This creamy Tuscan Chicken pairs chicken breasts with mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh spinach, all in an irresistible cream sauce. Watch the video tutorial and see how easy it is.
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If you love one-pan chicken recipes like Chicken Madeira or Chicken Marsala, this Tuscan Chicken Recipe is sure to become a new favorite. We loved it so much that we now have a Tuscan Shrimp Recipe!
Tuscan Chicken Video Tutorial
Watch Natasha make Tuscan Chicken, then grab the ingredients below and give it a try for yourself. P.S. Here’s the Splatter Guard for sauteeing that I showed you in the video.
Easy Tuscan Chicken Recipe
Tuscan Chicken is a chicken dish that originated in the Tuscany region of Italy. It pairs a creamy Parmesan sauce with chicken breasts, spinach, mushrooms, and sun-dried tomatoes. It’s a restaurant-worthy dish you can make at home for a fraction of the cost. Here’s why you will love this recipe
- Simple – it’s an easy recipe for busy weeknights.
- Mouthwatering – The chicken is juicy and tender.
- Irresistible Sauce – It has a creamy, cheesy sauce that you’ll want to eat with a spoon.
- Versatile – You can pair it with so many different sides and salads.
We love easy chicken recipes from Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta to Chicken Lasagna. If you feel the same, then this Tuscan Chicken is a must-try.
Ingredients for Tuscan Chicken
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Chicken breasts – You’ll need two large boneless skinless chicken breasts; about 1 1/2 pounds total. Look for chicken breasts that are pale pink in color, with very little visible fat. To ensure they cook evenly, choose two chicken breasts that are similar in size.
- Garlic powder – dried garlic is perfect to season chicken so it doesn’t burn on the skillet
- Olive oil and Butter – this combination prevents the butter from burning
- Mushrooms – Use brown or white mushrooms. If you aren’t a fan of mushrooms, you can substitute drained and quartered artichoke hearts (not marinated) or fresh asparagus. Sauteed red peppers are also delicious here.
- Sun-dried tomatoes – buy them packed in oil for more flavor
- Green onion – chop the light and dark green parts. You can also use chives
- Garlic – fresh minced garlic will give your sauce the best flavor
- Heavy cream – or sub with regular whipping cream
- Parmesan cheese – Freshly shredded off the block is best, as it will melt into the sauce more smoothly
- Baby spinach – Baby spinach is preferable to “regular” or mature spinach, as it wilts in the sauce quickly. It also has a milder flavor, making it perfect for picky kids. You can substitute baby arugula if you prefer.
Pro Tip:
When cooking with acidic ingredients like sun-dried tomatoes, it’s important to use a non-reactive skillet. Avoid cast iron, aluminum, or copper, which reacts with acidic ingredients and can curdle the sauce. A ceramic, enamel-coated, or stainless steel skillet is a good option for this recipe.
How to Make Tuscan Chicken
- Cook the Chicken – Melt a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of olive oil in a non-reactive skillet set over medium heat. Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and garlic powder and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper; cook the chicken for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF on an instant-read thermometer. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board.
- Cook the Vegetables – Return the pan to medium heat and add another tablespoon of oil, along with the mushrooms. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the mushrooms are golden and the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, green onions, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and cook for another minute or until fragrant.
- Make the Cream Sauce – Stir the cream into the mushroom mixture, then sprinkle 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese over the top. Bring to a light boil, stirring frequently, then reduce to a simmer. Let the sauce simmer for about 2 minutes, or until it thickens slightly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Finish the Dish – Stir in the spinach until it wilts, then add the chicken back to the pan. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, then remove the pan from the heat and garnish with chives, if desired.
Pro Tip:
Use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken to make sure it’s safe to eat, but not over-cooked either. It should reach 165ºF, but not go much higher than this. Chicken that is cooked too long will be tough.
Common Questions
If you’d like, you can bake the chicken breasts in the oven, but the sauce will still need to be made on the stovetop. Once the chicken is done baking, add it to the skillet with the sauce, then serve.
If you have a skillet large enough to fit 4 large chicken breasts, you can double this recipe. The sauce will take a bit longer to thicken, but other than that, the recipe will be the same.
Yes, chicken thighs work great, and dark-meat chicken has great flavor. Be sure to trim the chicken thighs of extra fat before sauteeing. Cook chicken thighs to an internal temperature of over 175˚F for best results.
