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Simmered in a rich parmesan sauce, this juicy Tuscan chicken recipe is loaded with Italian flavors from lots of sun-dried tomatoes and aromatics. Made in one-pot and ready in 30 minutes, it’s the perfect dinner for when you’re craving Italian minus the fuss.
If you’re looking to make more Italian-inspired meals, you should also try my chicken piccata, chicken marsala, or Marry Me chicken. They are all family favorites!
Creamy Tuscan Chicken Recipe
Made with all the Italian flair possible, this creamy Tuscan chicken will send your taste buds on a trip to a trattoria in Tuscany. Coated in a creamy sauce, the chicken is cooked to juicy perfection that’s waiting to release its flavor every time you slice into it.
Being a one-pot recipe that’s ready in 30 minutes, you’ll be surprised this chicken doesn’t skimp on herbiness, umami, or leafy greens one bit. For days when you don’t even have 5 minutes to sit over the stove, no worries. Pop it into the oven and come back in 20 minutes! It’ll taste equally good as any baked chicken breast.
Served with extra sauce, get ready to smother your face with this incredibly luscious, silky, and aromatic Italian-inspired chicken recipe. It’s a weeknight dinner score that’ll have everyone at the table way before you’ve even set it down. Yes, it’s that good.
What Is Tuscan Chicken?
Tuscan chicken comes from Tuscany, Italy, and is inspired by the country’s most iconic flavors. Simmered in a rich cream and parmesan sauce, this juicy chicken is infused with hints of garlic, onions, basil, oregano, and rosemary.
For a bit of produce, lots of spinach and mushrooms are usually added to make this dish more filling and give it a pop of color. Served warm, it’s a restaurant-favorite that is now ready to be made in your kitchen.
Recipe Ingredients
Your pantry will be filled with Italian-inspired ingredients once you grab all the essentials to make Tuscan chicken! Check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact ingredient amounts.
For the Chicken
- Olive oil – In keeping with the Italian vibes, this is the best one. However, you can also use corn, vegetable, and canola oil.
- Chicken breasts – Make sure they’re boneless and skinless to save on prep time.
- Salt and pepper
For the Sauce
- Butter – Unsalted or salted is okay.
- Yellow onion – White onion works too.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic is always best, but feel free to substitute it for 6 teaspoons of garlic powder.
- Sun dried tomatoes – These are sold in jars filled with olive oil. They are not the same as canned tomatoes.
- Baby spinach – You can also use regular spinach but you’ll need to chop it.
- Heavy cream – Evaporated milk and half-and-half are good substitutes.
- Dried herbs – Dried basil, dried oregano, and dried rosemary.
- Salt and pepper – To season the chicken breasts.
- Parmesan cheese – Feel free to use pecorino, mozzarella, or a pizza cheese blend.
- Fresh parsley – For garnish. You can also use chopped fresh basil.
How to Make Tuscan Chicken
Making this easy chicken recipe requires one pot and 30 minutes! It doesn’t get much better than that.
- Sear the chicken. Add the olive oil to a large pan over medium-high heat. Cook for 5-6 minutes on each side or until cooked through. The inside should no longer have pink or red juices. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.
- Cook the onions. Melt the butter in the same pan. Add the onions and let them cook for 3-4 minutes or until soft and fragrant. Add the garlic and stir well. Let it cook for another minute.
- Add the tomatoes. Throw the spinach and sun-dried tomatoes in the pan. Mix to combine. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until the spinach has wilted. Lower the heat to medium-low.
- Add the aromatics. Pour the heavy cream in. Add the basil, oregano, and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
- Add the cheese. Stir the cheese into the pan until it has melted. The sauce should have thickened.
- Add the chicken. Return the chicken to the pan. Spoon sauce over it. Let the chicken cook for 2-3 minutes or until warm. Sprinkle with parsley, serve, and enjoy.
Recipe Tips
- Use frozen spinach. Don’t worry if you don’t have any fresh spinach on hand. Frozen spinach works spectacularly as long as you thaw it and squeeze out extra moisture.
- Add mushrooms. Toss sliced mushrooms into the pan right after the onions. It’s an extra veggie and will add lots of umami to the dish.
- Use Italian seasoning. Although I love the combination of all the dried herbs, you can skip the measuring if you add Italian seasoning to taste.
- Bake it. Grease a baking dish with cooking spray. Add the chicken breasts. Whisk the remaining sauce ingredients, tomatoes, and spinach in a large bowl. Pour it in. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake it for 20-35 minutes.
- Use a meat thermometer. Especially if the chicken breasts have different thicknesses, it’s hard to tell whether they’re cooked through. Using a meat thermometer is the quickest way to tell if they’re done. When you insert it into the thickest part of the chicken, it should read 165 F.
Make Ahead Instructions
Making the sauce ahead of time will make this keto Tuscan chicken even easier than it already is.
All you have to do is refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 2 days. When ready to make the chicken, reheat the sauce over medium-low heat in the pan and add a splash of chicken broth, water, or milk to thin it out.
Serving Suggestions
For a complete Italian feast, serve Tuscan chicken with skillet zucchini and mushrooms, roasted artichokes, keto garlic breadsticks, and Italian wedding soup.
To complement the rich flavors, add a fresh tomato burrata salad. For dessert, finish the meal with a light and refreshing cottage cheese ice cream. This combination will take your taste buds straight to Italy!
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
To reheat, add a splash of milk and stir. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir, and heat for another 30 seconds to 1 minute until warm. Alternatively, heat in a pan over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes per side, adding extra sauce and milk to keep it from drying out.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
- Cheesy Chicken Spinach Bake
- One Pot Ranch Chicken and Rice
- Basil Feta Sauce Chicken
- Creamy Pesto Chicken
- Creamy Lemon Chicken Piccata
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Creamy Tuscan Chicken
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For The Cream Sauce
- ½ tablespoon butter
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1 package (6 to 8 ounces) baby spinach
- 1½ cup heavy cream, you can also use half & half or evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
Make the Chicken
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
- Place the chicken in the skillet and cook for about 7 minutes; flip and continue to cook for 6 more minutes, or until done. Cooking time also depends on the thickness of the chicken breasts; use thinner chicken breasts for faster cooking.
- Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
Make the Cream Sauce
- Add butter to the same pan and melt.
- Stir in onions and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and continue to cook for 1 more minute, or until onions are soft.
- Stir in tomatoes; cook for 1 minute. Stir in spinach and continue to cook until wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes more.
- Add heavy cream, basil, oregano, rosemary, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil.
- Mix in parmesan cheese; stir until sauce has thickened.
- Place the chicken back in the pan and cook for 1 minute to heat through.
- Spoon the sauce over the chicken, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
This looks like my next weeknight favorite meal.
Such a delicious looking sauce and dish.
I fell in love with the recipe of this chicken! This sounds fantastic! Looks tasty! This recipe is perfect for me and my family. Thank you!
I bet this is going to become a new regular on my weekly dinner rotation – love how creamy and flavorful it looks!
I cannot wait to try this chicken! So pretty and luscious 😉
This is my kind of chicken dinner! Ultra creamy and delicious!
Oh my goodness, this looks so delicious! I love all of the flavors going on. Yum!
I am totally drooling right now. Love everything about this dish!
This is such an awesome chicken dinner! One of my favorites!
This looks amazing! So creamy and delicious!