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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 glossy, then coats the back of a spoon as spinach wilts and basil finishes.
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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: 780
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and seasoning
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • Salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
  • garlic powder to taste
  • Italian seasoning to taste
  • smoked paprika to taste
Creamy Tuscan sauce
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 cloves 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. 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 until shimmering, then sear chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F, and remove to a plate.
Build the Tuscan sauce
  1. In the same pan, cook the minced garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and cook 1 minute.
  2. Pour in the chicken broth and deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits. Stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes, then simmer for 4-5 minutes until thickened and glossy.
Wilt spinach and finish
  1. Stir in the fresh baby spinach and cook just until wilted. Return the chicken to the pan and spoon the sauce over each breast.
  2. Garnish with fresh basil and serve immediately.

Notes

For restaurant-style thickness, simmer the sauce until it visibly coats a spoon before adding spinach. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently to avoid separating, adding a splash of broth if needed. Freezing is not recommended because cream sauces can break. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream (simmer a few extra minutes for thickness).