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Creamy Tuscan Chicken

Creamy Tuscan chicken with golden seared chicken breasts in a silky sun-dried tomato and spinach cream sauce. The sauce simmers until thick and coats the back of a spoon, topped with Parmesan and fresh basil.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 720

Ingredients
  

Chicken and seasoning
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts Pat dry for better browning.
  • salt To taste.
  • pepper To taste.
  • garlic powder To taste.
  • Italian seasoning To taste.
  • smoked paprika To taste.
Tuscan cream sauce
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 garlic Minced.
  • 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.
  • 2 cup fresh baby spinach
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • fresh basil For garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Pat the chicken dry, then season both sides generously with salt, pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika to taste. Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high until shimmering, then place chicken in the pan.
  2. Sear the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer to a plate or rack to rest while you make the sauce.
Build the sun-dried tomato cream sauce
  1. In the same skillet, cook minced garlic over medium-high for 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the drained, sliced sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 1 minute.
  2. Pour in chicken broth and deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits. Stir in heavy cream, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes, then simmer for 4-5 minutes until thickened and glossy.
Finish with spinach and serve
  1. Stir in the baby spinach and cook just until wilted, keeping the sauce creamy and thick. Return the chicken to the pan and spoon the sauce over each breast.
  2. Garnish with fresh basil and serve immediately with any pan sauce remaining.

Notes

For the richest texture, avoid boiling the cream too aggressively; keep it at a gentle simmer until thickened (about 4-5 minutes). Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet or microwave with a splash of broth to loosen the sauce. Freezing is not recommended because cream sauce can split when thawed. Dietary swap: use half-and-half for a lighter sauce, expecting it to be slightly thinner—simmer 1-2 minutes longer to thicken.