Creamy Tuscan Chicken Skillet (Printable View)

Tender chicken breasts in creamy garlic sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach for a cozy weeknight meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ 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, optional

→ Garnish

14 - Fresh basil leaves, optional
15 - Extra Parmesan cheese, optional

# How To Make It:

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 5-6 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside on a plate.
03 - In the same skillet, add minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Pour in the heavy cream and chicken broth. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan to incorporate all flavors.
05 - Add Parmesan cheese, dried basil, and red pepper flakes if desired. Stir continuously until cheese melts completely and sauce reaches desired thickness, approximately 2-3 minutes.
06 - Add fresh baby spinach to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until completely wilted, about 2 minutes.
07 - Return the seared chicken breasts to the skillet and spoon sauce generously over the top. Simmer gently for 2-3 minutes to heat chicken through and meld flavors.
08 - Transfer to serving plates and garnish with fresh basil leaves and additional Parmesan cheese if desired before serving.

# Best Practices:

01 -
  • It's a complete dinner that lives in one skillet, which means less cleanup and more time enjoying actual conversation.
  • The sauce tastes restaurant-quality but comes together faster than you'd think, making weeknight cooking feel less like a chore.
02 -
  • Don't skip the searing step—those browned bits that look stuck are actually liquid gold that deepens the entire dish's flavor.
  • If your sauce seems too thin, let it simmer uncovered for a minute or two; it will thicken more than you'd expect as it cools slightly.
03 -
  • Let the chicken rest for a minute after searing and before returning it to the sauce; this keeps it tender and prevents it from cooking further while everything comes together.
  • If you're serving this to someone avoiding dairy, use half-and-half or even cashew cream to lighten it without losing that essential silky texture.
Go Back