If you prefer a thinner sauce, you can add a splash of milk, or chicken broth to the sauce.
If you prefer to add a little spice, try crushed red pepper flakes and add them to taste.
What to Serve with Tuscan Chicken
We love to chop the cooked chicken before returning it to the skillet; this way, it will soak up the tomato Alfredo sauce. Serve this as a main dish paired with:
- Pasta – serve over fettuccini, spaghetti or your favorite noodles. Homemade Pasta is especially delicious. The sauce coats the noodles nicely just like with our Tuscan Shrimp Pasta Recipe.
- White rice or cauliflower rice
- Mashed potatoes (try it with our Garlic Mashed Potatoes or Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes)
- Quinoa is another great gluten-free option
Make-Ahead
While this recipe is best eaten the day it’s made, you’ll also be able to enjoy leftovers.
- To Refrigerate: Store Tuscan Chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: Tuscan Chicken can be frozen in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.
- To Reheat: If you’ve frozen the chicken, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat it in the microwave or in a skillet set over medium heat, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF.
We’re always looking for winning Chicken Breast Recipes and easy dinner ideas, and this recipe for Tuscan Chicken is definitely one of those dishes you’ll find yourself making again and again.
More Chicken Dinner Recipes to Try
If you love this Tuscan Chicken, then you won’t want to miss these chicken recipes:
- Chicken Parmesan
- Pizza Chicken
- Easy Popcorn Chicken Recipe
- Stuffed Chicken Breast
- Creamy Chicken Casserole
- Chicken Pot Pie Recipe
- Chicken Piccata Recipe
Tuscan Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts, halved (1 1/2 lbs)
- 1 tsp fine sea salt, divided, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 Tbsp light olive oil, divided
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 8 oz brown mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped
- 1/4 cup green onion, green parts, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, finely shredded
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
Instructions
- In a large non-reactive skillet over medium heat and melt in 1 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp olive oil. Season chicken all over with about 1/2 salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper and 1/2 tsp garlic powder. Add chicken to the hot skillet and sauté 3-5 minutes per side, or until cooked through to a safe internal temperature of 165 ̊F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Remove chicken from the pan and transfer to a cutting board to cool then slice chicken if desired.
- In the same pan over medium heat, add 1 Tbsp oil and sliced mushrooms, and sauté 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally until lightly golden and excess liquid has evaporated. Add chopped sun-dried tomatoes, green onion, minced garlic 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Sauté another 1 minute or until garlic is fragrant.
- Stir in cream and sprinkle 1/2 cup parmesan cheese over the top. Bring to a light boil, stirring frequently then reduce heat and simmer (2 minutes) until sauce is slightly thickened. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
- Add spinach and stir just until wilted. Add chicken back to the pan, and spoon warm sauce over it then remove from heat. Garnish with chives if desired.
Notes
- If you aren’t a fan of mushrooms, you can substitute drained and quartered artichoke hearts (not marinated) or fresh asparagus. Sauteed red peppers are also delicious here.
- If you like spicy chicken, add some crushed red pepper flakes – start with a pinch and add to taste.
- Chicken thighs work great here, but trim the extra fat before you sautee them. Chicken thighs are better when cooked to an internal temperature over 175˚F.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
WOW! My whole family loved it! It was easy to make and so delicious!
Thanks so much,
Natasha!
Lovely feedback, thanks for sharing!
The Tuscan chicken was amazing! My family loved it! I will definitely make this again. Thank You for sharing such wonderful recipes! I know that if it’s your recipe, it is full proof, the best!
That’s wonderful! I’m so glad it was enjoyed, Rebecca!
Made marsala chicken a few times and loved it–thank you. Natasha what do you think when making Chicken Marsala recipe and adding sun dried tomatoes after Marsala wine reduction and adding spinach at the end? I prefer more runny sauce in Marsala recipe as it is easier to drizzle over Jasmine rice as it uses less amount of heavy cream. Do you think it will be good or it is better off without it?
Thank you for all of your hard work. It is not just yummy food, it is memories for my kids for life. It is sitting down together and enjoying good food with as family. YOU making memories for us.
Hi Nikolai! Thank you!
I think it sounds great. I like using heavy cream, it adds to the flavor and creaminess of these dishes. If you experiment with it, let us know how it turns out.
