Creamy Tuscan chicken
Golden chicken breasts are pan-seared, then finished in a garlicky cream sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, Parmesan, and a squeeze of lemon. This version serves 2 as a full dinner and keeps the technique close to the classic skillet method: browning first, then building the sauce in the same pan so the fond seasons every bite.
Estimated calories and US ingredient costs.
This recipe is best cooked in a 12-inch skillet for 2 servings. If you double it, use a very large skillet or cook in two batches so the chicken browns instead of steams. For nutrition, the flour coating and pan fat are counted as consumed in the finished dish, but the exact amount absorbed will vary depending on how much flour is shaken off and how much fat remains in the pan, so the kcal are an approximation.
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Ingredients, steps and a live timeline. Ready for 2 people.
Step timeline
Cooking order
9 leftSeason and lightly dredge the chicken
~4 minSeason and lightly dredge the chicken.
Pat the 12 oz boneless skinless chicken breasts dry and season both sides with 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
Sprinkle the 2 tbsp all-purpose flour over both pieces and press it on lightly so it forms a thin coating.
Shake off any excess; the goal is a light crust that helps the sauce cling without turning pasty.
Ingredients
- 12 ozBoneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 tspKosher salt
- 1/4 tspBlack pepper
- 2 tbspAll-purpose flour
Sear the chicken until well browned
~10 minSear the chicken until well browned.
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp unsalted butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
When the butter foams, add the chicken and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes per side until deeply golden on the outside.
Move the chicken to a plate.
It will finish cooking in the sauce, so do not worry if the center is still a little underdone at this point.
Ingredients
- 12 oz total for recipeBoneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tbspOlive oil
- 1 tbspUnsalted butter
Build the garlic and wine base
~3 minBuild the garlic and wine base.
Reduce the heat to medium.
Add 2 tsp minced garlic to the skillet and stir for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
Pour in 1/3 cup dry white wine and scrape up the browned bits from the pan with a wooden spoon.
Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until the wine is reduced by about half and the sharp alcohol smell has cooked off.
Ingredients
- 2 tspGarlic
- 1/3 cupDry white wine
Make the creamy Tuscan sauce
~4 minMake the creamy Tuscan sauce.
Add 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, and 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced.
Stir and simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes, whisking once or twice, until the sauce looks smooth and lightly thickened.
If it gets too thick before the chicken is done, loosen it with a splash more broth.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cupLow-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cupHeavy cream
- 1/4 cupParmesan cheese
- 1/3 cupSun-dried tomatoes in oil
Wilt the spinach
~1 minWilt the spinach.
Add 2 cups baby spinach in handfuls and stir until it softens and turns glossy, about 1 minute.
Taste the sauce only for seasoning balance, then keep the heat at a gentle simmer so the dairy does not break.
The spinach should be just wilted, not cooked down to a dull olive color.
Ingredients
- 2 cupsBaby spinach
Finish cooking the chicken in the sauce
~6 minFinish cooking the chicken in the sauce.
Return the chicken and any juices to the skillet, nestling the pieces into the sauce.
Spoon sauce over the top, cover loosely, and cook over medium-low heat for 4 to 6 minutes, turning once if needed, until the chicken reaches 165 F in the thickest part.
The sauce should cling to the spoon and coat the chicken rather than run thinly off it.
Rest and serve
~120 min cookRest
Take the skillet off the heat and let the chicken rest in the sauce for 5 minutes so the juices settle.
Stir in 1 tsp lemon juice and sprinkle with 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil.
Chill leftovers within 2 hours.
Ingredients
- 1 tspLemon juice
- 1 tbspFresh basil
Check chicken
After ~120 minCheck Creamy Tuscan chicken and continue when ready.
Serve meal
~1 minOnce all dishes are cooked and ready, plate and serve the meal together.
Creamy Tuscan chicken: serve.
Creamy Tuscan chicken: Serve the chicken hot, spooning plenty of sauce, tomatoes, and spinach over each portion.
