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This Creamy Tuscan Chicken is easy, insanely delicious and comes together in less than 30 minutes in a single pan. It’s casual enough for a weeknight dinner and impressive enough for when guests come over. It also happens to be Whole30 compatible and Paleo-friendly, but you’d never guess it.
Ingredients You Need for Creamy Tuscan Chicken
- Chicken Breast: I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts here but you can substitute chicken thighs or any bone-in chicken pieces you like. Just keep in mind that cooking times will vary depending on the thickness and size of the chicken you use.
- Seasonings: I seasoned the chicken with a very simple combination of paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, salt and pepper. I also like to add some crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce for a bit of heat but that’s optional. Feel free to substitute your favourite poultry seasoning and omit the chile for a mild version.
- Aromatics: A combination of shallots and garlic form the flavourful base for the cream sauce. If you don’t have shallots, you can substitute red onion. Just try to chop the onion as finely as possibly so that it almost melts into the sauce.
- Sundried Tomatoes: Do your best to look for a jar of sundried tomatoes packed in olive oil with minimal additives. Most of them come packed in sunflower oil.
- Coconut Milk: It’s very important to use a high-quality coconut milk that tastes good. Avoid any that have gums or stabilizers because they usually don’t taste good. I like Aroy D and Savoy brand. For something much more decadent, substitute heavy cream in place of coconut milk.
- Spinach: I like to use baby spinach because it cooks down quickly and has a mild flavour.
- Parmigiano Reggiano: It’s optional, but adding some freshly grated parm to the sauce will add and incredible depth of flavour.
- Fresh Lemon: Using both the zest and juice of the lemon adds flavour and some much needed acidity to help balance the richness of the coconut milk. It also helps to mask some of the coconut flavour.
- Fresh Basil: Adding some fresh basil to the sauce will give it a delicious flavour and aroma that pairs perfectly with the other ingredients.
Why You’ll Love this Creamy Tuscan Chicken
- Rich, velvety sauce: The combination of heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes creates an indulgent, flavorful base.
- Perfectly cooked chicken: Searing the chicken locks in its natural juices, ensuring each bite is tender and juicy.
- Balanced flavors: The tanginess of sun-dried tomatoes complements the creamy sauce, while fresh spinach adds brightness and nutrition.
Substitution Ideas
- Chicken thighs: Use boneless, skinless thighs for a juicier option.
- Dairy-free: Substitute heavy cream with coconut cream and Parmesan with nutritional yeast.
- Keto-friendly: Serve over zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice.
- Vegetarian: Replace chicken with pan-seared tofu or chickpeas.
Serving Suggestions
- Mashed potatoes: This is my personal favourite paring because its hearty and soaks up all of the delicious cream sauce. You can use my Whole30 Mashed Potato recipe to keep things light, or use my more decadent Mashed Potato recipe for something indulgent.
- Pasta: Feel free to serve the creamy tuscan chicken with a side of pasta. Fettuccine or penne are both great options. You can also use a gluten-free pasta like the ones from Jovial.
- Steamed Veggies: Broccoli, green beans or asparagus all work well here. You can also serve the chicken with a vegetable medley.
Recipe FAQs
Can I make this dish ahead of time?
You can prepare the dish as instructed, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I recommend reheating the sauce and chicken in a pan over a medium heat to avoid curdling the sauce. I also recommend adding some chicken broth to the pan to prevent the cream sauce from drying out or turning too thick.
Can I freeze Creamy Tuscan Chicken?
It’s not recommended to freeze this dish as the cream sauce may separate upon thawing.
How do I know when the chicken is done?
The best way to know if your chicken is cooked through is to use a digital meat thermometer. Chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F before consuming.
Can I add vegetables?
Absolutely! Mushrooms, artichoke hearts, or roasted red peppers make excellent additions to this Creamy Tuscan Chicken recipe. If using sliced mushrooms, add them first – before the shallots and garlic – and saute them for a couple of minutes until golden. If using canned artichoke hearts or roasted red peppers, add them with the spinach.
Creamy Tuscan Chicken – Whole30, Paleo
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
- 2 boneless and skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- ¼ cup thinly sliced sundried tomatoes packed in olive oil
- 2 cups coconut milk, substitute heavy cream for non-Whole30
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, omit for mild version
- 2 cups baby spinach
- ¼ cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, optional, omit for Whole30
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, roughly torn
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus more as needed
- Mashed potatoes, for serving
- Steamed vegetables, for serving
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the salt, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano and black pepper and stir to incorporate. Evenly season both sides of the chicken breasts with the spice mixture and set aside. The chicken can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours or cooked immediately.
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Preheat a 10” frying pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and heat until shimmering. Carefully add the chicken to the pan and cook, undisturbed, until the golden brown, around 4 minutes. Flip the chicken and transfer the frying pan to the oven. Cook the chicken until the thickest part reaches 160F, around 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, transfer the chicken to a plate and loosely tent it with foil to keep warm.
- Return the pan to a medium-low heat, add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the sundried tomatoes, coconut milk and lemon zest, stir to combine, bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Taste the sauce for seasoning and adjust with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes as desired. Add the spinach and parmigiano reggiano cheese (if using), stir to incorporate and cook until the spinach has wilted, around 1 minute. Add the basil and stir through to combine. Return the chicken to the pan, squeeze the lemon juice overtop and gently stir everything to combine. Taste the sauce again for seasoning and adjust with salt, pepper and lemon juice as desired.
- Serve the Creamy Tuscan Chicken with a side of mashed potatoes and vegetables and enjoy.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
About the Author
Hi, i’m Ronny! In 2013, after a lifetime of struggling with my weight and body issues, I rehabilitated my relationship with food, lost over 40 pounds and completely changed my life.
Thank you for sharing your recipes, and for creating such fun content. I always always enjoy your videos and love trying your recipes.
Wishing you a vey Happy Healthy New Year and looking forward to your videos in 2025🙏🏻♥️♥️♥️
So good! I don’t like sundried tomatoes so left those out and it was still delicious. My husband also loved it and he’s not a chicken lover.
Made this for New Year’s Eve dinner. It is by far the best Tuscan chicken recipe I’ve tried. Serving it with mashed potatoes is smart – they soak up the creamy gravy and taste amazing. My kids loved it, didn’t care it wasn’t with pasta, and my husband polished the plate!
Every recipe I have tried has been Delicious, I have tried Cheesy Broccoli stuffed chicken, One Pot Arroz con Pollo, Italian Wedding Soup, One Pot Greek Chicken and Potatoes and trying this Creamy Tuscan Chicken tonight and I am positive it will also be delicious.
The recipes have so much flavor love the combination of spices, awesome food!