Creamy Tuscan Chicken Skillet (Printable)

Tender chicken in creamy garlic sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach for a comforting dinner.

# 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 for garnish
15 - Extra Parmesan cheese for garnish

# How To Make It:

01 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season both sides generously 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 to a plate and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, add minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, stirring occasionally.
04 - Pour heavy cream and chicken broth into the skillet. Stir well, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
05 - Add Parmesan cheese, dried basil, and red pepper flakes. Stir continuously until cheese melts completely and sauce thickens, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
06 - Add fresh baby spinach to the skillet and cook until completely wilted, about 2 minutes, stirring gently.
07 - Return seared chicken breasts to the skillet and spoon sauce over the top. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to heat the chicken through.
08 - Transfer chicken and sauce to serving plates. Top with fresh basil leaves and additional Parmesan cheese before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely ready in under forty minutes but tastes like it simmered for hours.
  • Everything happens in one skillet, which means fewer dishes and more time enjoying the meal.
  • The creamy sauce is rich without being heavy, and the spinach sneaks in a healthy vegetable without anyone noticing.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and flexible enough to adapt to whatever you have on hand.
02 -
  • Don't skip the drying step on the chicken—I learned this lesson the expensive way when my expensive chicken came out pale and sad instead of golden and gorgeous.
  • The spinach will seem to take up most of your skillet, but trust that it collapses down almost instantly once it hits the warm sauce.
  • If your sauce seems too thick at the end, a splash of broth loosens it right back up; if it's too thin, simmer uncovered for another minute and it will thicken.
03 -
  • If you're cooking for guests, you can sear the chicken ahead and make the sauce while everyone arrives; it actually reheats beautifully and gives you less to juggle.
  • The skillet you use matters—a wider, shallow one helps the sauce reduce faster and gives you more surface area for that crucial golden sear on the chicken.
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