Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken (Printable Version)
Tender chicken in a rich garlic cream sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and fresh spinach.
# What You Need:
→ Poultry
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 1.2 lbs)
→ Seasonings
02 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
05 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika
→ For Searing
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
→ Sauce
08 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 cup heavy cream
10 - 1/2 cup chicken broth
11 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 - 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced (drained if packed in oil)
13 - 3 cups fresh baby spinach
→ Garnish (optional)
14 - Fresh basil leaves
15 - Extra Parmesan cheese
# How to Make It:
01 - Pat chicken breasts dry and evenly season both sides with Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and paprika.
02 - Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken for 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden and fully cooked. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
03 - Reduce heat to medium and add minced garlic to the skillet. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth, stirring to deglaze the pan. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer.
05 - Stir in grated Parmesan and sun-dried tomatoes. Simmer sauce for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly thickened.
06 - Add fresh spinach to the sauce and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until wilted.
07 - Return chicken breasts to the skillet, spoon sauce over them, and simmer for an additional 2 to 3 minutes to heat through.
08 - Plate the chicken with sauce and garnish with fresh basil leaves and extra Parmesan cheese if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It tastes like you spent an hour cooking when you actually spent 40 minutes, making it the perfect disguise for a busy weeknight.
- The sauce is silky and rich without being heavy, so you don't feel weighed down after eating.
- Every element—the crispy-edged chicken, creamy sauce, tart sun-dried tomatoes—plays a different role but harmonizes perfectly.
02 -
- The chicken must be fully cooked when you remove it initially (no pink inside), because you're only simmering it briefly at the end to warm it through, not cook it further.
- Don't let the sauce boil aggressively once you add the cream—a gentle simmer keeps it silky instead of breaking into a greasy, curdled mess.
- Taste the sauce before serving and adjust salt and pepper, because the Parmesan and sun-dried tomatoes are both salty, and you might not need extra.
03 -
- Bring your chicken to room temperature about 10 minutes before cooking so it browns evenly instead of cooking unevenly with a cold center.
- Make sure your Parmesan is freshly grated, because the anti-caking powder in pre-shredded cheese can sometimes make the sauce cloudy or grainy instead of silky smooth.