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Creamy Tuscan Chicken combines tender boneless chicken with sun dried tomatoes, spinach and prosciutto in a luxurious cream sauce.
This Creamy Tuscan Chicken is so good – you might be tempted to lick your plate clean so you can enjoy every drop of that luscious cream sauce!
And with each bite of super tender, boneless chicken breast medallions, sun dried tomatoes, spinach and other vegetables – you’ll be transported to Italy!
This Creamy Tuscan Chicken is definitely a great menu option for a special dinner party. After a bit of prep (mostly chopping and measuring ingredients) it cooks up quickly – so you could include this dish in your weeknight dinner rotation too.
We served our Tuscan chicken over rice – but it would be delicious over pasta or mashed potatoes.
Why You’ll Love Tuscan Chicken
- It’s a fantastic way to cook with boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
- All of the delicious flavors in this dish are lip-smacking good!
- You can do most of the prep ahead of time – then have a delicious meal on the table in just twenty minutes.
Key ingredients and Substitutions
- Chicken – Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You could also make this dish with turkey breast meat too.
- Onion – Choose sweet onions such as Vidalia for the best results. Yellow onion can be used as well, but it doesn’t have quite the same sweet taste to offset the other strong flavors in the sauce.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic, minced fine is the best for this recipe. (Jarred minced garlic can be used too if that’s what you have on hand, but you’ll want to mince it smaller than how it comes right out of the jar.)
- Tomatoes – This recipe uses both tomato paste, as well as drained sun dried tomatoes packed in oil. The oil from the sun dried tomatoes is discarded and you’ll cut the tomatoes up into small pieces.
- Prosciutto – Ask for thinly-sliced, imported prosciutto at the deli counter. A small amount adds salty flavor and some texture to this dish.
- Dairy – You’ll include heavy cream, cream cheese and Parmesan cheese in the sauce.
- White wine and chicken stock – Liquids that are also used in the sauce. Although the alcohol in the sauce simmers off, if you prefer, you can deglaze the pan with chicken stock.
- Spinach – Baby spinach is delicious, plus it’s easier to work with – no need to trim the stems.
- Seasonings – Red pepper flakes, dried oregano, kosher salt and black pepper help season the sauce.
- All-Purpose Flour – This is used to thicken the sauce. If you want a lower carb option, you can use xantham gum.
Special supplies needed
- Large high-sided braiser or skillet
How do I make Creamy Tuscan Chicken?
- Prepare the chicken by trimming and butterflying the breasts, then cut each breast into six portions. Salt, pepper and flour both sides.
- Cook chicken in olive oil until browned on both sides. (It will finish cooking later in the recipe.) Remove to a plate and set aside.
- Cook chopped prosciutto in same pan, then add onions and garlic and cook to soften.
- Add tomato paste, sun dried tomatoes, red pepper flakes and oregano, then cook for two minutes. Add flour and cook for one more minute.
- Deglaze the pan with white wine then add chicken stock and heat back up to hot (but do not boil).
- Add heavy cream, cream cheese, spinach and Parmesan and cook just long enough to wilt the spinach.
- Add the chicken back to the pan, along with any juices collected as the chicken sat. Nestle the pieces in the sauce and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about two minutes.
- Serve over pasta, rice or mashed potatoes.
Chef’s Tip – If the cream sauce gets too thick, before you add the chicken back in, dilute with water, stock or cream. If it is too thin, simmer for a few minutes to thicken, then add chicken in. Avoid over cooking the chicken.
Frequently asked Questions
Can I make Creamy Tuscan Chicken ahead of time? Yes, the entire dish can be made ahead of time and reheated. Or, do all of the chopping and measuring ahead of time – then cook just before serving.
How do I store leftovers? Store covered in the refrigerator for up to three days.
How do I reheat leftovers? Reheat individual portions in the microwave or reheat over medium heat in a sauté pan.
You may like these other Tuscan-inspired recipes:
- (Better Than Olive Garden) Zuppa Toscana
- Tuscan Sausage and Bean Dip
- Tuscan Roasted Potatoes
- Creamed Tuscan Kale
- Tuscan Stuffed Mushrooms
We love seeing what you made! Tag us on Instagram at @afamilyfeast or hashtag #afamilyfeast so we can see your creations!
Creamy Tuscan Chicken
Ingredients
3 eight-ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts (1 1/2 pounds total)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/4 pound sliced prosciutto, diced into quarter inch pieces
8 ounces sweet onion, cut in half top to bottom then cut into half-circle pieces along the grain
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced fine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, oil drained and discarded, and tomatoes cut into quarter-inch pieces
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Large pinch red pepper flakes
1/4 cup white wine, such as chardonnay
1 14.5-ounce can low sodium chicken stock (or 1 1/2 cups homemade chicken stock)
1/4 cup cream cheese
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
4 ounces baby spinach
Cooked rice, pasta or mashed potatoes, to serve with this dish
Instructions
Trim the chicken of all visible fat and sinew from all three breasts. Butterfly each breast (see tutorial here).
Cut each butterflied breast in half yielding six pieces.
Lay the pieces on your cutting board and sprinkle on the salt and pepper over both sides.
Measure two tablespoons of the flour into a sifter or strainer and gently sprinkle flour over both sides. You don’t need to fully coat the pieces, just a light coating.
Heat a large braiser or large high-sided skillet and add four tablespoons of the oil over medium to medium-high heat.
Once hot, cook the chicken for 1-2 minutes per side just to lightly brown, then remove. The chicken will not be fully cooked at this step. (If your pan cannot accommodate all six pieces at once without the pieces touching each other, cook in two batches)
Add the remaining two tablespoons of the oil and once hot, add the prosciutto and cook for two minutes to slightly crispy.
Keep the prosciutto in the pan, reduce to medium heat, and add the onions and cook three minutes.
Add the garlic and cook one minute.
Add the tomato paste, sun dried tomatoes, oregano and pepper flakes and cook and stir for two minutes.
Add the remaining three tablespoons of flour and stir to combine and cook one minute.
Add the wine to deglaze then add the stock, cream cheese and heavy cream and stir to combine.
Add the Parmesan cheese and the baby spinach and cook until the spinach has wilted.
At this point, check the sauce consistency. If the sauce is too thick, before you add the chicken back in, dilute with water, stock or cream. If not thick enough, cook down for a few minutes to thicken and then add the chicken in. Avoid over cooking the chicken.
Simmer over medium heat just until the chicken is cooked through, two minutes or less.
Serve over rice, pasta or mashed potatoes.
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