My one-pan Tuscan chicken is the ultimate comfort food! I make it all in one skillet so it’s easy to make and easy to clean up!
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My Creamy Tuscan Chicken Recipe
The first time I made Tuscan chicken, I was aiming for a comforting dish that wasn’t too heavy without too much work.
I decided to make it all in one pan because I just didn’t want to spend the night doing dishes and it worked out wonderfully. Why make more dishes when I don’t have to?
My husband and kids came in from playing outside for dinner and my son literally stopped in his tracks and said, “Mommy, that smells so gooooood!”
That’s always music to my ears because I know my kids will eat what we’re eating, and I don’t have to make a second dinner.
I hadn’t heard the dinner table so quiet in a long time. Between the tuscan chicken and mashed potatoes, we all had our mouths full!
And, if you love a good chicken recipe, try my recipes for chicken spaghetti, lemon chicken, baked chicken tenders, air fryer chicken legs, buffalo chicken wrap, and a whole chicken.
What is Tuscan Chicken?
Creamy Tuscan chicken is an Italian-inspired dish featuring chicken breasts smothered in a rich sauce with Parmesan, sun dried tomatoes, and spinach. It’s some seriously delicious comfort food!
Most Tuscan chicken recipes, like my recipe, use chicken breasts. I like to halve mine so they cook evenly.
Tuscan Chicken Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken breasts — chicken cutlets work great too since I cut mine in half anyway
- Sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper
- Paprika
- Onion
- Garlic
- Parmesan cheese — I use the grated kind for this recipe, but shredded tastes great too
- Baby spinach
- Cherry tomatoes — grape tomatoes work in a pinch
- Heavy whipping cream
How to Make Tuscan Chicken
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
STEP ONE: Season the halved skinless chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper.
STEP TWO: Heat 2 tablespoons of the reserved sun-dried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
STEP THREE: Cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the cooked chicken from the skillet and set it aside.
STEP FOUR: In the same skillet, add the diced onion and cook it for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
STEP FIVE: Add the drained sun-dried tomatoes and cherry tomatoes to the skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the cherry tomatoes start to soften.
STEP SIX: Pour in the heavy whipping cream and add the Italian seasoning and paprika. Stir to combine and bring the sauce to a simmer. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken.
STEP SEVEN: Reduce heat to low and then stir in the Parmesan cheese until it melts. Add the baby spinach to the sauce and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes.
STEP EIGHT: Return the chicken to the skillet and spoon the cream sauce over it. Simmer for 2-3 minutes over medium heat to reheat the chicken and allow the flavors to meld.
Tips for an Easy Creamy Tuscan Chicken
- Slice the chicken breasts evenly so the cutlets all cook at the same rate and stay tender. I’ve even bought chicken cutlets when I can to make this step easier.
- Use the reserved oil from the sun-dried tomatoes to infuse the chicken with extra flavor. I love using ingredients I already have to add more flavor like this.
- Keep the sauce on medium-low heat after simmering to ensure it stays creamy and smooth.
- Add the spinach at the end of cooking so it gets perfectly wilted. I’ve added it too soon and it just looks limp.
- Let the Tuscan chicken rest before serving to let the flavors meld. I find this lets the sauce thicken a little so it’s extra rich!
Chicken Tuscan Variations and Substitutions
- Use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts for an even richer dish. I’ve done this in the past when it’s what I had on hand.
- Try kale or arugula instead of spinach. I love how arugula adds a little bit of peppery flavor to Tuscan chicken recipes!
- Use Asiago or Pecorino cheese to give the dish a sharper, deeper cheese flavor.
- Add a splash of white wine to the sauce for an added depth of flavor. I like this trick when I’m cooking for guests.
- Sprinkle in red pepper flakes to give the dish a nice little kick. I’ve also added them after plating the dish so the kids’ dishes wouldn’t be spicy.
What to Serve with Tuscan Chicken
My family is all about the comfort in chicken Tuscan, so I usually serve it with some easy biscuits or garlic bread. Either one is perfect for sopping up extra sauce! For veggies, my go-to’s are mashed potatoes and some roasted acorn squash in the colder months.
If I’m entertaining friends or family, classic caprese salad also goes beautifully with the Italian flavors.
Tuscan Chicken FAQs
How to store leftover Creamy Tuscan Chicken
I store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
I reheat it on low on the stove. If the sauce is too thick, I add a little heavy cream or even milk to thin it up.
More Easy Dinner Recipes
- London broil marinade
- Gouda mac and cheese
- 4 ingredient potato soup
- Shrimp fried rice
- Slow cooker pulled pork
- Baked chicken legs
- Chicken spaghetti
- Smothered pork chops
- Velveeta mac and cheese
- Air fryer chicken thighs
Creamy Tuscan Chicken
Equipment
- cast iron skillet or other stove-top skillet
Ingredients
- 2 large skinless chicken breasts halved horizontally to make 4 cutlets
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil drained (reserve 2 tablespoons oil)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 cup onion diced
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach washed
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Season the halved skinless chicken breasts on both sides with salt and black pepper.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the reserved sun-dried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side until they turn golden brown and are cooked through. Remove the cooked chicken from the skillet and set it aside.
- In the same skillet, add the diced onion and cook it for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the drained sun-dried tomatoes and cherry tomatoes to the skillet. Cook them for 2-3 minutes until the cherry tomatoes start to soften.
- Pour in the heavy whipping cream and add the Italian seasoning and paprika. Stir to combine and bring the sauce to a simmer. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken.
- Reduce heat to low and then stir in the Parmesan cheese until it melts. Add the baby spinach to the sauce and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes.
- Return the chicken to the skillet and spoon the cream sauce over it. Simmer for 2-3 minutes over medium heat to reheat the chicken and allow the flavors to meld.
- Let the dish cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Slice the chicken breasts evenly so the cutlets all cook at the same rate or buy chicken cutlets to use instead.
- Use the reserved oil from the sun-dried tomatoes to infuse the chicken with extra flavor.
- Keep the sauce on medium-low heat after simmering to ensure it stays creamy and smooth.
- Add the spinach at the end of cooking so it gets perfectly wilted.
- Let the Tuscan chicken rest before serving to let the flavors meld.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
- Reheat leftovers on low on the stove. If the sauce is too thick, add a little heavy cream or even milk to thin it up.
Nutrition
This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.
