Tuscan Chicken
on Oct 26, 2021, Updated Jun 28, 2024
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Let me introduce you to a 30 minute skillet dish that rivals restaurant quality. Tuscan Chicken is made with sun dried tomatoes, parmesan, and baby spinach. It tastes so good served over rice or pasta.
Skillet meals have my heart. They are quick to whip up and the clean up is easy. Tuscan chicken is bursting with flavor. The creamy sauce paired with the sun dried tomatoes is simply divine.
You will be able to cook this meal from start to finish in under 30 minutes. That qualifies for a quick meal that tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen. Plus, everything is made in one skillet. Can you say dream dinner? I made this meal with chicken breast but you can swap out your protein with the same great results. It would also taste really great using shrimp or your favorite fish.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- This quick and easy recipe only takes 30 minutes and uses a lot of ingredients you may already have at home.
- This recipe is very versatile and can be served with various sides like pasta, zucchini noodles, roasted cauliflower, or rice, making it adaptable to different dietary preferences and occasions.
- You can prepare the chicken and spinach in advance, allowing for quicker assembly when you’re ready to cook, making this dish practical for busy weeknights or meal prepping.
Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken – I used breasts, halved horizontally so that you have 6-8 pieces of chicken
- Sun-dried Tomatoes – We will use the tomatoes and the oil for cooking
- Garlic – fresh and minced
- Dijon mustard
- Heavy cream
- Spinach – I used baby spinach
- Parmesan cheese – freshly grated
- Basil – fresh chopped
- Fettuccine
- Seasonings – Salt, ground black pepper, paprika, onion powder
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities
How to Make Tuscan Chicken
Step 1. Mix spices and season chicken. Cook in sun-dried tomato oil until golden and cooked through. Set aside.
Step 2. Prepare fettuccine according to package instructions.
Step 3. Cook garlic and mustard in sun-dried tomato oil. Add cream, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and Parmesan. Simmer and season.
Step 4. Add chicken back to the pan, heat through, and serve over pasta. Garnish with basil if desired.
Recipe FAQs
This is one of the most popular questions because no one wants to slice into an undercooked chicken breast. You will know when the chicken is done because the juices will run clear. If you want to be positive it is cooked, use a meat thermometer. The internal temperature of the chicken should be 165 degrees when properly cooked.
I’ve had my share of tough chicken and it’s the worst. One tip is to have your chicken at room temperature before cooking. If it is still cold, it won’t cook as evenly.
I prefer freshly grated parmesan cheese to the packaged shredded parmesan. The cheese that is already shredded has a coating of preservatives that keeps the cheese from melting and integrating into the sauce well. If you can, always buy the fresh parmesan cheese and then grate it yourself.
Expert Tips
- When cooking the chicken, let it sear without moving it too much to develop a nice golden crust. This enhances the flavor and texture of the chicken.
- Using the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes for cooking. It adds extra depth and a rich, tangy flavor to the dish.
- When whisking in the cream, scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. These bits add flavor and help thicken the sauce, creating a more robust and flavorful dish.
- Taste the sauce before serving and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. This ensures the flavors are balanced and to your liking.
How to Serve and Store Tuscan Chicken
Tuscan chicken would be delicious served over your favorite pasta, rice, zucchini noodles, roasted cauliflower, or mashed potatoes. You can add a side of vegetables or make a simple green salad and you are set.
Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The chicken and sauce will stay fresh for up to 3-4 days. For longer storage, place the cooled chicken and sauce in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. Label with the date and freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
More Chicken Recipes to Consider
Pasta Dishes
Creamy Chicken and Vegetable Baked Pasta
Soups, Stews & Chowders
White Chicken Chili
Chicken Recipes
Kung Pow Chicken
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review and share it on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!
Creamy Tuscan Chicken Fettuccini
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, halved horizontally so that you have 6-8 pieces of chicken
- 4 tablespoons reserved sun-dried tomato oil or olive oil, divided
For the Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 1 5- ounce jar sun-dried tomato strips in oil, drained (reserve 4 tablespoons of oil for cooking)
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup baby spinach, chopped
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped, for serving, optional
- 1 pound fettuccine
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the salt, black pepper, paprika, and onion powder. Stir to combine.
- Season both sides of each chicken breast with the seasoning mix you just made.
- In a large skillet or high-sided saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the reserved sun-dried tomato oil over medium to medium-high heat.
- When the oil is hot, add the chicken. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the side touching the pan has a nice golden color. (Don’t mess with it a lot — just let it sit and sear.) Flip the chicken over once, and let it cook on the second side for another 6 to 8 minutes, or until your chicken registers 165 degrees F. on an instant-read thermometer (you may need to work in batches if you pan isn’t large enough).
- While the chicken is cooking, cook the fettuccine according to package directions.
- Remove the chicken from the pan, and set aside.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil you reserved from the jar of dried tomatoes to the pan. Add the garlic and the mustard, and stir to combine. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Slowly whisk in the cream, scraping up any bits left on the bottom of the pan as you whisk.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. (If it’s really boiling away, reduce the heat a bit.) Simmer, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
- Add the baby spinach, remaining sundried tomatoes, and Parmesan, and stir to combine well.
- Give the sauce a taste, and add salt and pepper to taste (it’ll need some of both).
- Reduce the heat to low, and add the chicken and any juices that have accumulated on the plate back to the cream sauce. Stir to combine, and cook just until the chicken is heated through again.
- Remove from the heat, and serve with the cooked and drained pasta.
- Garnish with fresh chopped basil if you choose (it’s delicious, but I don’t always have fresh basil).
Notes
- New to oil packed sun-dried tomatoes? They are so good! Look for them near the pickles and olives (or near the canned vegetables like artichoke hearts OR by pasta sauce). And this recipe uses the whole jar so you won’t have to worry about figuring out what to do with leftovers. If you’d like them in smaller pieces, feel free to give them a good chop before adding to the pan.
- Not a mustard fan? No worries. It just adds a salty, briny element, and you won’t know that it’s mustard. Trust me on this one.
- SERVING SUGGESTIONS: This chicken and cream sauce is so great on pasta, but you could also serve it over zucchini noodles, roasted cauliflower, or even rice. The sauce and chicken really go well with lots of things.
- Use up the rest of the bag of spinach to make a sweet spinach salad with some green onions, sliced fresh fruit, nuts, and a poppy seed dressing.
- MEAL PREP: Feel free to cut and season the chicken and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days before using, and you can also chop and store the spinach in the fridge to prepare for this recipe.
This came together very easily and had great flavor!