Description
Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken is a rich and flavorful one-skillet dish featuring tender chicken breasts cooked in a luscious garlic cream sauce with fresh tomatoes and spinach, finished with Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. Perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, split horizontally into 4 pieces total
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced (about 3/4 cup)
- 6 to 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large tomato, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Garnish
- Fresh parsley, for serving
Instructions
- Cook Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken pieces with dried Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Add chicken to the skillet and cook for about 8 minutes on each side until golden brown and fully cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: Reduce heat to medium-low. Add unsalted butter and a splash of water or broth to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Add diced onion and sauté for about 5 minutes until translucent. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant.
- Add Vegetables: Add the diced tomato and baby spinach to the skillet. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and cook until the spinach begins to wilt, stirring occasionally.
- Make Cream Sauce: Pour in the heavy cream and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to low and let the sauce cook until slightly thickened and reduced, about 3 minutes.
- Finish Cooking: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and cook for an additional 5 to 7 minutes until the chicken is heated through and the flavors meld.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the dish before serving. Serve immediately with your favorite side dishes.
Notes
- You can substitute fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary for the dried Italian seasoning if preferred.
- To make the dish lighter, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, though the sauce will be less rich.
- For extra flavor, deglaze the pan with white wine instead of water or broth.
- Chicken thighs can be used instead of breasts for a juicier texture.
- Serve with crusty bread, mashed potatoes, or pasta to soak up the creamy sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
