Tuscan Chicken

This creamy Tuscan chicken recipe is one of my all-time favorites. Made with chicken breasts, it’s a quick and easy one-pot meal that’s ready to eat in just 30 minutes. I make mine with juicy cherry tomatoes, wilted spinach, and heavy cream, so it’s equal parts rich and fresh. My favorite way to serve this easy Tuscan chicken is over a bed of pasta. That way, none of that scrumptious sauce goes to waste!

Creamy Tuscan Chicken Recipe

I make my Tuscan chicken with spinach and cherry tomatoes so it tastes incredibly fresh and flavorful. I know many recipes (including my crockpot Tuscan chicken) use sun-dried tomatoes. And I’ve even experimented with roasted red peppers in my stuffed Tuscan chicken recipe. Both are delicious, but for this dish, I wanted to keep things simple with fresh tomatoes. I still bring plenty of umami flavor with Parmesan cheese, and the sauce is decadently creamy thanks to heavy cream.

Get the Most From Your Greens

Something fun I learned when researching for this easy Tuscan chicken recipe is that adding a splash of lemon juice helps your body better absorb the iron in spinach. I highly recommend fresh lemon juice over bottled because not only does it have health benefits, but it also brightens up the overall flavor of this dish. Win-win!

Creamy Tuscan Chicken (One Pot Recipe)

My easy Tuscan chicken recipe is made in one pan in just 30 minutes, with plenty of spinach and cherry tomatoes in a creamy lemon sauce.

Serves 4 people 1x2x3x

Ingredients

For the Chicken

• ▢1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (*)
• ▢½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ▢1 teaspoon dried oregano

For the Sauce

• ▢4 tablespoons unsalted butter (½ stick)
• ▢2 cups chicken broth
• ▢2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ▢1 medium yellow onion (chopped)
• ▢1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
• ▢3 cups fresh baby spinach
• ▢9 ounces cherry tomatoes (halved)
• ▢1 teaspoon lemon juice (**)
• ▢½ cup heavy cream
• ▢½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts then season with salt, pepper, and oregano. Cook the chicken for 8 minutes per side.1 tablespoon olive oil, 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon dried oregano
2. Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the skillet and set aside.
3. Add the butter and chicken broth to the skillet, and cook over medium heat until the butter is melted. Whisk in the flour. The sauce will begin to thicken.4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 cups chicken broth, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4. Add the onion and garlic, and cook for 1 minute. Then add the spinach, cherry tomatoes, and lemon juice, and cook for 1 more minute while the spinach begins to wilt.1 medium yellow onion, 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic, 3 cups fresh baby spinach, 9 ounces cherry tomatoes, 1 teaspoon lemon juice
5. Stir in the heavy cream and parmesan cheese.½ cup heavy cream, ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
6. Add the cooked chicken back to the skillet and reduce the temperature to low. Simmer for 15 minutes.
7. Chicken is done when internal temperature reaches 160℉. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving, and the temp will rise to 165℉.
8. Serve over pasta, rice, or by itself!

Notes

*Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be used instead. Just increase the cook time by a few minutes.

**I recommend using fresh-squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor.

Tips:

• Be sure to whisk your flour continuously to keep your sauce smooth and clump-free.

Storage: Store Tuscan chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days, or freeze for 3 months.

How to Make Tuscan Chicken Step by Step

Cook the Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, then season with ½ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of pepper, and 1 teaspoon of dried oregano. Cook the chicken for 8 minutes per side. Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the skillet and set it aside.

Make the Sauce: Add 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter and 2 cups of chicken broth to the skillet, and cook over medium heat until the butter is melted. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. The sauce will begin to thicken. Add 1 medium chopped yellow onion and 1 teaspoon of minced garlic, and cook for 1 minute. Then add 3 cups of baby spinach, 9 ounces of cherry tomatoes, and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, and cook 1 more minute while the spinach begins to wilt.

Add the Dairy: Stir in ½ cup of heavy cream and ½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese.

Simmer and Serve: Add cooked chicken breasts back to the skillet with the cream sauce, tomatoes, and spinach, and reduce the temperature to low. Simmer for 15 minutes. Serve over pasta, rice, or by itself!

How to Store and Reheat

Store leftover Tuscan chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through. I do not recommend freezing this dish, as the cream tends to separate once thawed.

Note: This recipe is one of those few exceptions on our site that has more than 10 ingredients. We try to keep things VERY easy around here, and limiting ingredients and time spent is one of our favorite ways. That being said, this recipe is too delicious to leave out of our recipe box! It’s an exception that is so flavorful and worth the extra ingredients if you have the time and resources to make it.