Creamy Tuscan Chicken packed with spinach and sun dried tomatoes in a thick and creamy parmesan garlic cream sauce!
Like our Creamy Garlic Butter Tuscan Shrimp and Salmon recipes, this Creamy Tuscan Chicken recipe comes to you inspired by the popular Olive Garden recipe! Adding a little extra flavours into the sauce takes this boneless chicken breast recipe to a whole new level.
Creamy Tuscan Chicken
Since sharing our Creamy Garlic Butter Tuscan Salmon and our popular world-wide-loved Creamy Garlic Butter Tuscan Shrimp, some of you have been asking for a low carb or Keto version — no pasta or breading. Well, this Tuscan Chicken recipe couldn’t get any easier!
Instead of coating chicken breast fillets in a flour/parmesan mixture, this time around you’re going to season your fillets in paprika and onion powder to add more flavour to a typical salt and pepper deal. You can use smoky or sweet paprika, mild or spicy. It’s completely up to you. (We use mild.)
Leave people wondering if there is a hidden chef in your kitchen with this Creamy Tuscan Chicken. Quick and easy to make, ready on the table in less than 15 minutes, you will ever impress yourself!
Tuscan Sauce
Adding in a hint of Dijon adds even MORE flavour to a classic Tuscan chicken… your family and friends will be thanking you for this one.
Tuscan? I know, I know. This is NOT a traditional recipe form Tuscany… BUT it is known for being one of the most ordered chicken dinners at Olive Garden Italian Restaurant.
However, me being me, I added my own twist to the sauce to get even more flavours into it!
What can you serve this Creamy Tuscan Chicken with?
- Over pasta that has been mixed through with olive, salt and garlic. Also, a touch of parmesan never hurt anyone.
- Garlic bread: soaking up creamy sauce with a warm piece of bread. It’s heaven.
- Rice. Yes, this is amazing with rice also.
Or keep it light and serve it for lunch or as a delicious appetizer with French bread slices, or on its own!
Low Carb Suggestions:
- Zucchini noodles
- Mashed cauliflower
- Roasted Garlic Parmesan Roasted Broccoli & Green Beans
- Steamed broccoli
- Spaghetti squash
- Crispy Parmesan Crusted Zucchini
What wine goes well with Tuscan Chicken?
I choose a white wine to go with this Tuscan Chicken. A light Chardonnay or Pinot Gris pairs really well. For a sweeter wine, choose a Riesling or a Sparkling Moscato.
An easy to make and filling meal.
Love Tuscan flavours? Try these recipes!
Tuscan Chicken Mac And Cheese (One Pot, Stove Top)
Creamy Garlic Butter Tuscan Salmon
Creamy Garlic Butter Tuscan Shrimp (+ VIDEO)
Creamy Tuscan Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds (700 grams) large boneless and skinless chicken breasts halved horizontally to make 4 fillets (I use 2 large breasts -- 12 oz or 350 grams each)
- 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to your tastes)
- 3/4 teaspoon black cracked pepper (adjust to your tastes)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
- 3 tablespoons reserved sun dried tomato oil or olive oil, divided
- For The Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic 6 cloves
- 5 oz 150g jarred sun dried tomato strips in oil drained (reserve 3 tablespoons of oil for cooking)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 cups heavy or thickened cream (or evaporated milk for lower calorie/fat)
- 3 cups spinach
- 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley to serve
Instructions
- Season chicken with salt, pepper, paprika and onion powder.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the reserved sun dried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 6-8 minutes each side, or until golden and cooked through (work in batches if your pan isn't large enough). Transfer to a warm plate; set aside.
- Add the remaining oil into the pan and fry the garlic until fragrant (about 30 seconds to 1 minute), then add in the sun dried tomatoes. Fry for 1-2 minutes to release their flavours. Mix the Dijon through all of the flavours.
- Reduce heat to low-medium heat, add the cream (or evaporated milk) and bring to a gentle simmer, while stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to your taste.
- Add in the spinach leaves and allow to wilt in the sauce, then add in the parmesan cheese. Allow sauce to simmer for a further minute until cheese melts through the sauce.
- Add the chicken back into the pan; top with parsley and serve over pasta, rice or steamed veg.
