Description
Creamy Tuscan Chicken is a decadent and flavorful dish featuring seared chicken breasts simmered in a luscious sauce made from heavy cream, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, garlic, and parmesan cheese. This Italian-inspired dinner is easy to prepare, making it perfect for a quick yet elegant meal that satisfies comfort food cravings with a rich, creamy sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 (6-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (or a mix of oregano, thyme, basil, and rosemary)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup finely chopped yellow onion
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream (dairy-free options can be substituted as noted)
- ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Prep the chicken: Season both sides of each chicken breast evenly with Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper to enhance flavor and ensure a tasty crust during searing.
- Sear the chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts and sear for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
- Cook the onions: In the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the finely chopped yellow onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until soft and translucent, creating a flavorful base for the sauce.
- Add garlic and sun-dried tomatoes: Stir in the minced garlic and thinly sliced sun-dried tomatoes and sauté for another minute until fragrant, enhancing the sauce’s depth of flavor.
- Add spinach: Add the baby spinach to the skillet and cook for about 1 minute, just long enough for it to start wilting, which adds freshness and color to the sauce.
- Add cream and parmesan: Pour in the heavy cream and sprinkle in the freshly grated parmesan cheese. Stir gently and bring the mixture to a simmer to thicken the sauce and meld the flavors.
- Simmer with chicken: Return the seared chicken breasts to the skillet, nestling them into the creamy sauce. Let everything simmer together for about 5 minutes until the chicken is heated through and fully coated with the rich Tuscan sauce.
Notes
- This creamy Tuscan chicken recipe is a dinner winner and perfect for a comforting and elegant meal.
- For a dairy-free option, substitute heavy cream with coconut cream or cashew cream and use nutritional yeast instead of parmesan cheese.
- To add more depth, consider adding a splash of white wine or chicken broth before adding the cream.
- Serve this dish with crusty bread or over pasta or mashed potatoes to soak up the delicious sauce.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on stovetop or microwave.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 595 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 896 mg
- Fat: 49 g
- Saturated Fat: 24 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 21 g
- Trans Fat: 0.01 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 179 mg
