Creamy Tuscan Chicken Skillet (Printable)

Tender chicken cooked in a creamy garlic sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach, perfect for an easy weeknight meal.

# Components:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Sauce

06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and sliced
08 - 1 cup heavy cream
09 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
11 - 3 cups fresh baby spinach
12 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
13 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

→ Garnish

14 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish
15 - Extra Parmesan cheese for garnish

# Method:

01 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season both sides evenly with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and sear for 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, add minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Sauté for 1 minute until aromatic.
04 - Pour heavy cream and chicken broth into the skillet. Stir continuously and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan to incorporate fond.
05 - Add Parmesan cheese, dried basil, and red pepper flakes if desired. Stir until cheese is fully melted and sauce reaches desired consistency, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
06 - Add fresh baby spinach to the skillet and cook until completely wilted, about 2 minutes.
07 - Return seared chicken breasts to the skillet. Spoon sauce generously over each piece and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until heated through.
08 - Transfer chicken and sauce to serving plates. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and additional grated Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • One skillet means one thing to clean, which is the real luxury in weeknight cooking.
  • The chicken comes out so tender that people always assume you've been planning this dinner for days.
  • Everything cooks in under 40 minutes, so you can actually sit down and eat while the food is still warm.
02 -
  • Don't overcrowd the skillet when searing the chicken—if the breasts are touching, they'll steam instead of brown, and you'll lose that beautiful golden crust that makes this dish feel special.
  • The cream curdles if the heat is too high after you add it, so once you've poured in the cream and broth, ease back on the heat and let everything simmer gently rather than boil aggressively.
03 -
  • Make the sauce first before adding the spinach, because once those greens go in, they take up all the real estate and it's harder to stir and taste and adjust.
  • If your sauce breaks or looks curdled, don't panic—whisk in a splash of cold broth away from the heat and it usually comes back together, smoother than before.
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