Creamy Tuscan Chicken

What is Tuscan chicken? Well.. this recipe was actually inspired by the Olive Garden (an American restaurant chain) and made super popular by Pinterest. As such, there are many variations online. This is our twist on it. This simple creamy chicken recipe is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, but it's also good enough for serving company.

Yield:
4 servings
Category:
Chicken & Other Birds
Cuisine:
American
Prep Time:
15 min
Cooking Time:
25 min
Total Time:
40 min

INGREDIENTS:

  • 4 chicken breasts boneless, skinless, cut in half horizontally or pounded to 1/2 thickness
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper coarse
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 springs thyme
  • 2 sprigs oregano
  • 6 basil leaves, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning (dried herbs: thyme, basil, oregano, rosemary)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 oz sun-dried tomatoes chopped (about 1/4 cup)
  • 1 large red bell pepper or 2 small, sliced into 1cm strips or squares
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • 2 tablespoons capers drained
  • 5 oz spinach, fresh
  • 1 cup heavy cream or 18%, or 10%

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Cook the chicken
    Season the chicken on both sides with salt, red pepper flakes, coarse black pepper, garlic, and the 3 herbs.
  2. Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat until hot. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the chicken. Sear for about 4 minutes on medium-high heat.
  3. Reduce heat to medium. Flip the chicken to the other side. Sear for another 4 minutes on medium heat. Remove the chicken from the skillet and keep warm.
  4. Make garlic cream sauce
    To the same, now empty, skillet, add minced garlic, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, bell peppers, and capers. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes on medium heat. Add fresh spinach. Cook until the spinach wilts, for a couple of minutes, on medium heat.
  5. To the skillet with sautéed vegetables, add 1 cup of cream and the parmesan cheese. Bring to simmer. Simmer for about 3 minutes, stirring. Season with more salt and/or black pepper if needed.
  6. Assembly and Serving
    Return the chicken to the pan and cook until it is heated through, 2 to 5 more minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

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This recipe can be found online at: lemonzest.ca/Home/Recipes/9493