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This Tuscan Chicken Recipe features perfectly seasoned, pan-seared chicken thighs in a luxurious cream sauce filled with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, spinach, and parmesan cheese. Worthy of weekend dinner guests, yet easy enough to prepare mid-week, it comes together in under an hour with minimal effort.
Top Cooking Tip: Grate your own Parmesan cheese for the best flavor and guaranteed silky sauce. I love using my Microplane Grater to get an ultra-fine texture that blends seamlessly into the sauce.
About This Recipe
This Tuscan Chicken is one of the most flavorful recipes you’ll ever make. It uses simple, delicious ingredients and comes together effortlessly in under an hour. The sauce is rich, creamy, and super flavorful, a guaranteed winner for special occasions, celebrations, or cozy weeknights. Plus, leftovers are just as tasty for lunch or dinner the next day.
- Yield: Approximately 6 people/servings
- Flavor: Rich, savory, and indulgent, with tangy, garlicky, and slightly sweet notes from the sun-dried tomatoes.
- Freezer-Friendly: Not recommended, but leftovers are fantastic!
- Related Recipe: If you love cream-based sauces and sun-dried tomatoes, you’ll love this 30-minute Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta.
Table of Contents
What is Tuscan Chicken?
Tuscan chicken is an Italian-American creation inspired by Tuscan flavors like garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and Parmesan. Unlike traditional Tuscan cuisine, which focuses on simple, rustic ingredients, the creamy, garlicky version likely originated in the U.S. and was made popular by restaurants like Olive Garden.
How to Make the Best Creamy Tuscan Chicken
There are two ways of approaching this recipe, specifically when it comes to cooking the chicken:
In the first option, the chicken is seared in a hot pan until partially cooked, then removed from the skillet to rest as the sauce is made. Once the sauce is made, the chicken is added back to the skillet to finish cooking in the sauce. In the second option, the chicken is seared on one side and then finished in the oven. The sauce is made separately, and the chicken is added back just at the very end of cooking.
Both options work well; each method benefits as a one-pan recipe and takes about the same time to cook.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Below are notes and possible substitutions for the ingredients in this Chicken Alfredo Recipe. You can find the printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Chicken: This recipe uses bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, which are juicy, succulent, and less likely to dry out (compared to chicken breasts). If you prefer to use chicken breasts, slice them in half horizontally to make two thinner pieces. Thinly sliced chicken cooks faster and more evenly. Shrimp and salmon are other delicious substitutions.
- Aromatics: After the chicken is cooked, the onion, garlic, and fresh thyme are cooked until the onion is softened. You can swap the onion for shallots and the fresh thyme for approximately half a teaspoon of dried thyme.
- Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto: A blended sauce typically made from sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and pine nuts. You can make homemade sun-dried tomato pesto or pick some from the grocery store. If none is available, substitute it with one tablespoon of tomato paste.
- Heavy Cream and Chicken Broth: The heavy cream is what makes this sauce feel expensive. I do not recommend using lower-fat alternatives.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Grocery stores offer two main types of sun-dried tomatoes: oil-packed and dry-packed. Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes are preserved in oil, often with herbs and garlic, making them soft, flavorful, and ready to use. Dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes have a texture similar to dried fruit, are not stored in oil, and have a chewier, more concentrated flavor. This recipe works with either type. If you don’t care for whole sun-dried tomatoes, substitute them for fresh grape or cherry tomatoes. You’ll want to add about 1 cup.
- Spinach: Substitute with kale for a similar nutrient-packed leafy green.
- Parmesan: Rich and nutty, Parmesan thickens and flavors the sauce. Use Pecorino Romano instead of Parmesan for a strong, salty kick.
Pro Tips
- Use a digital meat thermometer to monitor the temperature of the chicken as it cooks. All chicken should be cooked to 165°F (74°C), but bone-in skin-on chicken thighs will actually have better taste and texture when cooked to 175-195°F (79-90°C).
- Deglaze the pan for more flavor. Before adding the broth and heavy cream, deglaze the pan with a splash of dry white wine or a spritz of lemon juice to lift the brown bits from the pan.
- Stick with heavy cream. Although it is possible to make this recipe with lower-fat alternatives like whole milk or half-and-half, I do not recommend it. Dairy lower in fat is more likely to separate (curdle) when exposed to high heat and acidic foods and ultimately doesn’t taste as good either.
Ways to Serve Creamy Tuscan Chicken
Make this a complete and satisfying meal by serving the chicken on top of jasmine rice, quinoa, mashed potatoes, or cooked pasta. Anything that will soak up the yummy cream sauce is highly recommended.
Consider adding a side salad like this simple Italian salad, Caesar salad, or fresh arugula salad.
