping to avoid an overly oily sauce.
- This dish thickens as it cools. If reheating, loosen with a spoonful of cream, milk, or broth over low heat.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop, One-Pan
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with sauce (1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 31 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 170 mg
Keywords: creamy tuscan chicken, sun-dried tomato chicken, skillet chicken, weeknight dinner, one pan chicken, parmesan cream sauce