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Chicken Florentine

Chicken Florentine is a restaurant-style Italian-American chicken dinner with golden seared breasts nestled in a pale white wine and cream sauce. The sauce stays silky and elegant with Parmesan, herb flecks, and wilted spinach throughout.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and seasoning
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 0.5 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp pepper to taste
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder to taste
  • 0.5 tsp Italian seasoning to taste
Cream sauce
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 0.5 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 3 cup fresh baby spinach
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 0.25 fresh parsley for garnish
  • 0.25 lemon for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear chicken
  1. Season the boneless skinless chicken breasts generously on both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through to 165°F; remove to a plate.
Build the white wine cream sauce
  1. Add the minced garlic to the same pan and cook for 30 seconds.
  2. Pour in the dry white wine, scraping up browned bits, and simmer for 2 minutes.
  3. Stir in the heavy cream and chicken broth and simmer for 4-5 minutes until slightly thickened.
  4. Stir in the grated Parmesan, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest until the sauce turns smooth and glossy.
  5. Add the fresh baby spinach and stir until wilted and bright green.
Combine and finish
  1. Return the chicken breasts to the pan and spoon the sauce over each one.
  2. Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon, then serve hot over pasta or rice.

Notes

For the best texture, let the seared chicken rest just long enough while you simmer the sauce so it stays juicy when you spoon sauce back over it. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; reheat gently until warmed through (avoid boiling to prevent the cream from breaking). Freezing isn’t recommended because the cream sauce may separate after thawing. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a thinner but still creamy Florentine sauce.