I have tried making different kinds of chicken dishes in my lifetime, but there is nothing that can beat this Tuscan chicken recipe.
Whenever I make this creamy Tuscan chicken, my family, friends, and kids fall in love all over again, every time. Most of the time, they are asking for second servings, which is why I like to make a lot of this chicken at a time.
This sun-dried tomato chicken is creamy, flavorful, and very comforting to eat. The classic Tuscan-inspired ingredients, like garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach makes this dish all the more flavorful.
Today, I will not only share the Italian chicken recipe with you, but also share some helpful tips and details along the way.
Why You’ll Love This Tuscan Chicken
- Made with creamy and delicious garlic sauce.
- Simple one-pan chicken dinner recipe.
- Restaurant-quality flavors.
- Quick weeknight dinner.
- Very customizable pantry ingredients.
What Is Tuscan Chicken?
This Tuscan chicken with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes is an Italian dish that is made with a creamy garlic sauce.
The most common ingredients in this dish are sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, garlic, and heavy cream, or any other kind of cream, depending on your preference.
Mainly, this dish has become popular in modern home cooking due to the explosion of this recipe on social media. It does not have a typical creamy sauce base. In fact, it’s a special Italian garlic sauce.
Ingredients for Tuscan Chicken Recipe
- Chicken: You should use chicken breasts for this skillet chicken recipe. Make sure the breast pieces are similar in size.
- Salt: To season the chicken.
- Black Pepper: Also helps with seasoning the chicken.
- Cooking Oil: You can use olive oil to make the sauce and cook the chicken. Using vegetable oil also works.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: This ingredient brings in a lot of flavors. But if you don’t like tomatoes, you could skip them.
- Onion: You need to use finely diced onion to start making the sauce.
- Garlic: Garlic gives the sauce flavor and aroma.
- Italian Herbs: You can use all sorts of Italian herbs in the Tuscan garlic chicken.
- Baby Spinach: This ingredient is one of the must-haves in this recipe.
- Stock: You can use chicken stock or vegetable stock.
- Cream: I usually use heavy cream for this chicken in a cream sauce to make it creamy. But you can use dairy-free almond cream or other alternatives.
- Parmesan Cheese: This also helps make the sauce creamy.
Tips for Perfect Tuscan Chicken
- To get a nice golden sear on the chicken, make sure the pan is hot over medium-high heat and the chicken is patted dry before cooking, as excess moisture prevents browning.
- To prevent the sauce from separating, cook on medium to low heat and avoid boiling after adding the cream. Using high-fat dairy also helps keep the sauce smooth.
- Balance the richness of the cream by adding a touch of acidity, such as lemon juice, and adjust seasoning to taste.
- Use high-quality sun-dried tomatoes, preferably those packed in oil, for the best flavor and texture.
Storage & Reheating
- If you have any leftover Tuscan-style chicken, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
- To reheat without separating the sauce, add a splash of chicken or vegetable broth and warm it gently over low heat in a pan.
- If you want to freeze it, place the chicken in an airtight, freezer-safe container and store for up to 1–2 months. Keep in mind the sauce may slightly change in texture after thawing.
What to Serve with Creamy Tuscan Chicken
- Pasta: This creamy garlic chicken will go great with any kind of pasta. You won’t even need to add any sauce to your pasta.
- Mashed Potatoes: You can have this chicken with a side of mashed potatoes. Trust me, it will taste amazing.
- Rice: Place the saucy restaurant-style chicken on top of boiled or fried rice will make for a delicious dinner or lunch.
- Crusty Bread: You can have crusty bread on the side with this creamy chicken.
- Roasted Vegetables: Prepare roasted vegetables on the side to have with your Tuscan chicken.
Variations to Try
- Dairy-Free Version: If you have an issue with lactose or you simply want a dairy-free version of this chicken, you can use almond cream or even homemade cashew cream as an alternative.
- Spicy Tuscan Chicken: You can add chili, jalapenos, or paprika to get an extra spicy version of this chicken.
- Mushroom Tuscan Chicken: Add mushrooms to the pan when making the sauce to make a mushroom Tuscan chicken.
- Pasta Version of the Dish: Boil any kind of pasta and add the chicken. Mix the chicken sauce with the pasta.
Creamy Tuscan Chicken Recipe – Ready in 30 Minutes
Ingredients
To Prepare the Chicken:
- 2 large Chicken breasts
- ½ tsp / 3 g Salt
- ½ tsp / 1 g Black Pepper
For the Sauce:
- 3 tbsp / 45 ml cooking oil
- 1 tbsp / 15 ml Sun-dried tomatoes oil (optional)
- ¼ cup Onion
- 3 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 1 tsp / 2 g Italian herbs
- ¼ cup / 27.5 g Sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 cups Baby Spinach
- ½ cup / 118 ml Chicken stock
- ½ cup / 118 ml Heavy cream
- ¼ cup / 25 g Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Season and Sear the Chicken
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Pour 2 tbsp of cooking oil into a pan and let it get hot.
- Place the chicken in the pan and sear both sides, or until they turn brown. for 3-4 minutes.
- Set the chicken aside.
Sauté the Garlic and Aromatics
- Put the remaining 1 tbsp of oil and 1 tbsp sun-dried tomato oil in the same pan.
- Add the onions, garlic cloves, and other aromatics, and saute them well.
Add Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- Now, add the sliced sun-dried tomatoes and cook for about a minute until they become fragrant.
Add Spinach
- Add the baby spinach and cook it for about a minute until it starts to wilt.
Make the Creamy Sauce
- Add the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese and let it simmer until the sauce thickens.
Return Chicken to the Sauce
- Transfer the seared chicken to the sauce, let it simmer, and cook for about 2-3 more minutes.
- Spoon the sauce onto the chicken.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- Sauce Too Thick: If your Tuscan chicken sauce comes out too thick, it means you used too much heavy cream. Try adding more chicken or vegetable broth to the sauce.
- Sauce Too Thin: Too-thin chicken sauce means you did not use enough heavy cream. Add more heavy cream and even Parmesan cheese to make the sauce thicker.
- Chicken Dry: This means that you overcooked the chicken. Make sure you only sear the chicken long enough to keep it from drying out.
- Spinach Overcooked: You should not overcook the spinach, or the sauce will not taste great. Make sure you cook the spinach only until it wilts.
Recipe FAQs
What pasta goes best with Tuscan chicken?
You can use penne, fusilli, or rigatoni pasta with your Tuscan chicken.
Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?
Yes, you can use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. Chicken thighs are juicier and more flavorful, but they may need a few extra minutes to cook through.
Can Tuscan chicken be made without cream?
Yes, you can make the chicken without cream, but it will be much lighter and dairy-free.
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