Notes
- 1/2 cup white wine (allow to reduce to half after adding in the garlic)
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (after the parmesan cheese)
Sue Ann Smith says
Made this for the first time tonight, definitely a keeper! My husband and I are already talking about making the shrimp version. Can’t wait!
Rick Keon says
Okay. This is one of my favourite recent recipe discoveries. Frying the chicken in the sun-dried tomato oil is perfect. I usually cut the chicken up into bite-sized pieces so there is more surface area to absorb the delicious sauce. Always a hit at my place! Thank you!
Claudia Marie says
I can guarantee you that many, if not all, of Recipe Critic’s recipes she got elsewhere, too. In fact I know that’s the case with several I’ve tried. I hate to break this to you, but few cooking bloggers create their recipes from scratch; what most of them are good at is marketing, pretty pictures and a well designed website. Most of them also happen to be ace cooks with an ability to modify recipes, often improving them. Karina certainly does that. I love her site. I don’t care where she got the recipes; she just has them organized well, with lovely descriptions and alternatives. I’ve kind of learned to cook from her. I can’t do that at Allrecipes.or even FoodNetwork.com, unless a video accompanies the recipe.
Popaw says
My wife made this tonight. Delicious, flavorful and beautiful! Restaurant worthy for sure.
Mike says
My wife made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious. I had never had dried tomato’s but they were so good. Thanks for the recipe.
Loreta says
I just tried this because I realised I didn’t have mushrooms for my usual chicken and cream sauce. Everyone loved it – esp my 2.5 year old! I added some crumbled feta cheese at the end as well to add a bit of extra tangy-ness (if that’s even a word!)
Mary Linn says
VERY good! Hubby & son loved it, said it was a definite keeper. I made no changes to the original recipe. Perfect as listed. Thanks so much for sharing!
Elisa DeJong says
This has become a quick go to fav. I use coconut milk/cream and vegan Parmesan when having vegan guests. Sometimes I add spinach or mushrooms. Very nice and easy also freezes well.
Dee says
what can you substitute the sun dried tomato with…not a big fan of them
Athena says
What about char grilled capsicum strips?
Kate says
Artichoke hearts are also amazing with this cream sauce. A bit of tang. I usually add both sun dried as well as artichoke hearts.
Karen Lax says
Can you make in advance and reheat?
Amanda says
This was delicious! Made it w 3/4 cup heavy cream and 3/4 cup half and half, but next time I think half and half alone will suffice. It had real depth of flavor and was really easy. A great recipe!!!
Isabel Gates says
My original attempt at this was a disaster. Too many last-minute substitutions on my part using sub-par ingredients. I didn’t have fresh spinach so I threw in some frozen. I only had half and half in the fridge so I used that instead of cream. I used chicken thighs instead of breasts (I usually prefer thighs, but I can see in this dish why breasts would be the better choice). And I didn’t have sundried tomatoes, so I substituted tomato paste. NO NO NO. I completely ruined the true potential of this dish. I will try it again sometime though as the reviews and the photo are good indications of its potential. A few questions I had: wouldn’t some caramelized onions be better than onion powder? And what kind of paprika?
Cathy says
My husband loves this chicken. He says it’s the best thing I’ve ever made. That’s saying something coming from him as he is very picky and usually won’t eat anything that he knows has cream in it unless it’s a dessert. This recipe is definitely a keeper. Thank you!
Nancy says
Can I substitute chicken breast with chicken thighs instead?
Bridg says
This recipe was wonderful ! I eat very low carb/keto wand this fits my meal plan. I’ve even added more chicken to go for further meals. The sauce is very flavorful and goes a long way. Thank you for a winner!
Lynn says
I didn’t have any spinach so made it without and it was still delicious. I served it over Parmesan cauliflower risotto. Will definitely make this again.
Colleen says
The video shows adding Parmesan then adding spinach. The written instructions say spinach first then Parmesan. Does it make a difference? Which is correct? I’m thinking it would be easier Parmesan first…
Thanks!
Deandra says
Made this dish and I absolutely LOVE it!!
Karla says
This is a great recipe! Wondering if you made it for a crowd, if you could reheat covered in the oven? At what temp and how long, after all, don’t want to overcook the chicken!
Mrs. B says
Absolutely amazing!!! Made this for my family and when I tasted I almost started to sinnnnnng!!! Yummy!!!
