This creamy Tuscan chicken is rich, savory, and packed with flavor. Tender chicken breast is seared until golden, then finished in a creamy Parmesan sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and fresh spinach.
Everything comes together in one pot for a comforting dinner that feels special without being complicated. Serve it with pasta, mashed potatoes, rice, or crusty bread to soak up every bit of that creamy sauce.
Why You’ll Love This Creamy Tuscan Chicken
- Rich and creamy – Heavy cream and Parmesan create a smooth, flavorful sauce.
- Tender, juicy chicken – Slicing the chicken breasts horizontally helps them cook more quickly and evenly.
- Packed with flavor – Sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning, and Parmesan give the sauce plenty of depth.
- One-pot recipe – The chicken and sauce are prepared in the same pot, which means less cleanup.
- Easy to serve – Pair it with pasta, potatoes, rice, vegetables, or bread.
Watch How To Make This Recipe
Watch how I make this step-by-step in the video above.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Chicken
2–3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Slice each chicken breast horizontally into thinner cutlets for quicker, more even cooking.
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Garlic powder, to taste
Italian seasoning, to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
For the Creamy Tuscan Sauce
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, lightly drained and chopped
For the best flavor, use jarred sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil. Sun-dried tomatoes packed with Italian herbs are especially good in this recipe because the seasoned oil gives the tomatoes additional flavor.
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup fresh spinach
½ cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning, to taste
How to Make Creamy Tuscan Chicken
Step 1: Prepare the chicken
Slice the chicken breasts horizontally through the center to create thinner pieces.
If necessary, gently pound any especially thick areas with a meat mallet so the chicken is relatively even in thickness.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
Season both sides with salt, black pepper and garlic powder. Gently press the seasonings into the chicken so they adhere well.
Step 2: Sear the chicken
Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is hot, add the chicken in a single layer. Avoid overcrowding the pan; cook in batches if necessary.
Sear the chicken until nicely browned on the first side, then flip and brown the other side.
The chicken does not have to reach 165°F during this initial sear because it will finish cooking in the sauce.
Transfer the browned chicken to a clean plate and set aside.
Step 3: Sauté the sun-dried tomatoes
Reduce the heat to medium.
Add the ½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes to the same pot and sauté for about 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
This helps release their flavor into the oil left in the pan.
Step 4: Add the garlic
Add 2 cloves minced garlic.
Cook for approximately 30 seconds, stirring frequently, just until fragrant.
Be careful not to let the garlic burn.
Step 5: Wilt the spinach
Add 1 cup fresh spinach and cook briefly, stirring until the spinach begins to wilt.
It will reduce considerably as it cooks.
Step 6: Deglaze the pan
Pour in ½ cup chicken broth.
Use a wooden spoon or spatula to gently scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Those browned bits contain a lot of flavor and will become part of the sauce.
Step 7: Make the cream sauce
Reduce the heat to medium-low.
Pour in 1 cup heavy cream, then add ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese.
Stir until the Parmesan melts into the cream and the sauce becomes smooth and creamy.
Season the sauce to taste with salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning.
Step 8: Return the chicken to the pot
Return the seared chicken and any accumulated juices from the plate to the sauce.
Spoon some of the sauce over the chicken.
Reduce the heat and allow everything to gently simmer until the chicken is completely cooked and the thickest part reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Remove from the heat and serve the chicken with plenty of creamy Tuscan sauce spooned over the top.
Tips for the Best Tuscan Chicken
Slice thick chicken breasts in half
Chicken breasts can vary dramatically in thickness. Slicing them horizontally creates thinner cutlets that cook more quickly and evenly.
Alternatively, place the chicken between sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper and gently pound it to an even thickness with a meat mallet.
Don’t burn the garlic
Garlic cooks very quickly. Add it after the sun-dried tomatoes and cook only until fragrant before continuing with the recipe.
Use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
For this recipe, jarred sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil provide better flavor and texture than dry-packed tomatoes. Sun-dried tomatoes packed with Italian herbs are especially flavorful.
Don’t throw away those browned bits
After searing the chicken, you’ll likely see browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Deglazing with chicken broth loosens them and incorporates that flavor into the sauce.
Keep the cream sauce at a gentle simmer
Once the heavy cream and Parmesan have been added, avoid aggressively boiling the sauce. Lower heat allows the sauce to come together smoothly.
Check the chicken with a thermometer
Chicken breast should reach 165°F in the thickest part before serving.
What to Serve With Tuscan Chicken
Creamy Tuscan chicken pairs beautifully with:
- Pasta
- Mashed potatoes
- Rice
- Roasted potatoes
- Steamed or roasted vegetables
- Garlic bread
- Crusty bread
Pasta is especially good because it gives you something to toss with all that creamy Parmesan sauce.
Can I Use Chicken Thighs?
Yes. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can also work well in this recipe.
Cooking time will vary depending on their thickness, so use the internal temperature rather than relying strictly on cooking time.
Can I Make the Sauce Thicker?
Yes. Allow the sauce to gently simmer uncovered for a few additional minutes to reduce and thicken naturally.
Keep in mind that the sauce will also thicken somewhat as it cools.
Storage
Allow leftovers to cool and transfer them to an airtight container.
Refrigerate promptly and use within 3–4 days.
How to Reheat
For the best texture, reheat Tuscan chicken gently in a skillet over low to medium-low heat until heated through.
If the sauce has become very thick in the refrigerator, add a small splash of chicken broth or cream while reheating.
Avoid aggressively boiling the sauce while reheating.
Creamy Tuscan Chicken
Ingredients
Method
- Slice the chicken breasts horizontally into thinner cutlets. Pat dry and season both sides with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning to taste.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear on both sides until nicely browned. Transfer to a clean plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and sauté for about 1 minute.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
- Add the spinach and cook until it begins to wilt.
- Pour in the chicken broth and scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen the flavorful browned bits.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the heavy cream and Parmesan and stir until combined and smooth. Season with salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning to taste.
- Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan. Spoon the sauce over the chicken.
- Gently simmer until the chicken reaches 165°F internally in its thickest portion.
- Remove from the heat and serve with the creamy sauce spooned over the chicken.
Video
Notes
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Did you make this Tuscan Chicken recipe? Leave a star rating below and let me know how it turned out!