Name: One-Pan Creamy Tuscan Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 pound thin-sliced boneless (skinless chicken breasts); ½ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 tablespoon butter; 1 shallot (diced); 2 garlic cloves (minced); 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes (chopped); ¼ cup white wine (or chicken broth); ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes; ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning; 3 cups baby spinach; 1 ½ cups full-fat coconut milk ( or heavy cream); ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese

When I want a luxurious yet simple one-pan dinner, this Tuscan chicken recipe is top of the list. Thin chicken breasts get a quick golden sear, and then they simmer in a creamy Parmesan sauce with fresh spinach. The creamy, rich sauce is layered with shallots, garlic, and rich sun-dried tomatoes, creating an indulgent dish that comes together effortlessly in about 35 minutes. The sauce turns silky and a little tangy, with sweet, chewy bites of sun-dried tomato all the way through. I love how this one-pan chicken dinner is packed with flavor, making it perfect for a quick weeknight dinner without sacrificing taste. If you've been looking for a restaurant-style Tuscan chicken that only dirties one pan, this is the one.

Tuscan chicken in a creamy sauce with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes in the skillet.

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The Secret Is in the Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Ingredients
Instructions
Sarah's Top Tips
Serving
Storage & Reheating
Similar Recipes
One-Pan Creamy Tuscan Chicken
Comments

The Secret Is in the Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Whether I serve it over pasta for a comforting pasta dish or keep it lighter with a fresh arugula salad, it never disappoints. The combination of tender chicken, a velvety, creamy sauce with shallots, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes, and the ease of a one-pan chicken dinner make this my go-to recipe whenever I crave something special but don't want to spend hours in the kitchen. If you love that sweet-tart sun-dried tomato flavor as much as I do, it's also the star of my sun-dried tomato pasta with pancetta.

Every layer of flavor in this sauce is built in the same pan. The chicken leaves golden-browned bits behind, and then the sun-dried tomatoes cook in butter with the shallot and garlic until they soften and smell sweet. When the white wine goes in, it lifts all of that flavor off the bottom of the pan and into the cream. That's why this short ingredient list makes a sauce that tastes like it simmered all afternoon.

Ingredients

Chicken breasts. I used thinly sliced boneless chicken breasts for this recipe, so they cook quickly. If you can't find thinly sliced chicken, cut chicken breasts in half horizontally.
Shallot. For a deep, mildly sweet base. If you don't have a shallot, you can use yellow onion.
Sun-dried tomatoes. The signature ingredient that adds a rich, sweet-tart flavor, umami depth, chewy texture, and vibrant color.
Red Pepper Flakes. For a mild kick of heat. These can be omitted.
Coconut Milk/heavy cream. For the creamy texture.
Fresh spinach. I love to finish off the dish with fresh greens like spinach. You can also use arugula or frozen peas if you don't like spinach.
White wine. To deglaze the pan and add acidity to balance the dish. You can also use chicken broth.

See the recipe card below for the remaining ingredients and quantities.

Instructions

Four seasoned chicken breasts cooking in a white skillet with olive oil. The chicken is golden and lightly seared.

Step 1: Prepare the chicken by patting both sides down with paper towels and seasoning them with salt and black pepper. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken for 5 minutes per side, then remove and set aside for later.

A white skillet with minced garlic and onions sautéing in olive oil, with browned bits from the chicken.

Step 2: Add butter to the same pan and cook the shallot and garlic for 2-3 minutes. Then, mix in the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for another 2 minutes. Pour in the white wine or chicken broth and deglaze the pan while scraping up any brown bits of flavor for the bottom of the pan.

Fresh spinach added to a creamy sauce in a skillet.

Step 3: Stir in the spinach, heavy cream, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes and bring to a gentle simmer.

Chicken breasts simmering in a creamy sauce with green spinach and rich sun-dried tomatoes.

Step 4: Once simmering, return the chicken to the skillet, covering the tops with sauce, and cook for another 5-7 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

Sarah's Top Tips

Use thin-sliced chicken breasts. Using thin-sliced chicken breasts ensures the chicken will be cooked through if you follow the recipe times. To be sure, you can check that the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F using a meat thermometer in the center.
Cook the chicken in the sun-dried tomato oil. If you're using sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, swap the olive oil with the oil from the jar when cooking the chicken for extra flavor. That oil is already infused with tomato, garlic, and herbs, so it seasons the chicken from the very first step.
Add lemon if you skip the wine. If you're using chicken broth instead of white wine, add in the juice of half a lemon to add acidity to balance out the rich, sweet sauce. Use low-sodium chicken broth, since the Parmesan and sun-dried tomatoes already add plenty of salt.
Rest the chicken. Rest the chicken for a few minutes before slicing or serving so the juices redistribute for maximum flavor.

Tuscan chicken in a creamy, sauce, adorned with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes, accompanied by artisanal bread slices for soaking up the sauce.

Serving

I always serve this one-pan chicken dinner over pasta or just some crusty bread to soak up the sauce. Penne or rigatoni is my classic pick, since the sauce and bits of sun-dried tomato get caught in every tube. Start the pasta water when you start searing the chicken, and it'll be ready right when the sauce is.

Some other great options are rice, farro, or garlic butter potatoes. Farro adds a nutty chew that works well with the creamy sauce. The garlic butter potatoes are the coziest choice, and they're perfect for soaking up every last bit of sauce.

For something lighter, serve it with spinach and arugula salad. The peppery greens and bright dressing cut through the rich cream, so the whole meal feels a little fresher.

Storage & Reheating

Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This is a great meal-prepping recipe for anyone looking for simple one-pan meal-prep dinner ideas. If you're serving it over pasta, store the pasta separately so it doesn't soak up all the sauce.

Freezer: Freeze the chicken and sauce in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. The cream sauce may look a little separated after thawing, and the spinach will be softer, but a good stir while it reheats brings the sauce back together.

Reheating: Reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of low-sodium chicken broth or milk to loosen the sauce. In the microwave, heat in 1-minute bursts and stir in between. High heat can make the cream sauce split and the chicken tough.

Make Ahead: Dice the shallot, mince the garlic, and chop the sun-dried tomatoes up to a day ahead and keep them in the fridge. The finished dish is best fresh, but it holds up well for meal prep.