Bobbi says
Made this tonight and it was awesome! I served it with rice and it was a complete meal. We will definitely make this again!
Morgan says
This is fantastic. One thing that I have done to cut down on the amount of cream is to add 2 tbsp or so of flour when the sundried tomatoes are frying in the oil. Let that combine with the oil in the pan and sizzle for 30-60 seconds as the base for the roux, and then add in slowly 3/4 cup of milk. That thickens out because of the roux and then I add the 3/4 cup of cream. So for me, that helps to reduce the fat content and still makes for a thick creamy sauce! We love this meal and serve it over spaghetti squash!
David says
This is an awesome recipe. We’ve made this twice now and love it. The family we shared it with couldn’t believe the flavor and that it was home made. No shortage on flavor. Two thumbs up!
Mary Wind says
I love this recipe. It is my son’s favorite and has become a ‘go-to’ for Company.
Katie Drake says
Awesome flavor! Made this tonight and it was fabulous. I used half and half because that’s what I had in the house but otherwise followed the recipe. Lusciously creamy and so savory. I served over couscous with roasted asparagus on the side. Wonderful!
Adriana says
Made this last night and served over cauliflower rice and it was delicious! I used thin sliced chicken breasts (they cooked more evenly that way) and seasoned it the way the recipe states but then coated it in the flour/parmesan mixture it suggested in the other version of this recipe. The chicken came out very flavorful (I think using a cast iron skillet helped). I will try it next time with the suggestions of mushrooms and white wine. But as is, everything came out delicious. My bf and I eat hearty servings so realistically I think this can “comfortably” serve 3 people if nobody wants seconds lol. Otherwise it made for a great date night meal with a little leftover for his lunch.
Nomi says
I just made this recipe for my husband and he loved it. I follow A low carb, THM lifestyle so I had it over shiritake noodles but my husband had it over angel hair pasta. It is definitely going to be a repeat for our dinners and for company. Plus, it’s super easy. Two thumbs up!!!
Lisa says
LOVE this and so did my family, I served it over fettuccine noodles, I made a plate for my teen with a chicken breast and he says mom I don’t know how to eat this could you just cut up the chicken and put them in the sauce, so I did it was a hit, and I looked over at my son and he was pretty much licking the sauce off the plate! Love your recipes!
susan says
can you substitute the tomatoes for a different veggie and what would you use?
Karina says
Of course or you are welcome to leave them out! I would also like mushrooms or maybe even rice. Let me know what you try! Thanks so much for following along with me!
Lorielle says
This. Is. Amazing. Only thing I did different was to cook it in a deep cast iron skillet, so I kept the heat at medium and then reduced it to low while stirring in the sundried tomatoes – because of the time it takes cast iron to cool down. At medium, the chicken takes longer to cook, of course. I got a nice sear without burning it; I was nervous about that as I’ve never pan-fried skinless chicken. Pays to have a nicely seasoned pan. My husband gave this dish two thumbs way up, and I’ll be making it again.
Hardest thing about making this? Staying out of the chicken while cooking the sauce! The seasoned, sauteed chicken is awesome all by itself.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. Looking forward to trying some of your others.
Garry Childs says
Made this two nights in a row. My wife and friends loved it. Extremely delicious.
Karina says
That is great to hear! I am glad that they all loved it!
Glenzito says
Hi.Karina,
I will be making this soon , and sure it will be great like all your other recipes.
Gem Crawford says
Made this for the family. They loved it!!!
Karina says
That is so great to hear! Thanks for sharing!
Erica says
Thank you so much for the recipe. I made this for V-day and it was absolutely tasty!
Karina says
That is great to hear! I love this idea for Valentines Day! Thanks so much for sharing!
Wendy says
I made this for dinner tonight! Excelent!
Karina says
YAY! So glad to hear!
Gail says
I made this for dinner tonight, it was easy and sooo very good. I’ll be making this again soon.
Karina says
That is great to hear! I am so glad that it was a simple dinner for you! Thanks so much for sharing!
Rhonda Sullivan says
I made the Chicken with Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Parmesan Sauce a few months ago. It was awesome! Definitely looking forward to trying the no cream version.
Karina says
YAY! That is great to hear! Thanks for sharing!