I’m sharing my Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken, a one-skillet recipe that combines garlic, spinach, and tomatoes into a creamy sauce that comes together in 35 minutes.
I love dishes that pretend theyre complicated but arent, so when I make Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken I feel like a chef without the panic. The garlic actually stands out, and the spinach gives it that bright, leafy kick that keeps it from being too heavy.
Sometimes I call it Chicken In Spinach Cream Sauce when I wanna impress, other times I just say lets eat and nobody asks questions. It looks fancier than it is, and yeah ive burned it once or twice but still kept going.
Give it a try, tweak as you go, youll thank me later.
Ingredients
- Chicken breast: lean protein, keeps you full, low carb, can dry out when overcooked.
- Garlic: pungent, low calorie, adds savory bite, may aid immune health a bit.
- Sun dried tomatoes: concentrated sweet tang, good fiber and lycopene, salty if oil packed.
- Heavy cream: makes sauce rich and silky, mostly fat so use sparingly if watching calories.
- Parmesan: nutty umami salt, adds protein and calcium, watch sodium its pretty high.
- Spinach: bright fresh greens, low calorie, lots vitamins and iron, wilts down quick.
- Olive oil: heart healthy fats, helps brown chicken, adds subtle fruity notes when warmed.
Ingredient Quantities
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 1 1/2 pounds
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced (oil-packed, drained)
- 1/2 cup chicken broth or dry white wine
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more if you like
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil or parsley, chopped (optional)
How to Make this
1. Pat 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts dry, season both sides with salt, pepper, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning and 1 teaspoon paprika; if you want them to cook evenly, lightly pound to about 1/2 inch thickness.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, when shimmering sear the chicken 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden brown; transfer to a plate (it will finish cooking in the sauce) and tent with foil.
3. Lower heat to medium, add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, then add 4 minced garlic cloves and 1/2 cup drained, sliced sun-dried tomatoes; saute 30 to 60 seconds until garlic is fragrant but not burned.
4. Pour in 1/2 cup chicken broth or dry white wine, scrape up the brown bits from the pan with a wooden spoon and let it simmer 1 to 2 minutes to reduce a little.
5. Stir in 1 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan and 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes if you like a kick; simmer gently until the sauce thickens slightly, 3 to 5 minutes, taste and adjust salt and pepper.
6. Add 2 cups fresh baby spinach and stir until it wilts into the sauce, then fold in 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or parsley for brightness.
7. Return the chicken to the skillet, spoon sauce over each piece, reduce heat to low and simmer until chicken is cooked through to 165°F or no longer pink in the center, about 3 to 5 more minutes.
8. Turn off the heat and let the chicken rest in the sauce for a couple minutes so the juices settle, the sauce will thicken a bit more as it cools.
9. Serve the chicken topped with extra Parmesan and chopped herbs if you like; this makes a perfect one skillet dinner ready in about 35 minutes.
Equipment Needed
1. 10 to 12 inch heavy skillet, stainless steel or cast iron, nonstick works too
2. Meat mallet or rolling pin to flatten the breasts a bit
3. Tongs, long and heatproof, for searing and flipping
4. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula to scrape up those brown bits
5. Sharp chef knife and cutting board for garlic, herbs and tomatoes
6. Measuring cups and spoons for broth, cream, Parmesan and seasonings
7. Instant read thermometer to confirm the chicken hits 165°F
8. Plate plus aluminum foil for resting the chicken before serving
FAQ
Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- (Chicken breasts) Try boneless skinless chicken thighs for juicier meat, turkey cutlets if you want a similar cook time, or extra-firm tofu for a vegetarian switch—press and brown the tofu first so it soaks up the sauce.
- (Sun-dried tomatoes) Swap with jarred roasted red peppers, quickly sautéed cherry tomatoes, or chopped kalamata olives for a salty, briny note — each changes the flavor but works great.
- (Heavy cream) Use half and half plus a tablespoon of butter per cup for richness, full‑fat coconut milk for dairy free (different flavor), or Greek yogurt thinned with a little milk stirred in off the heat to avoid curdling.
