Impress your dinner guests with this simple and flavorful creamy Tuscan chicken dish. With just a few ingredients and minimal prep time, it’s the perfect meal for busy weeknights yet elegant enough for company. This quick and easy family dish is perfect for the novice cook or busy Mom.
What is Tuscan Chicken
Creamy Tuscan Chicken combines golden brown chicken breasts, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes in an Italian seasoned rich and creamy garlic Parmesan Cheese sauce. We like to serve it with Oven Roasted Asparagus, Sautéed Green Beans, or Green Bean Bacon Bundles.
One can never have too many good chicken recipes. It is just a fact of life. Chicken is incredibly versatile and reasonably priced compared to beef or seafood. We served this for a small dinner party not too long ago and got rave reviews. If you love this recipe, try my Italian chicken, chicken a la king, chicken gnocchi soup, and chicken cordon bleu.
Ingredients for Tuscan Chicken
For this recipe, you will need chicken breasts, olive oil, garlic, onion, sundried tomatoes, dried oregano, dried parsley, dried basil, dried marjoram, red pepper flakes, chicken broth, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, baby spinach, and fresh herbs like thyme and basil for garnish if desired.
How do you make Creamy Tuscan Chicken?
First, add a little olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Generously salt and pepper the chicken breast. Add the chicken breasts and cook until both sides are browned and the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken breasts from the skillet and plate them. Cover them with foil to keep warm.
Now, reduce the heat to medium-low and add a little more olive oil and butter. Add the onions and cook until soft. Then add the sundried tomatoes and cook for 1 minute. Add the minced garlic, dried oregano, parsley, basil, marjoram, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute while stirring constantly. Add the chicken broth and heavy cream. Simmer for about 5 minutes while you grate the Parmesan Cheese. Slowly stir in the Parmesan Cheese until thoroughly melted. Add the spinach and cook until the spinach begins to wilt. Add the chicken back to the pan and spoon the warm sauce over the chicken. Simmer until the chicken warms. Serve over rice, pasta, or Zucchini Noodles. If desired, top with chopped fresh parsley or basil.
Recipe Tips
- Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise, giving you four thinner chicken breasts that will cook through quickly. Some chicken breasts these days are so huge. Or pound the chicken breast thinner using a meat mallet.
- Use baby spinach as it is more tender and milder than its older sister.
- You can use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes or dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes. If you use dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes, hydrate them for a little while in warm water until they plump up before starting the recipe.
- This recipe calls for heavy cream. Trying to deviate from that with milk or half and half will not produce the thick, creamy sauce that makes this recipe exceptionally delicious.
- This recipe is best served promptly; however, if there is a delay and the sauce thickens too much, add one to two tablespoons of chicken broth to thin it out.
What to serve with Tuscan Chicken
Storage and Reheat
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power or over low heat on the stovetop.
To freeze, cool to room temperature, then spoon into a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat on the stovetop over low heat with a splash or two of heavy cream to reunify the sauce.
Creamy Tuscan Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise to make 4 thinner breasts
- 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 yellow onion finely diced
- 2/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/8 teaspoon dried basil
- 2 pinches dried marjoram
- 2-3 pinches red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
- 2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 cups baby spinach
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Generously salt and pepper the chicken breasts. Add the chicken breasts; cook until browned on both sides and cooked through. Remove to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the remaining olive oil and butter to the skillet. Add the onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir several times. Add the sundried tomatoes and cook for 1 minute while stirring. Add the garlic, oregano, parsley, basil, marjoram, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute while stirring.
- Add the chicken broth and cream; stir to combine. Simmer for 5 minutes. Slowly stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, approximately 2-3 minutes. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Add the chicken back to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve promptly, spooning the sauce over the chicken. If desired, serve over pasta or rice.
Notes
- Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise, giving you four thinner chicken breasts that will cook through easily. Some chicken breasts these days are so huge. Or pound the chicken breast thinner using a meat mallet.
- Use baby spinach as it is more tender and milder than its older sister.
- You can use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes or dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes. If you are using dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes, hydrate them for a little while in some warm water until they plump up before starting the recipe.
- This recipe calls for heavy cream. Trying to deviate from that with milk or half and half will not produce the kind of thick creamy sauce that makes this recipe insanely delicious.
- This recipe is best served promptly; however, if there is a delay and the sauce thickens too much, add one to two tablespoons of chicken broth to thin it out.
Nutrition
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Bailey
Wow! This was such a fantastic meal!! My family loved it very much!! Its definitely going on our weekly rotation!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Bailey! So glad that you like it.
Kamilia
This was an easy yet fancy meal that I will be making again and again! The chicken was tender and the sauce was so flavorful. I just love chicken recipes with sun-dried tomatoes!
Erica
Such an incredible dinner! I made this and everyone loved how creamy and flavorful it was. it was so easy to make and pretty enough for company!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Erica! I am glad that you liked it!
Sandra Z
I love everything about this meal! The creamy sauce is phenomenal! So delicious served over white rice.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Sandra!
Gina D
We love this recipe – it is a part of our regular dinner rotation.
Katy B
Genuinely delicious, not disappointed One bit with this one!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Katy! So glad that you liked the Tuscan Chicken.
AMac
I didn’t have any marjoram so I put a pinch of thyme in instead and served it with steamed asparagus and pappardelle pasta. So simple and tasty. There are no leftovers
Beth Pierce
Fantastic! So happy that you liked it!
Victoria
I love one skillet meals like this! Great flavor profile too. I would definitely love this for dinner tonight 😀
Dannii
That looks so creamy and delicious. Total comfort food!
Jenn
I licked the plate clean. This was an amazing dish that’s since become a regular on our table!
Tonje
This looks absolutely delicious. Such a lovely flavour combination!
Kelly Anthony
This one-skillet creamy Tuscan chicken recipe is sure to impress any dinner guest.
Jacque Hooper
I know what I will be having for dinner tonight! This looks so creamy and robust! Delish!
Andrea Metlika
This makes such an elegant dinner. Would fresh herbs give you the same taste?
Noelle
This is one of my favorite chicken recipes! So happy I decided to make this, flavors are to die for
Veena Azmanov
This is surely a party option. Creamy and delicious and surely yum too.