If you're looking for a winning chicken recipe, then this baked tuscan chicken is definitely one you should try. Juicy chicken breasts seasoned with Italian spices, then baked in the most delicious cream sauce filled with parmesan cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes and baby spinach.
This baked tuscan chicken is hearty, cheesy and loaded with so much flavor. Serve it over pasta or rice and make sure to have some good crusty bread to soak up all that creamy goodness.
Add some delicious sides and make it a full meal, with my Caesar Salad Dressing Without Anchovies and Easy Sourdough Garlic Bread.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Simple and fast- This is an easy recipe to throw together for busy weeknights.
- Sensational sauce- This sauce is creamy, cheesy and full of delicious flavor. So good you might want to lick the plate!
- Perfect for potlucks- This baked chicken travels well and is the perfect dish for a gathering.
- One-pot meal- You still get one hearty meal but without all the fuss and clean-up afterwards. Everything is cooked and finished baking inside one cast iron pan.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken breast- I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts in this recipe. But you can also use chicken thighs.
- Italian seasoning- You can find this at most supermarkets. If not, just make a mixture of dried herbs such as oregano, basil, thyme and rosemary.
- Garlic and onions- Fresh garlic is best. I use yellow onions but you can also use white onions or shallots.
- Red pepper flakes- I use just a pinch to add a bit of spice and depth to the sauce. You can add more or completely omit it.
- Heavy cream- This is what makes the sauce rich and creamy. It's labeled "heavy whipping cream" at your grocery store.
- Sun-dried tomatoes- I used jarred sun-dried tomatoes, packed in olive oil.
- White wine (optional)- I use Chardonnay. It doesn't need to be fancy, moderately priced between $8-$12.
- Spinach- I use baby spinach in this recipe and I really pack it my measuring cup since it does wilt down as it cooks. I add it towards the end of baking just to let it wilt.
- Artichokes- I know traditional tuscan chicken does not have artichokes but I love them and they taste so good with the other ingredients. Use canned artichoke hearts (packed in water, not oil).
Step By Step Instructions
STEP 1: Season and cook the chicken. Preheat oven to 375°. Season both sides of each chicken breast with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoon olive oil inside a large skillet or cast iron pan over medium-high heat.
When the oil is hot, add chicken breasts. Cook each side until lightly golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.
At this point, the chicken will still be raw inside. We will finish cooking the chicken inside the oven.
STEP 2: Sauté the onions and garlic. In the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, followed by the onions. Sauté until translucent, about 2 minutes. Then, stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook just until fragrant.
STEP 3: Deglaze the pan. Pour the wine into the pan. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up all the caramelized bits from the bottom. Cook until almost all of the wine is evaporated.
STEP 4: Finish the sauce. Add the heavy cream, parmesan cheese and sun-dried tomatoes. Stir until combined. Bring the sauce to a light simmer.
Then, place the chicken back inside the pan, along with the artichoke hearts.
STEP 5: Bake the chicken. Place the pan inside the oven and cook the chicken for 10 minutes. Then, stir in the spinach. The heat will automatically wilt the spinach. Add additional salt to the sauce, if needed.
Remove the pan from the oven and garnish the chicken with grated parmesan . Serve alongside pasta, mashed potatoes or rice.
Expert Tips
Dry the chicken with paper towels. This will help remove any excess liquid and allow the chicken to brown nicely inside the pan. Drying the chicken before seasoning will give us the best results.
Use the sun-dried tomato oil. To add even more flavor to this sauce, drizzle in a bit of the oil left in the jar when you sauté the onions and garlic. You can also spoon some on top once the chicken is baked.
Use a good quality parmesan cheese. I suggest hand grating the cheese rather than buying pre-packaged cheese. It really does make a difference in the overall flavor.
When you are finishing the sauce, make sure to let it simmer and not come to a full boil. If this happens, the fats will begin to separate and cause the sauce to break.
FAQ
The best sides dishes to serve with this dish are mashed potatoes, rice pilaf, risotto, pasta or garlic bread. For low carb options, serve it with a simple green salad, sautéed broccolini, or roasted asparagus.
Absolutely! If you are a fan of dark meat, prepare the chicken thighs in the same way you would the chicken breasts. Adjust the baking time incase the chicken thighs require additional time in the oven. To be safe, always use a thermometer to make sure the internal temperature is 165°.
I do not recommend freezing because the cream sauce can separate once it is frozen and thawed out.
Storage and Reheating
Store this baked tuscan chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Reheating
Although you can reheat this chicken inside the microwave, I think the best way to reheat this dish is over the stovetop. Place the chicken, along with the sauce inside a skillet. Add some chicken stock to help loosen up the sauce if it is too thick. Heat over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until completely warmed through.
More Recipes To Try
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📖 Recipe
Baked Tuscan Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 Chicken breast boneless, skinless
- 2 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 3 tablespoon Olive oil divided
- ½ cup Yellow onion finely chopped
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon Red pepper flakes
- ⅓ cup White wine
- ½ cup Sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, sliced thin
- 1 cup Artichoke hearts in water drained, halved
- 2 cups Baby spinach
- 1 ½ cups Heavy whipping cream
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°. Season both sides of each chicken breast with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoon olive oil inside a large skillet or cast iron pan over medium-high heat.
- When the oil is hot, add chicken breasts. Cook each side until lightly golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside. At this point, the chicken will still be raw inside. We will finish cooking the chicken inside the oven.
- In the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, followed by the onions. Sauté until translucent, about 2 minutes. Then, stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook just until fragrant.
- Pour the wine into the pan. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up all the caramelized bits from the bottom. Cook until almost all of the wine is evaporated.
- Add the heavy cream, parmesan cheese and sun-dried tomatoes. Stir until combined. Bring the sauce to a light simmer. Then, place the chicken back inside the pan, along with the artichoke hearts.
- Place the pan inside the oven and cook the chicken for 10 minutes. Then, stir in the spinach. The heat will automatically wilt the spinach. Add additional salt to the sauce, if needed.
- Remove the pan from the oven and garnish the chicken with grated parmesan cheese . Serve alongside pasta, mashed potatoes or rice.
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