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Creamy Tuscan Chicken

Creamy Tuscan chicken with golden-seared breasts and a silky sun-dried tomato and spinach cream sauce that coats the back of a spoon. Italian chicken skillet dinner with simmered Parmesan cream, wilted baby spinach, and fresh basil on top.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Seasonings and spices
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp pepper to taste
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder to taste
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning to taste and 1 tsp for sauce
  • 0.25 tsp smoked paprika to taste
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning for the sauce
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
Pan base and aromatics
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 garlic minced
Tomato and dairy sauce
  • 0.5 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil drained and sliced
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese grated
Greens and garnish
  • 2 cup fresh baby spinach
  • 0.25 fresh basil for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken breasts generously with salt, pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and place the chicken in the pan.
  2. Sear until golden, about 5-6 minutes per side, turning once for even browning. Cook to an internal temperature of 165°F, then remove the chicken to a plate.
Build the Tuscan cream sauce
  1. In the same pan, cook the minced garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant, keeping it from browning. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 1 minute.
  2. Pour in the chicken broth and deglaze, scraping up the browned bits from the pan. Stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes.
  3. Simmer the sauce until thickened, 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally so it turns glossy. Look for a coating texture when you draw a spoon through the sauce.
Finish and serve
  1. Stir in the baby spinach until wilted, then let it settle into the sauce for about 30 seconds. Return the chicken breasts to the pan.
  2. Spoon the sauce over each breast so the tops are glossy and coated. Garnish with fresh basil and serve right away.

Notes

For restaurant-style texture, simmer just until thickened—if the sauce reduces too far, add a splash of chicken broth to loosen it. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet over low heat until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because the cream sauce can separate. If you want a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a thinner, still flavorful sauce.