- (Parmesan) Pecorino Romano or Asiago work well if you want a sharper bite, or nutritional yeast if you need a vegan option—taste and cut back on added salt if you use Pecorino.
Pro Tips
1) Quick brine = juicier chicken. If you have 20 to 30 minutes, soak the breasts in a tablespoon of salt dissolved in a cup of water, then pat dry before seasoning. It helps them stay moist, trust me.
2) Use a little of the sun-dried tomato oil. Don’t dump it all, but spoon a teaspoon or two into the pan with the olive oil for extra depth. Be careful, it can make the pan spit if it’s super hot.
3) Fix a thin or grainy sauce fast. Simmer longer to reduce, or whisk in a tiny cornstarch slurry (1 teaspoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon cold water) and cook a minute. For brightness, squeeze a bit of lemon or stir in a splash of vinegar at the end, it wakes up the cream.
4) Don’t overcrowd the skillet and let the meat rest. Sear in batches so you get a nice crust, and after finishing let the chicken sit in the sauce for 3 to 5 minutes so juices redistribute. Use an instant read thermometer if you got one — target about 165°F final.
Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken Recipe
I’m sharing my Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken, a one-skillet recipe that combines garlic, spinach, and tomatoes into a creamy sauce that comes together in 35 minutes.
4
servings
694
kcal
Equipment: 1. 10 to 12 inch heavy skillet, stainless steel or cast iron, nonstick works too
2. Meat mallet or rolling pin to flatten the breasts a bit
3. Tongs, long and heatproof, for searing and flipping
4. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula to scrape up those brown bits
5. Sharp chef knife and cutting board for garlic, herbs and tomatoes
6. Measuring cups and spoons for broth, cream, Parmesan and seasonings
7. Instant read thermometer to confirm the chicken hits 165°F
8. Plate plus aluminum foil for resting the chicken before serving
Ingredients
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 1 1/2 pounds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced (oil-packed, drained)
1/2 cup chicken broth or dry white wine
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more if you like
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
2 cups fresh baby spinach
2 tablespoons fresh basil or parsley, chopped (optional)
Directions
- Pat 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts dry, season both sides with salt, pepper, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning and 1 teaspoon paprika; if you want them to cook evenly, lightly pound to about 1/2 inch thickness.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, when shimmering sear the chicken 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden brown; transfer to a plate (it will finish cooking in the sauce) and tent with foil.
- Lower heat to medium, add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, then add 4 minced garlic cloves and 1/2 cup drained, sliced sun-dried tomatoes; saute 30 to 60 seconds until garlic is fragrant but not burned.
- Pour in 1/2 cup chicken broth or dry white wine, scrape up the brown bits from the pan with a wooden spoon and let it simmer 1 to 2 minutes to reduce a little.
- Stir in 1 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan and 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes if you like a kick; simmer gently until the sauce thickens slightly, 3 to 5 minutes, taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- Add 2 cups fresh baby spinach and stir until it wilts into the sauce, then fold in 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or parsley for brightness.
- Return the chicken to the skillet, spoon sauce over each piece, reduce heat to low and simmer until chicken is cooked through to 165°F or no longer pink in the center, about 3 to 5 more minutes.
- Turn off the heat and let the chicken rest in the sauce for a couple minutes so the juices settle, the sauce will thicken a bit more as it cools.
- Serve the chicken topped with extra Parmesan and chopped herbs if you like; this makes a perfect one skillet dinner ready in about 35 minutes.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 325g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 694kcal
- Fat: 45g
- Saturated Fat: 22g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Polyunsaturated: 2.8g
- Monounsaturated: 15.8g
- Cholesterol: 236mg
- Sodium: 680mg
- Potassium: 947mg
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Sugar: 5g
- Protein: 60g
- Vitamin A: 1750IU
- Vitamin C: 8mg
- Calcium: 173mg
- Iron: 2.9mg