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Ingredients
For 2 people
- 12 oz boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
Method
- Season and lightly dredge the chickenPat the 12 oz boneless skinless chicken breasts dry and season both sides with 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Sprinkle the 2 tbsp all-purpose flour over both pieces and press it on lightly so it forms a thin coating. Shake off any excess; the goal is a light crust that helps the sauce cling without turning pasty.
- Sear the chicken until well brownedHeat 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp unsalted butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter foams, add the chicken and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes per side until deeply golden on the outside. Move the chicken to a plate. It will finish cooking in the sauce, so do not worry if the center is still a little underdone at this point.
- Build the garlic and wine baseReduce the heat to medium. Add 2 tsp minced garlic to the skillet and stir for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Pour in 1/3 cup dry white wine and scrape up the browned bits from the pan with a wooden spoon. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until the wine is reduced by about half and the sharp alcohol smell has cooked off.
- Make the creamy Tuscan sauceAdd 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, and 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced. Stir and simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes, whisking once or twice, until the sauce looks smooth and lightly thickened. If it gets too thick before the chicken is done, loosen it with a splash more broth.
- Wilt the spinachAdd 2 cups baby spinach in handfuls and stir until it softens and turns glossy, about 1 minute. Taste the sauce only for seasoning balance, then keep the heat at a gentle simmer so the dairy does not break. The spinach should be just wilted, not cooked down to a dull olive color.
- Finish cooking the chicken in the sauceReturn the chicken and any juices to the skillet, nestling the pieces into the sauce. Spoon sauce over the top, cover loosely, and cook over medium-low heat for 4 to 6 minutes, turning once if needed, until the chicken reaches 165 F in the thickest part. The sauce should cling to the spoon and coat the chicken rather than run thinly off it.
- Rest and serveTake the skillet off the heat and let the chicken rest in the sauce for 5 minutes so the juices settle. Stir in 1 tsp lemon juice and sprinkle with 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil. Serve the chicken hot, spooning plenty of sauce, tomatoes, and spinach over each portion. Chill leftovers within 2 hours.
Before you cook
What to get ready
Wide skillet or the recipe's grill pan, tongs, separate raw-meat prep board and thermometer.
Drain sun-dried tomatoes and grate Parmesan before searing uniform chicken pieces.
If something needs adjusting
Cream sauce splits
Keep it at a gentle simmer, add cheese gradually and avoid prolonged boiling after lemon is added.
Chicken cooks unevenly
Keep pieces a similar thickness and check the thickest part of each portion reaches 165°F. Remove finished pieces while thicker ones continue.
Store for later
Refrigerate chicken promptly in shallow portions. Reheat to 165°F, adding a little water to any sauce to keep it from drying out.
Refrigerate perishables within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F. Keep the fridge at 40°F or below; use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days. USDA storage and reheating guidance.
Make the ingredients go further
Use extra cream and spinach in a small pasta dish.
Next use for your ingredients: Salmon pasta with peas →
Calculate this meal with your own prices →
How to Pan Sear Chicken Breast →
Cooking notes updated October 24, 2026. How we create recipes.
Tips, swaps and questions
A little kitchen know-how
For the best texture, keep the cream sauce at a lazy simmer after it is combined. A hard boil can make the dairy separate and can also over-reduce the sauce before the chicken is done. If your chicken breasts are very thick, slice them horizontally first so the sear and the finishing time stay even. Store leftovers in the refrigerator within 2 hours.
Make it work for you
If you want a sharper, lighter sauce, replace the white wine with an equal amount of extra chicken broth plus 1 extra teaspoon lemon juice at the end. For a richer but slightly sweeter result, use jarred roasted red peppers in place of the sun-dried tomatoes, but add them near the end so they do not overcook and lose their shape.
Use more of your butter and garlic in pasta with bacon and peas.
Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?
Yes. Boneless skinless thighs work well in this skillet sauce and stay juicy, but they usually need a little longer to reach 165 F. Sear them a minute or two longer per side if needed, then finish gently in the sauce over medium-low heat. Keep the sauce at a simmer, not a boil, so the thighs cook through without the cream splitting.
Times are estimates. Check ingredients for allergens. For safe temperatures and storage, see FoodSafety.gov.