Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken (Printable)
Tender chicken cooked in a rich garlic cream sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach.
# What You'll Need:
→ Poultry
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 1.2 lbs)
→ Seasonings
02 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
05 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika
→ For Searing
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
→ Sauce
08 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 cup heavy cream
10 - 1/2 cup chicken broth
11 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 - 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced (drained if packed in oil)
13 - 3 cups fresh baby spinach
→ Garnish (optional)
14 - Fresh basil leaves
15 - Extra Parmesan cheese
# Directions:
01 - Pat chicken breasts dry and season both sides with Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and paprika.
02 - Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; sear chicken breasts for 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove and cover to keep warm.
03 - Reduce heat to medium in the same skillet; add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth, stirring to deglaze the pan; bring to a gentle simmer.
05 - Stir in Parmesan cheese and sun-dried tomatoes; simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
06 - Stir in fresh spinach and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until wilted.
07 - Return chicken breasts to the skillet, spoon sauce over the top, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to heat thoroughly.
08 - Plate the chicken topped with sauce and garnish with fresh basil leaves and extra Parmesan cheese if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Four ingredients in the sauce, thirty minutes on the clock, and you're eating like you just left a trattoria in Florence.
- The spinach wilts right into the cream, so there's no extra step or fussy plating.
- Restaurant-quality food that your weeknight self can actually pull off without stress.
02 -
- If your cream breaks or separates, you've gone too high with the heat—stay medium or medium-low once the dairy is in, and everything stays silky.
- The chicken continues cooking even after you transfer it, so pull it out when it's just cooked through, not when you think it's perfect.
03 -
- Make the pan and fat really hot before the chicken goes in—this is where the difference between good and great lives.
- Don't skip patting the chicken dry; it's the one step that determines whether you get a sear or a steam.