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Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken Skillet

Golden-seared chicken breasts finished in a garlicky sun-dried tomato cream sauce with wilted spinach. It tastes like the centerpiece of an Italian restaurant menu, and the whole thing happens in one skillet in about 35 minutes. The sun-dried tomatoes are the secret — their concentrated sweetness makes the sauce taste slow-simmered.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lbs), pounded to even thickness
  • 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter divided
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil drained and chopped
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning (yes, again — it goes in the sauce too)
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 3 cups baby spinach
  • Fresh basil for serving

Method
 

  1. Pat the chicken dry and season both sides with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. (Dry chicken sears; wet chicken steams — this is the difference between golden and gray.)
  2. Heat the olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken 5–6 minutes per side until deeply golden and cooked through (165°F at the thickest part). Remove to a plate.
  3. Lower the heat to medium. Add the remaining 2 tbsp butter, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes; cook 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Pour in the heavy cream, scraping up the browned bits from the pan — that’s pure flavor. Simmer 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened.
  5. Stir in the parmesan until melted and smooth, then fold in the spinach and let it wilt, about 2 minutes.
  6. Return the chicken to the skillet, spoon sauce over the top, and simmer 2 more minutes. Shower with fresh basil and serve.