Creamy Tuscan Chicken Dish (Printable)

Tender chicken enveloped in creamy sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and fresh basil for a flavorful meal.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.3 to 1.5 lbs)
02 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
05 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

→ Creamy Sauce

06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced
08 - 1 cup heavy cream
09 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
11 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
12 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
13 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Vegetables & Finish

14 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, plus extra for garnish

# How-To Steps:

01 - Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sear for 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove chicken and set aside, loosely covered.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. In the same skillet, add minced garlic and sliced sun-dried tomatoes; sauté for 1 minute until fragrant and aromatic.
04 - Stir in heavy cream, chicken broth, grated Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes. Mix thoroughly and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally.
05 - Add chopped spinach to the sauce and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until completely wilted. Stir in the fresh basil.
06 - Return the seared chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Spoon the creamy sauce over the chicken and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until heated through.
07 - Transfer to serving plates and garnish with additional fresh basil. Serve immediately over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The whole dish comes together faster than you'd expect, leaving you with restaurant-quality results on a random weeknight.
  • That creamy Tuscan sauce is so good you'll find yourself scraping the pan and wondering if it's acceptable to drink it straight.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and elegant enough to serve when you want to impress without spending hours in the kitchen.
02 -
  • Don't skip patting the chicken dry before it hits the pan; wet chicken steams instead of searing, and you'll lose that crucial golden crust that makes this dish special.
  • The sauce thickens as it simmers, so if it seems too thin at first, don't panic—just let it bubble gently for another minute and it'll tighten up naturally.
  • Return the chicken with any juices it released while resting; those juices are pure flavor and deserve to go back into the sauce.
03 -
  • Make sure your pan is actually hot before adding the chicken; if the oil doesn't shimmer and smell almost nutty when the butter melts, give it another 30 seconds or you'll end up steaming instead of searing.
  • Don't crowd the pan or cook the chicken on high heat the whole time—medium-high is perfect because it gives you browning without drying out the inside before the outside is cooked.
  • If your sauce breaks or looks split, it usually means the heat was too high; just lower it to medium, keep stirring gently, and it'll usually come back together.
Go Back