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My creamy Tuscan chicken is always a showstopper, but it’s easy to make. It features juicy chicken breasts simmered with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach in a creamy sauce. Serve it over pasta for an elegant dinner.
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Juicy, creamy, and so elegant.
My family loves it when I make my famous Tuscan-inspired chicken. It’s up there with other Italian chicken favorites like chicken piccata and chicken Florentine.
It’s a delicious and elegant way to use up chicken breasts, and it’s all made in one skillet (thank you, minimal clean up!). I add spinach and sun-dried tomatoes to the creamy sauce to give it a little more balance, and it cooks up in under 15 minutes!
We typically enjoy it over pasta or couscous, but if you are watching your carbs, you can serve it over cauliflower rice or steamed veggies!
★★★★★ REVIEW
“I followed the recipe exactly as written. This was absolutely delicious! Even my husband, who’s not a huge fan of chicken, loved it. Bonus — it’s quick and easy!!” – Jodi
Key Ingredients
- Chicken breasts. I prefer skinless, boneless chicken breasts, but chicken thighs are also delicious. Just note that thighs take more time to cook.
- Olive oil. To pan-fry the chicken.
- Salt and black pepper. To taste.
- Flour. Optional, but helps the sauce stick to it once cooked.
- Tuscan cream sauce. My sauce calls for heavy cream (nothing light or low-fat, please!), chicken broth, half-and-half (or whole milk), garlic cloves, and Italian seasoning.
- Parmesan cheese. To thicken the sauce and add some cheesy goodness. If possible, I find freshly grated Parmesan is always best.
- Spinach. I used baby spinach, but mature spinach also works, though the latter will need to be washed, dried, and de-stemmed.
- Sun-dried tomatoes. Opt for the kind packed in oil (not water), as those have so much more flavor.
How to make creamy Tuscan chicken
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Step 1– Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, and dust with flour.
Step 2- Add oil to a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Step 3- Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, add half and half and cream and boil. Once boiling, stir the seasonings, cheese, and baby spinach until wilted.
Step 4- Reduce the heat to low, add the chicken and tomatoes, and simmer for 5-6 minutes or until thickened.
Tuscan chicken variations
- If you only have large chicken breasts, I suggest pounding them down or butterflying them so they cook quickly and completely.
- Make Tuscan chicken pasta. One of my favorite variations of this recipe is tossing it with one pound of cooked pasta (I prefer penne or farfalle). Just chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces so there’s some in every bite.
- Add more vegetables. Add onions and mushrooms to the pan after the chicken and sauté until tender and caramelized for more flavor.
Storage instructions
To store: Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
To freeze: Let the chicken cool, transfer it to an airtight container or freezer-safe bag, and freeze for up to six months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
To reheat: Reheat the chicken in a baking dish in a 350°F oven until warm, or microwave the chicken in 30-second intervals. Add a splash of broth if needed to thin out the sauce.
More elegant chicken dinners
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Creamy Tuscan Chicken
Video
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts skinless and boneless, 4-6 ounces each
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup half and half or whole milk
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 2 cups baby spinach loosely packed
- 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes packed in oil
Instructions
- Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and dust with flour.
- Add oil to a non-stick skillet and place over medium heat. Once hot, add the chicken breasts and cook for 4-5 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove the chicken.
- Add the chicken broth and bring it to a simmer. Once simmering, add the half-and-half and heavy cream and bring to a boil. Once boiling, stir in the Italian seasoning, parmesan cheese, and baby spinach until wilted.
- Reduce the heat to low, add the chicken and the sun-dried tomatoes and let everything simmer for 5-6 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
Notes
- You’ll know the chicken is fully cooked once it reaches an internal temperature of 165F. Don’t fret if it’s not fully there after the first sear- it will continue cooking once it’s added back to the pan.
- Instant Pot method: Season the chicken, then cook it in the pressure cooker on the Sauté setting until cooked. Add the remaining ingredients, seal, and pressure cook for 5 minutes at High Pressure. Let the steam release naturally for 10 minutes, then manually release the remaining pressure.
- Slow cooker method: Add all of the ingredients to a slow cooker and cook on Low for 6-8 hours or High for 3-4 hours.
Nutrition
Originally updated April 2023, updated and republished June 2025
Can you just advise me how can I make my own sun dried tomatoes? Cut them and put on hot Sun for days, months..?
Delicious would serve this on special occasions
Thanks, Carm!
Looks as really Italian dish. I want to try.
Absolutely delicious!
Thanks, Lynda!
I followed the recipe exactly as written. This was absolutely delicious! Even my husband, who’s not a huge fan of chicken, loved it. Bonus — it’s quick and easy!!
Made this tonight and wow! Tons of flavor. The kids didn’t even complain about the spinach.
Fantastic flavors. I did need to make a couple modifications and I hate when people do this. We are gluten free so I omitted the flour. Added lots of sautéed mushrooms because we love them.
What is 1/2 cup half and half in the recipe
A blend of half cream half milk