You might be wondering just what Tuscan chicken is and if you’ll find this in Tuscany. This is an Americanized version of Italian food that has become a mainstream comfort food classic thanks to its tasty sun-dried tomato flavored sauce. If you’re looking for some other weeknight dinners, you should try my Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs, Penne Alla Vodka recipe, or my chicken shawarma recipe.
What You Need to Make this Recipe
Chicken breasts – I like to pound them slightly so they are an even thickness but not too thin. Pounding them also tenderizes the meat and makes them extra juicy and delicious. You can use skinless chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken breasts. All-purpose flour – when you dredge the chicken in the flour before searing, it helps give the breasts a nice golden crust. The crust helps give the sauce something to cling onto when serving. Baby spinach – while you can use regular spinach, baby spinach is ideal since they’re the perfect size to get a bite of everything when enjoying your meal. Baby spinach is also more tender than regular spinach. Sun-dried tomatoes – I like to use sun-dried tomatoes that come in a jar and are packed in oil. If you cannot find the tomatoes in a jar, you can swap for the dried version. Chicken stock – the stock along with the cream helps make the creamy and flavorful sauce. Make sure to use low sodium stock so you can control how salty the sauce tastes!
How to Make Creamy Tuscan Chicken
Pound the breasts, season with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour.
Cook the breasts for about 4 minutes on each side. Set aside.
Add the remaining butter, minced garlic and 1 1/2 tablespoon of flour to your pan and cook while whisking constantly for about 45 seconds, then stir in the stock and oregano. You could also add some halved cherry tomatoes with the garlic if desired.
Cook until reduced then add the parmesan cheese, and cream, stirring until incorporated.
Add the sun-dried tomatoes and spinach, simmering until wilted.
Return chicken to the pan then spoon sauce over top and serve.
Pro Tips for Making this Recipe
If your chicken breasts were frozen beforehand, make sure they’re fully thawed and that you pat them dry of any moisture. The flour will stick much better to your breasts. If you’d like for this recipe to be gluten-free, you can swap the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free version. I highly recommend using fresh garlic but if you’re all out, you can add garlic powder to the stock and oregano. A clove of garlic is around ½ teaspoon of garlic powder. You can even add Italian seasoning if you’d like. The sauce is super rich thanks to the heavy cream and parmesan cheese. If you want to make the sauce a tad bit lighter, you can swap the heavy cream for a half and half cream or a lower fat content cream. Butter adds a ton of flavor so try not to skip it, you can use olive oil if you need to. You can add some heat to this with the addition of some red chili flakes or red pepper flakes. You can easily modify it to become creamy tuscan chicken pasta!
What else can I add to this?
While the recipe as-is is perfect on its own, you can also add vegetables such as kale, peas, asparagus, mushrooms, artichokes, and bell peppers to make this more filling. You can also add some cooked pasta and toss it in the sauce before serving.
What can I serve with this?
As Tuscan chicken is a saucy recipe, you could serve with a side of mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, salad (like this Tuscan Panzanella Salad), or rice. Alternatively, you can serve the meal up with some crusty baguettes or dinner rolls to soak up all of the delicious creamy sauce.
What pan should I use?
You want to use a large pan so nothing overflows. You can use anything from stainless steel, cast iron, or non-stick. Take your pick!
How do I store leftovers?
Once the leftovers have cooled to room temperature, transfer the meal to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. When reheating, I like to reheat on the stovetop so I can stir the sauce to prevent it from separating. If you love this recipe try these out!Chicken FlorentineChicken MarsalaChicken ParmesanChicken TetrazziniChicken Piccata If you’ve tried this Creamy Tuscan Chicken Recipe then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
