This creamy Tuscan chicken is going to be your new weeknight hero. The tender chicken swimming in a rich, garlicky sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach basically makes itself, and your family will think you spent hours in the kitchen.
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While I’m sure that we would all love to be able to pack our bags and jet across the ocean to Italy, it’s never as simple as that. Work, schedules, family, and money, all play a huge role in our travel plans. So chances are, we don’t have any travel-filled adventures planned anytime soon.
But here's the good news - this recipe brings all those warm, comforting flavors of a Tuscan trattoria right to your kitchen. It's the kind of dish that makes you feel like you're on vacation, even when you're just at your dining room table on a regular Tuesday night.
Why You Will Love Making Creamy Tuscan Chicken
- Rich & Creamy: Combining chicken stock, heavy cream, and white wine to give you a rich and creamy Tuscan chicken dish that is sure to be a favorite at the dinner table. Not a big fan of white wine? That’s okay because it’s completely optional.
- One-Pan Meal: Being able to cook this dish from start to finish in one pan is an additional benefit. Not only are you saving hundreds of dollars by not buying a plane ticket, but you’re also saving yourself from needing to clean a ton of dishes!
- Flavor Packed: Sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and Italian herbs create layers of authentic Tuscan flavors that blend perfectly with the tender chicken and creamy sauce.
- Quick Prep: From pan to table in about 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights while still delivering restaurant-quality results.
- Family Friendly: The creamy sauce and mild seasonings appeal to both adults and picky eaters, while still being sophisticated enough for dinner parties.
🍲 People call me the creamy chicken noodle soup lady because somehow, no matter what kind of day it is, that stuff just fixes everything!
Recipe Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Chicken breasts
- Basil
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic cloves
- White wine — optional
- Heavy cream
- Chicken broth
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Spinach — fresh
- Parsley
For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.
Popular Substitutions And Variations
Protein Substitutions: Use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts for a juicier and more flavorful result. Thighs are less prone to drying out during cooking.
You can also replace chicken with shrimp or salmon for a seafood variation. Adjust cooking times to ensure the seafood is cooked through without overcooking.
Vegetable Variations: If desired, you can swap out the spinach for kale. The green color from both leafy greens will look incredible in this dish and the flavor change is minor.
You can also add marinated artichoke hearts for a tangy, briny flavor that complements the sun-dried tomatoes.
Alcohol-Free Option: Substitute white wine with an equal amount of chicken broth or a splash of white wine vinegar mixed with broth. This will provide a similar tangy depth without the alcohol.
How to Make Creamy Garlic Tuscan Chicken
- Add your olive oil to a saucepan over medium-high heat.
- In a small bowl combine the basil, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle over the top of your chicken.
- Place the chicken into the heated pan and brown it well on both sides.
- Add in the garlic and wine. Allow the liquid to simmer until it has almost completely been reduced.
- Add in the broth, cream, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes.
- Allow the sauce to simmer until it has slightly thickened and reduced. The chicken should be cooked through. This will take about 6-8 minutes.
- Add parsley for garnish and serve.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes. Drain the excess oil before adding them to the dish, as it can make the sauce too greasy. You may also reduce the amount of olive oil used at the beginning to balance the fat content.
If your sauce looks grainy or curdled, you likely added cold cream to a very hot pan. Always let your cream come to room temperature first, and when adding it to the pan, lower the heat and stir constantly. If it's already grainy, whisk in a tablespoon of warm cream to help re-emulsify the sauce
This dish is best served fresh, as reheating can cause the cream sauce to separate. If you must prep ahead, cook the chicken and keep it separate from the sauce ingredients. When ready to serve, rewarm the chicken gently and make the sauce fresh - it only takes about 10 minutes.
While you can substitute half & half, using regular milk isn't recommended as it will make the sauce too thin and prone to curdling. If you need a dairy-free option, full-fat coconut milk works surprisingly well while adding a subtle sweetness.
Expert Tips
- Perfect Chicken: Get a beautiful golden crust by patting your chicken breasts dry and letting them come to room temperature before cooking. Season generously with salt and pepper right before they hit the hot pan.
- Temperature Matters: When adding cream sauce ingredients, keep heat at medium-low and never let the sauce boil. Boiling can cause the sauce to break and become grainy.
- Sauce Consistency: For a silky-smooth sauce, be patient while reducing. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon – if it's too thin, simmer a bit longer; if too thick, whisk in a splash of warm chicken stock.
- Fresh vs Dried: While dried herbs work fine, fresh basil and parsley added at the end will elevate the dish's flavor profile and add a beautiful pop of color. Save some for garnishing!
- Make Ahead: If prepping components ahead, store chicken and sauce separately. Reheat chicken gently in the oven, and slowly warm the sauce on the stovetop, whisking occasionally to maintain its creamy texture.
How To Store Leftovers
Store any leftover creamy garlic tuscan chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When reheating, do so gently over low heat on the stovetop, adding a splash of cream or chicken stock if the sauce becomes too thick.
You can also warm it in the microwave at 50% power in short intervals, stirring between each interval to prevent the sauce from separating.
While you can freeze this dish, be aware that cream-based sauces may change in texture when thawed. If you plan to freeze, store for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
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The Best Creamy Tuscan Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- Thermoworks MK4 Thermapen
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 chicken breasts (large, sliced lengthwise)
- 2 teaspoon basil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- ¼ cup white wine (optional)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- 4 ounces sun-dried tomatoes (half of a jar)
- 1 cup spinach (or kale)
- 1 teaspoon parsley
Instructions
- Heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Combine basil, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle over chicken.
- Brown chicken on both sides.
- Add garlic and wine. Let simmer until reduced almost completely.
- Add broth, cream, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes.
- Simmer until slightly thickened and reduced and chicken is cooked through about 6-8 minutes.
- Garnish with parsley and serve.
Notes
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- You will not be cooking the chicken entirely at the browning steps. You will simply be searing in the juices and creating a nice crust on the breasts. The remainder of the chicken will be fully cooked through as it simmers in the sauce in the pan.
- After browning the chicken, use white wine or broth to deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits (fond) from the bottom.
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- Different sized chicken breasts may cook at different speeds so the cooking time in this recipe is approximate and may vary. Smaller chicken cuts (like tenders) will cook much quicker than larger ones.
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- If necessary, trim your chicken breasts so that they are more even in size so that they can cook evenly.
Joyce
Could you tell me if the nutritional facts are based on per serving or the whole dish?
Alli
The nutritional facts are based per serving, you can check the servings in the recipe card to get more clarity 🙂
Curtis
This was amazing. I used some apple juice instead of wine and it turned out fantastic. Do you add the parsley to garnish the dish? I didn’t see in the directions the where parsley came in.
Alli
So glad you liked it, Curtis! Thanks for pointing that out, I've updated the recipe card. I just garnish with the parsley at the end.
Alli
Such a flavorful dish!