Love this recipe! Only suggestion I would make, is to use more sun dried tomatoes! Obviously my own preference, I just love sun dried tomatoes. Also love how easy and quick this was to make!
Hi Mike! I’m happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe, thank you for the review.
Loved this, so delicious, meaty mushrooms, flavor was great, hubby liked it too. I served it over noodles. I used stainless skillet and did add 1/4cup of white wine to deglaze pan after adding the mushrooms. It did help to release the fondt. Thank you for quick, stove top recipe.
You’re very welcome, Joy! I’m so glad it was enjoyed.
This dish is absolutely amazing! My family raved about it. I have nothing else to say besides it’s perfection! A restaurant quality meal.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Lisa!
OMG!! This was fabulous! That sauce was so yummy! My husband didn’t even pick out the green onions, probably thought it was spinach! I added extra spinach to use up the package, otherwise made it as written. I bet it would taste good with other meat as well. Sooo yummy, thank you!!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Sandy! Thank you for your lovely review!
I just made this for our Sunday dinner, and it was absolutely wonderful.
I’m glad you enjoyed this, Peggy!
I love this recipe, but I made a couple of changes tonight. I added asparagus and red pepper flakes, and I substituted the spinach with fresh basil. OMG!!! Delicious.
Sounds delicious! Thanks a lot for sharing, glad you enjoyed it.
Can I use chicken thighs? I have 8 in my fridge from Trader Joe’s. I think it will be tasty. They are skin on, should I remove the skin?G
Hi Gayle! I have not tested it but one of my readers commented that it worked well with chicken thighs. 🙂
Absolutely delicious! Used arugula and my family said this was one of the best things I’ve ever made.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Maddie!
Amazingly flavorful. Delicious! I took the suggestion of slicing the chicken after it cooled and added it to the pan. I reserved some of the chicken because I find there just is never enough sauce for the quantity of meat, so I would increase the sauce ingredients by 1/3 more if using the full 1 1/2 pounds of chicken. I also like sauteing mushrooms in a dry sherry. I think that can add a nice flavor to this dish, but it is delicious as it is. Just a suggestion. I’m eating this now!!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Patty!
Delicious! Only had 1 cup of cream, but it was enough ❤️
Everyone loved it!
I’m glad you loved it!
This was delicious! That sauce! 😋
I used chives in place of green onion because I forgot to buy them. 😄
Finishing my evening making your buttercream for my mama’s birthday cake..
Appreciate you .. thx Natasha!
Aww, thank you, Kim! I enjoyed reading your comment and your great feedback! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I’ve cooked many of your recipes, & I think this may be my favorite! Thank you for all the detailed instructions, photos, and videos you provide. It’s given me confidence in cooking.
I’m giving this recipe a 5 star, because it introduced me to the thermometer (I’m a beginner) lol The chicken was very juicy & the ingredients of the sauce are some of my favorites (sun dried tomatoes mushrooms & garlic).
Thank you, Fabi for the wonderful feedback and review. I’m so glad you find my tools and instructions to be helpful!
Amazing recipe and perfect seasoning amounts! A great side for this dish is spaghetti aglio olio. It’s light and flavors pair well. This dish is even better as leftovers. Thanks for something else to add into the rotation!
Yum! Sounds like a delicious combo. Thank you for the wonderful feedback. So glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Can I use sun dried tomatoes that aren’t from a jar? I have Belle Sun Lucci California julienne cut sun dried tomatoes in a package
Hi Debbie, that should be fine.
looks wonderful i have to try this—saw sharkie chomping on the side of a skillet
I hope you love this recipe, Suzane! 🙂
This recipe looks fantastic. Can it be made ahead of time and reheated? What about frozen? Thanks!
Hi Margaret, Yes- see reheat instructions in the notes above.
The Tuscan Chicken turned out delicious tonight. We used the boneless skinless chicken thighs. We also used half and half instead of the heavy cream. Next time I will use 2 1/2 cups of half and half.. I used two cups tonight.
Hello Pam, good to know that you enjoyed the result! Thanks for your good comments and feedback.
Could I use fat free half and half in place of heavy cream? Trying to keep things as low fat as possible.
Hi Betty, I think that will also work. Please share with us how it goes if you do it as an experiment.