Creamy Tuscan Chicken Dish (Printable)

Tender chicken in creamy garlic sauce with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Sauce

06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and sliced
08 - 1 cup heavy cream
09 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
11 - 3 cups fresh baby spinach
12 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
13 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

→ Garnish

14 - Fresh basil leaves
15 - Extra Parmesan cheese

# Steps:

01 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season both sides evenly with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and sear for 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a clean plate.
03 - In the same skillet, add minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the pan bottom.
05 - Add Parmesan cheese, dried basil, and red pepper flakes. Stir continuously until cheese melts and sauce thickens, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
06 - Add fresh baby spinach to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until completely wilted, about 2 minutes.
07 - Return seared chicken breasts to the skillet, spoon sauce generously over top, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to heat through.
08 - Transfer to serving plates and garnish with fresh basil leaves and additional Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen when you actually spent less time than it takes to order takeout.
  • One pan means one thing to clean, which might be the most underrated benefit of any recipe.
  • The sauce is so creamy and garlicky that even people who claim they don't like cooking will ask to make it again.
02 -
  • Don't skip patting the chicken dry—it's the difference between golden-brown and pale and sad, and I learned this the hard way by being impatient.
  • The sauce will seem thin when you first pour in the cream, but it thickens as you stir in the Parmesan and as it simmers, so trust the process.
  • If your chicken breasts are very thick, pound them to an even thickness first so they cook through in the same time without drying out.
03 -
  • If you're cooking for someone with dairy concerns, this doesn't work as-is, but a silky cashew cream can mimic the texture beautifully with a different flavor profile.
  • Buy your sun-dried tomatoes from the bulk section if your market has it—they're fresher and less expensive than jarred versions, and you control how much oil they sit in.
  • Cook your chicken to 165°F internally for safety, but don't overcook it by more than a few degrees or it'll be dry by the time you finish the sauce.
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