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Creamy Tuscan Chicken

Creamy Tuscan chicken with golden-seared breasts in a silky sun-dried tomato and spinach cream sauce that coats the back of a spoon. This Italian chicken skillet dinner is rich, glossy, and finished with Parmesan and fresh basil.
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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: 640
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken breasts
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Seasonings
  • 0.5 tsp Salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp pepper to taste
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder to taste
  • 0.5 tsp Italian seasoning to taste
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika to taste
Base and aromatics
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 clove garlic, minced
  • 0.5 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced
Sauce
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
Greens and garnish
  • 2 cup fresh baby spinach
  • 1 Fresh basil for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken breasts generously with salt, pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then sear until golden, 5-6 minutes per side, until internal temperature reaches 165°F, and remove to a plate.
Build the Tuscan cream sauce
  1. Cook the minced garlic in the same pan for 30 seconds, stirring just until fragrant and turning lightly golden. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and cook 1 minute, then pour in the chicken broth and deglaze, scraping up the browned bits.
  2. Stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes, then bring to a simmer. Simmer for 4-5 minutes until thickened and glossy, visibly coating the back of a spoon.
Finish and serve
  1. Stir in the fresh baby spinach and cook until wilted, 30 seconds to 1 minute, until bright green and tender.
  2. Return the chicken breasts to the pan and spoon the sauce over each piece so they’re coated. Garnish with fresh basil and serve immediately, with the remaining sauce pooling around the chicken.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the sauce at a gentle simmer after adding the cream so it stays silky rather than grainy. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days in a covered container; reheat gently in a skillet over low heat, adding a splash of broth or cream if needed. Freezing is not recommended for best texture. For a lighter option, use half-and-half in place of heavy cream for a thinner but still creamy Tuscan sauce.