Creamy Tuscan Chicken Skillet (Print Version)

Tender chicken with creamy garlic sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan, and wilted spinach.

# 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

→ Garnish

14 - Fresh basil leaves
15 - Extra Parmesan cheese

# How-To Steps:

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. Transfer to a plate.
03 - In the same skillet, add minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth, stirring and scraping up browned bits from the pan bottom.
05 - Add Parmesan cheese, dried basil, and red pepper flakes. Stir until cheese melts and sauce thickens, approximately 2-3 minutes.
06 - Add fresh spinach and cook until completely wilted, about 2 minutes.
07 - Return chicken breasts to the skillet, spoon sauce over the top, and simmer for 2-3 minutes to heat through.
08 - Transfer to serving plates and garnish with fresh basil leaves and additional Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one skillet, which means your cleanup is half the battle and your sink stays somewhat civilized.
  • It feels fancy enough to serve when people are coming over but casual enough to throw together on a Tuesday when you're exhausted.
  • The sauce tastes like you spent hours on it when you really just stood there stirring for five minutes.
02 -
  • Don't skip patting the chicken dry; I learned this the hard way when my first batch steamed instead of seared and I spent the whole dinner feeling disappointed in myself.
  • Heavy cream can break if it boils too aggressively, so keep the heat at a gentle simmer once it goes in the pan and your sauce will stay luxurious instead of separating into regret.
03 -
  • Use a skillet with high sides so the cream doesn't splash everywhere when you're stirring, and make sure it's large enough that the chicken has room to actually cook instead of crowding the pan.
  • If your sauce seems too thin after adding the cream, let it simmer for another minute or two; the heat will naturally thicken it as the cream reduces slightly.
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