This 25-minute Tuscan chicken recipe is so easy and totally irresistible. You will love the restaurant quality creamy sauce with all the best Italian-inspired flavors!
For more inspiration, try my Creamy Tuscan Chicken Gnocchi Soup and Creamy Tuscan Orzo with similar flavors next.
Why you'll love it
This creamy Tuscan chicken is a favorite in my home. I mean, what's not to like about melt-in-your-mouth chicken that's pan-fried to golden perfection and slathered in a creamy sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and fresh spinach and basil? It's a simple way to make a quick weeknight dinner feel really special, and that flavor combo is so good.
For those unfamiliar, this Tuscan chicken recipe is inspired by the one at Olive Garden, but I have to say this one is even better with my own twist! As with most of my creamy chicken recipes, it elevates pantry staples for a dish that's good enough for serving company. You'll make this comfort food meal again and again. I know I do. 😉
What you'll need
- Chicken - I cut two chicken breasts in half lengthwise. The cutlets cook faster and more evenly so that they remain tender. You can use four smaller chicken breasts, but you will need to cook them a bit longer.
- Garlic powder - along with salt & pepper, this infuses savory flavor right in the chicken
- Flour - for that irresistible golden pan-seared exterior on the cutlets
- Olive oil and butter - for sautéing
- Chicken broth - another layer of flavor and the base of the sauce. Feel free to use a dry white wine like sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, or chardonnay to fancy it up a little bit!
- Dijon mustard - it's a tried and true way to add an extra savory note to the sauce. Don't worry, it doesn't make the sauce taste mustardy. I use Dijon in many of my recipes to enhance the flavor.
- Heavy cream - to make the sauce luxurious
- Spinach - fresh baby spinach is what we're using here
- Sun-dried tomatoes - I buy the kind packed in oil
- Basil - it's the ideal complement to tomatoes and rounds out the "Tuscan" flavor profile
Pro tip
- Use an instant read thermometer to ensure the chicken is cooked to 165F in the thickest part. They're inexpensive and the best way to guarantee that chicken is neither overcooked nor undercooked. Every home chef should own one to take the guesswork out!
How to make Tuscan chicken
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Cut the chicken into 4 thinner cutlets, season with garlic powder and salt & pepper, and dredge in the flour. Pan sear in the oil and butter until golden, and transfer to a plate. Pour the chicken broth into the skillet, add the Dijon, and scrape up the browned bits.
Pour in the cream, and add the spinach and sun-dried tomatoes. Return the chicken to the pan, and fully cook it through while the sauce thickens. Stir in the basil, and season with additional salt & pepper if needed.
Substitutions and variations
- I don't recommend subbing the heavy cream for something else like milk or half-and-half because there's a chance the sauce may curdle, and it will end up thinner and less flavorful. With that said, you can always experiment, especially if you're used to tweaking sauces.
- If sun-dried tomatoes aren't your thing, you could substitute them for fresh tomatoes. I suggest using a handful of grape or cherry tomatoes or cut up one medium tomato.
- For more herb-forward flavor, try adding in 1/2 tsp of Italian seasoning.
- Garlic lovers out there, go ahead and throw in a couple of cloves of minced garlic if you want to amp up the garlic flavor.
What to serve with creamy Tuscan chicken
- For extra deliciousness, grate some parmesan over top just before serving.
- The rich sauce goes great with your favorite starch. Try jasmine rice or a big pile of Easy Garlic Mashed Potatoes. Pasta like my easy Buttered Egg Noodles would also work.
- For a lighter choice, try a side salad with mixed greens and my Copycat Olive Garden Salad Dressing or Creamy Balsamic Dressing.
Leftovers and storage
- This Tuscan chicken will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container.
- Reheat in a saucepan over a low heat slowly until warmed through. Be careful to not reheat it too quickly or with a high temperature, or the sauce could separate.
- Our kitchen doesn't recommend freezing leftovers of this one.
Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions or if you've tried this easy Tuscan chicken recipe! You can also tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram with your creations.
Creamy Tuscan Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts sliced lengthwise
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Flour for dredging
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/4 cup chicken broth or dry white wine
- 1 heaping teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 2 cups (loosely packed) fresh baby spinach
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes see note
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil chopped
Instructions
- Cut the chicken in half lengthwise. Sprinkle with salt & pepper and garlic powder on both sides. Coat in flour.
- Melt the oil and butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes/side or until golden. Take the chicken out of the pan and set aside.
- Deglaze the pan with the chicken broth and Dijon mustard. Scrape up any brown bits and let it simmer for 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in the cream, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes. Add the chicken back to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked through and the sauce reduces a bit.
- Stir in the basil and season with extra salt & pepper if needed. Serve immediately.
Notes
- If the sun-dried tomatoes are not packed in oil, you may want to add a bit more - the oil-packed ones taste more concentrated. I drain the oil prior to adding them to the pan.