Looking for more easy chicken dinner recipes? I think you’ll love these:
- Chicken Vesuvio Recipe: A comforting one-pan Italian-American recipe made with crispy bone-in chicken thighs, baby potatoes, and green peas in a delicious lemon garlic and white wine sauce.
- Santa Fe Chicken Recipe: This 30-minute one-pan recipe is made with seasoned chicken breasts smothered in black beans, diced tomatoes, sweet corn, and yummy melted cheese.
- Easy Chicken Alfredo Recipe: Another 30-minute classic, it’s made with tender, pan-fried chicken breasts and tender noodles in a smooth and creamy homemade Alfredo sauce.
Have any questions? Drop me a message in the comment section below! I’m happy to help. And, if you enjoy this recipe, please rate it with some STAR LOVIN’ so other readers know to try it too! Tag me at #theforkedspoon. I’ll be sure to share! Thank you!
Creamy Tuscan Chicken Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
For the Cream Sauce
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- ½ onion, minced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- ½ cup dry white wine, optional, see notes
- 1 cup chicken broth, low-sodium
- 3 tablespoon sundried tomato pesto
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup sundried tomatoes, oil or dry-packed, roughly chopped
- 1 large bunch baby spinach,
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. This helps the skin become crispy. Then, season both sides with salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning.
Option 1: Pan Fry the Chicken and Finish in the Sauce
- Sear the chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken skin-side-down and sear for 6-8 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Flip the chicken and cook for an additional 6-8 minutes. Remove the chicken to a clean plate and set aside (it will finish cooking in the sauce).
- Sauté the aromatics: Reduce the heat to medium and add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan. Sauté the onions for 3-4 minutes, or until soft, then add the garlic and thyme, cooking for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Deglaze the pan (optional): Pour in the white wine (if using) and scrape up any browned bits (this adds flavor!). Let it simmer for 2 minutes.
- Make the creamy Tuscan sauce: Stir in the sun-dried tomato pesto and the sun-dried tomatoes, followed by the chicken broth and heavy cream. Mix well and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low. Do not boil.
- Add the chicken: Return the seared chicken thighs to the pan, skin-side up. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and let simmer for 15-20 minutes until the chicken reaches 175-190°F (79-88°C).
- Add the spinach and Parmesan cheese: Stir in the baby spinach and let it wilt for 2 minutes. Then remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese.
Option 2: Bake the Chicken and Make the Sauce Separately
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Sear the chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet set over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken skin-side-down and sear for 5-7 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Flip the chicken and transfer the skillet to the oven.
- Bake the chicken: Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 175-190°F (79-88°C). Once the chicken is done, remove to a clean plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
- Sauté the aromatics: Place the skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan. Sauté the onions for 3-4 minutes, or until soft, then add the garlic and thyme, cooking for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Deglaze the pan (optional): Pour in the white wine (if using) and scrape up any browned bits (this adds flavor!). Let it simmer for 2 minutes.
- Make the creamy Tuscan sauce: Stir in the sun-dried tomato pesto and the sun-dried tomatoes, followed by the chicken broth and heavy cream. Mix well and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low. Do not boil.
- Add the spinach and Parmesan cheese: Stir in the baby spinach and let it wilt for 2 minutes. Then, stir in the Parmesan cheese.
- Add the chicken: Nestle the baked chicken thighs into the sauce, skin-side up. Let simmer for 3-4 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Chicken: If you prefer to use chicken breasts, slice them in half horizontally to make two thinner pieces. Thinly sliced chicken cooks faster and more evenly. Shrimp and salmon are also delicious.
- Aromatics: You can swap the onion for shallots and the fresh thyme for approximately half a teaspoon of dried thyme.
- Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto: A blended sauce typically made from sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and pine nuts. If none is available, substitute it with one tablespoon of tomato paste.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: This recipe works with both oil-packed or dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes. Substitute with cherry tomatoes for a more subtle flavor. You’ll want to add about 1 cup.
- Spinach: Substitute with kale.
- Use heavy cream. Although it is possible to make this recipe with lower-fat alternatives like whole milk or half-and-half, heavy cream is what makes this sauce feel expensive. I do not recommend using lower-fat dairy as they are more likely to separate (curdle) when exposed to high heat and acidic foods and ultimately doesn’t taste as good either.
- Deglaze the pan for more flavor. Before adding the chicken broth and heavy cream, deglaze the pan with a splash of dry white wine or a spritz of lemon juice to lift the brown bits from the pan. It’s an optional step but it adds so much flavor!
- Use a digital meat thermometer to monitor the temperature of the chicken as it cooks. All chicken should be cooked to 165°F (74°C), but bone-in skin-on chicken thighs will actually have better taste and texture when cooked to 175-195°F (79-90°C).
- For the best flavor and a smooth, silky sauce, grate your own Parmesan cheese. A Microplane grater works great at getting ultra-fine shreds that melt effortlessly into the sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
