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Chicken Florentine

Chicken Florentine is a restaurant-style chicken with spinach cream sauce—golden seared chicken breasts simmered in a silky white wine and cream base with wilted baby spinach and visible Parmesan flecks. Finished with bright lemon zest and juice, it’s an elegant weeknight dinner that looks as good as it tastes.
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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
  

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

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season the chicken
  1. Season the chicken breasts generously on both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.
Sear the chicken
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then sear chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through to 165°F; remove and set aside.
Build the cream sauce
  1. In the same pan, cook the minced garlic for 30 seconds, then deglaze with the dry white wine and simmer for 2 minutes.
  2. Add the heavy cream and chicken broth, then simmer for 4-5 minutes until slightly thickened.
Finish with spinach and lemon
  1. Stir in the Parmesan, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest until the sauce looks smooth and flecked.
  2. Add the baby spinach and stir until wilted.
Serve
  1. Return the chicken to the pan and spoon the sauce over each breast.
  2. Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon, then serve over pasta or rice.

Notes

Pro tip: simmer the sauce just until slightly thickened so it stays silky when spooned over the chicken. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; rewarm gently in a skillet over low heat to prevent the cream from breaking. Freezing isn’t recommended because spinach and cream can turn grainy after thawing. For a lighter version, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream (the sauce will be thinner).