- If you have particularly small chicken breasts, I recommend leaving them whole and cooking them for a few minutes longer.
- Chicken is safe to eat when it's reached an internal temperature of 165F. Use an instant read thermometer to test for doneness.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on April 27, 2018. It's been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!
Liz says
Could thighs work in this recipe?
Natasha says
Sure! I'd probably cook them for a little longer than suggested for chicken breasts to ensure they're cooked through and tender.
Kristi says
This was excellent. We tried it tonight. The ingredients were easy to find (and minimal), the instructions were easy to follow, and it turned out fantastic. I did use more chicken broth than it called for (personal preference), but it was sssooo good. Definitely a keeper and a rotation in our house from now on. TY for this! I love that it comes together so quickly, but delivers on flavor as if it’s cooked all day!
Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says
That's awesome to hear, Kristi! Thrilled you liked it. 🙂
Dina says
Made this tonight and it is Amazing!! I bought presliced chicken breasts so it was that much faster! Came together in the time you said which never happens for me with recipes. I appreciate that! Thanks for sharing this amazing dish! Will be making it again very soon!
Natasha says
Fantastic!! 🙂 So happy you enjoyed it. Thanks for your review!
Kim Fike says
Couldn’t wait to make this and it didn’t disappoint! I used Sauvignon Blanc wine and it was OUTSTANDING!!
Natasha says
Fantastic!! 😀
Lynn says
So yummy!!!! Absolutely loved it, fun and easy to make !
Will definitely make this again
Natasha says
I'm so glad to hear it, Lynn! 🙂
Terry says
Loved it!! Quick, easy & delicious!!! Next time up I’m doing the same but with shrimp.
Natasha says
Thank you!! My Tuscan shrimp recipe is actually linked within the blog post. 🙂
Linz says
This recipe is really good, I have made this quite a few times, however making it with whole milk instead of heavy cream definitely makes it curdle and not have as good as it could be taste wise. So definitely use heavy cream we serve it over pasta. Yum
Natasha says
So glad you like it! Yup, I definitely don't recommend using whole milk if possible. Thanks for your reveiw!
RDH says
This sounds delicious and I intend to try this soon. One hint - instead of slicing the chicken breasts to make thinner cutlets, which can be difficult to get them even, pound them between was paper to uniform thickness; this also tenderizes the chicken further. Then just cut them into smaller pieces before dredging.
Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says
Thank you! We hope you enjoy it! Sure, you could do that, but we've been using the lengthwise method forever on nearly all our skillet chicken recipes. It works great, and readers love it. 🙂
Sandy says
If making for company (10 people), how far in advance can this be made? How would you reheat to serve?
Natasha says
Hi! I wouldn't make it more than a day or so ahead. You could slowly reheat it in the oven, but I'd be very careful as cream sauces are notorious for separating, and chicken breasts can easily dry out. Also, the spinach will wilt the longer you leave it.
Alison says
Made this tonight, quick and easy. Added salt and pepper to the flour for dredging. Also cooked in a few mushrooms. Will definitely make again.
Natasha says
I'm glad you enjoyed it, Alison!
Karen says
Tried this tonight. The only ingredient I didn't have was the Dijon but I thought the sauce was still delicious. Will definitely make again.
Natasha says
Fantastic!! So glad you enjoyed it, Karen!
Betsy says
This was okay not amazing. I would leave the mustard out and punch up the seasoning a bit more. And added some Parmesan cheese.
Fiona says
Loved the thought of this one-but found it quite salty for my taste-could have done with more spinach, mustard and less cream. I didn't add salt so am guessing that the excessive salty flavour comes from the garlic powder. Will try again but without the powder.
Natasha says
I think you must've used garlic SALT as garlic powder doesn't contain any salt...
Deborah says
I think maybe the one person said it was salty used garlic salt instead of powder. It was not that salty when I made it. Maybe too much salt and pepper before you pan fried the chicken??? Anyway thanks for your comment so others can watch the salt content and taste as they go along.
Robyn says
Very delicious! I made a few changes and they worked for me. I did use white wine to deglaze the pan, I also used coconut milk with just a smidge of half and half vs. heavy cream. I added more spinach than the 2 cups, and I threw in a few stuffed green olives. I made cheese tortellini and threw in the sauce with the chicken and sprinkled just a bit of fresh Parmesan over top before serving. This is a very easy dish with an incredible depth of flavor.
Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says
So happy you liked it, Robyn! Love your idea of serving it with cheese tortellini!
Melissa says
How do you think this would freeze? Meal prepping for a trip.
Natasha says
So, creamy sauces typically don't freeze great, but if you do try, be sure to warm it up over a low heat to help ensure the sauce doesn't separate and the chicken doesn't get overcooked.