Creamy Tuscan Chicken
Juicy, pan-seared Creamy Tuscan Chicken pairs tender chicken breasts with a garlic cream sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and tomato pesto for a delicious 30-minute skillet dinner.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
For the Creamy Tuscan Sauce
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 small onion finely diced
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomato pesto
- ¼ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes julienned
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp salt or more to taste
- ¾ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ tsp chili flakes or less to taste
- 1 handful fresh spinach
- 4 – 6 cloves fresh garlic minced (use less if preferred)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- fresh chopped parsley or shaved Parmesan cheese optional, for garnish
For the Chicken
- 2 whole chicken breasts sliced in half horizontally
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Trim any excess fat from the chicken breasts. Slice each breast in half horizontally, then season with salt and black pepper.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in the olive oil and sear the chicken for about 5 minutes per side, until golden. Remove the chicken from the skillet, set aside, and cover with foil.
- Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in the same skillet and sauté the diced onion until tender. Stir in the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir the sun-dried tomatoes, sun-dried tomato pesto, salt, and spices into the skillet. Mix well and sauté for about 1 minute.
- Pour the heavy cream, milk, and chicken broth into the skillet. Stir well and simmer for a couple of minutes until the sauce begins to thicken.
- Stir a handful of fresh spinach into the sauce and cook over medium-low heat for a couple of minutes. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.
- Return the cooked chicken pieces to the sauce and spoon the sauce over them. Cover and cook over low heat for another 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley or Parmesan cheese and serve.
Notes
- Cook the onion and garlic gently to release their flavor without burning them.
- Substitute Italian seasoning for oregano or thyme if needed.
- Replace the onion with 1 tsp of onion powder if preferred.
- For a cheesier sauce, stir in ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese and an additional ¼ cup chicken broth.
- Substitute boneless chicken thighs for chicken breasts, adjusting the cooking time until fully cooked.
Nutrition
Calories: 525kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 148mg | Sodium: 930mg | Potassium: 776mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1348IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 166mg | Iron: 2mg