This Creamy Tuscan Chicken is the kind of dinner that makes everyone reach for seconds — tender, golden-seared chicken breasts tucked into a rich, velvety sun-dried tomato sauce with wilted spinach and a blanket of melted mozzarella. It tastes like an Italian restaurant night, but the whole thing comes together in one skillet in under 40 minutes. Serve it over pasta, rice, or with crusty bread to soak up every drop of that sauce.
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- Season the chicken: Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Rub all over with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and paprika.
- Sear until golden: Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 4–5 minutes per side until deeply golden. Transfer to a plate (it will finish cooking in the sauce).
- Build the sauce base: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter, then sauté the minced garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 1 minute.
- Make it creamy: Pour in the heavy cream and chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, then whisk in the Parmesan until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened.
- Wilt the spinach: Add the baby spinach in handfuls, stirring until it wilts into the sauce, about 2 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- Return the chicken: Nestle the seared chicken breasts back into the sauce, spooning sauce over the top. Sprinkle the mozzarella evenly over each piece.
- Melt and finish: Cover the skillet and cook on low for 5–7 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) internally and the mozzarella is fully melted and bubbly. For a golden top, broil 1–2 minutes instead.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve hot over pasta, rice, or with warm crusty bread.
Pro tip: Use a heavy-bottomed, oven-safe skillet so you can finish under the broiler — that 90 seconds of broiler time turns the mozzarella topping golden and blistered like a restaurant dish. And grate the Parmesan fresh; pre-shredded cheese won’t melt as smoothly into the sauce.
Estimated nutrition per serving: 420 calories, 43g protein, 12g carbs, 23g fat.
