Creamy Tuscan Chicken Dish (Printable Version)

Tender chicken combined with sun-dried tomatoes, creamy sauce, spinach, and aromatic Italian herbs.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.3 to 1.5 lbs)
02 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
05 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

→ Creamy Sauce

06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced
08 - 1 cup heavy cream
09 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
11 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
12 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
13 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Vegetables and Finish

14 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, plus extra for garnish

# How to Make It:

01 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil and unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once butter is foaming, add chicken and sear for 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove chicken and loosely cover with foil.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. In the same skillet, add minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes; sauté for approximately 1 minute until aromatic.
04 - Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth. Add grated Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir thoroughly to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.
05 - Add chopped baby spinach to the skillet and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until completely wilted. Stir in fresh chopped basil.
06 - Return seared chicken and accumulated juices to the skillet. Spoon sauce over chicken and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until heated through.
07 - Transfer to serving plates and garnish with additional fresh basil. Serve immediately over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It pulls together in 40 minutes without any of that restaurant-guilt feeling where you wonder what they're really putting in the sauce.
  • The creamy sauce clings to chicken so perfectly that even people who claim they don't like cream-based dishes ask for seconds.
  • Sun-dried tomatoes give you that concentrated, almost wine-like depth that makes every bite feel intentional and restaurant-worthy.
02 -
  • The chicken must be completely dry before it hits the skillet, or you'll get steamed chicken instead of that beautiful golden crust that makes everything taste restaurant-quality.
  • Don't let the sauce boil vigorously once you add the cream, or it can separate and look greasy instead of silky; a gentle simmer is your friend here.
  • The fresh basil added at the very end stays bright and herbaceous, while basil cooked in the sauce for minutes loses that fresh punch that makes people ask for the recipe.
03 -
  • If your cream sauce ever looks separated or broken, add a splash of cold chicken broth and whisk gently off the heat; it usually comes back together like nothing happened.
  • Make the sauce up to the point where you add spinach earlier in the day, then reheat and finish it when you're ready to cook the chicken; this is how restaurant kitchens stay sane during service.
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