Tuscan chicken with sundried tomatoes and spinach
This Tuscan chicken with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach is an easy one-pot dish perfect for busy days. Serve this creamy chicken with rice and a salad for a complete meal.
I love one-pot meals, especially when they are as easy as this one. This creamy chicken recipe is very easy and full of vegetables like spinach and sun-dried tomatoes.
Because this recipe is so easy and only takes 30 minutes to make, you'll want to make it time and time again!
Tuscan chicken or chicken Toscana originated in America, contrary to what the name suggests. It was invented by the chef of the Olive Garden but is now incredibly popular all over the world.
Only the original recipe is not made with sun-dried tomatoes but with grilled peppers cut into strips. Delicious, but I think the flavor of the tomatoes fits the dish just a little better.
This creamy chicken dish goes perfectly with pasta. There is a reason why there are so many recipes for pasta chicken Toscana!
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Why you will love this recipe
- Delicious, tender chicken thighs loaded with flavor.
- A creamy sauce packed with vegetables. The sundried tomatoes and spinach give the sauce a summery feel, and you can easily add more veggies like zucchini.
- It is super quick and easy to make. This one-pot dish comes together in only 30 minutes, which makes it perfect for a weeknight dinner!
- You can easily add things like kale or mushrooms if you want to sneak in some extra vegetables.
- The chicken has a delicious creamy sauce with the summery taste of sun-dried tomatoes.
- Kids often really like this dish, too, despite the spinach 😉 .
- One pot recipe. Because you make everything in one pan, you don't end up with piles of dishes.
- To make this recipe, you don't need any complicated ingredients, but it is packed with flavor.
Ingredients
Chicken - I always use chicken thighs when I make this recipe. This has more flavor, is more tender, and is also much cheaper than chicken breast.
Of course, you can use chicken breast if you like. I do recommend cutting up the chicken before frying, so it cooks faster and is less likely to dry out.
Sun-dried tomatoes - julienne sliced tomatoes in oil make this dish extra quick.
Spinach - use fresh spinach when making Tuscan chicken. This taste is much better than frozen spinach and stays a little crunchy.
Milk - I always use semi-skimmed milk when I make this recipe. Many recipes for Tuscan chicken also add some whipped cream.
You could also use plant-based milk such as coconut milk or oat milk.
Butter - in my recipes, I always use unsalted butter. This way, you have more control of the seasoning at the end.
You can find the complete ingredient list and instructions on the recipe card below!
Instructions
Prepare and cook the chicken. Rub a little salt and pepper into the chicken thighs and cover them with two tablespoons of flour.
Melt the butter in a large heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven, cook them for five minutes per side until done, and set them aside.
Make the sauce. Add the finely chopped onions and garlic into the butter and cook them until soft. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for another few minutes.
Whisk in the remaining two tablespoons of flour and let that cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the milk and when fully incorporated, add the chicken stock. Let it simmer for three minutes, then add the spinach.
Add the chicken back into the pan and continue to simmer until the spinach is ready and the chicken is warmed through. Stir in the parmesan and season with salt and pepper.
My tips for this recipe
- Don't overcrowd the pan. Cook your chicken in batches to ensure the pan doesn't cool down too much. You might want to add a little more butter for the second batch.
- Add a little cream. If you want to give the sauce a little extra, you can add a little heavy cream to the sauce.
- Use chicken breast. If you don't like the taste of chicken thighs, you can absolutely make this recipe with chicken breast!
Do not add the spinach until the last minute. By not overcooking the spinach, more vitamins are retained, and it still retains a bit of crunch.
Do not use too much butter. Frying the chicken with not too much butter gives it a nice crispy coating.
Choose whole milk. The sauce will be extra creamy if you use whole milk. Some recipes also add a little heavy cream.
Fresh spinach. Use fresh spinach for this recipe. The crunchy larger leaves is one of the things that makes this chicken so delicious.
Julienne sliced tomatoes. A world opened up for me the other day when I came across sun-dried tomatoes cut into strips! This makes this dish even quicker to prepare!
Equipment
- A large skillet or Dutch oven.
- Knife and cutting board.
Frequently asked questions
Pair this creamy Tuscan chicken with pasta and a salad or with some bread like foccacia. It is also great with rice or potatoes.
Yes, you can! You can make this recipe 2-3 days in advance. I would just stir in the spinach at the last minute and keep the chicken separate.
Storage
You can keep this dish in the refrigerator for about 2-3 days. The chicken will soften slightly.
In the freezer, it will keep for about three months. Put the chicken in the refrigerator the night before you want to serve it to thaw slowly.
After defrosting, warm the dish in a pan over low heat or in the microwave.
More easy dinner recipes you will love
Easy Tuscan chicken with sundried tomatoes and spinach
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken tighs
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 4 tablespoons oil
- 1 onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- ½ cup sundried tomatoes oil, thinly sliced
- ½ cup milk
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 3,5 oz spinach
- Salt & pepper
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Coat the chicken with two tablespoons of flour. Make sure that every piece is completely covered.
- Heat some butter in a heavy-bottomed pan and cook the chicken until golden brown. You might need to cook the chicken in batches.
- Set the cooked chicken aside and fry the onions with the garlic in the remaining butter.
- Add the sun-dried tomatoes and the last 1-2 tablespoons of flour and fry for another minute.
- Put the water, milk, and stock cube into the pan and stir well.
- Once it comes to a boil, add the spinach and simmer gently for three minutes.
- Put the chicken back into the pan and serve with some rice or potatoes and a salad to complete the meal.
Easy to fix and great flavor. I served with fettuccini noodles and topped with fresh graded parmigiana. Quite delicious ! Thanks for the recipe - a keeper.
Hi Mary! I'm glad you liked my recipe!
Tried a mini single serving of this (just 2 chicken thighs). Instead of just regular flour I mixed half and half potato starch with flour, made a good crispy golden brown coating. We cooked it in canola mixed with margarine for a higher smoke point. I used lactose free whole milk to add with the water, and just a handful of spinach. It was savory, creamy, with a hint of tomato that went well with a white wine. I ate it on top of steamed rice, and added some lemon juice to garnish which lifted and brightened the flavors. Very good.
I'm always looking for interesting one-pot dishes, and this one is fantastic! I love all the flavors in this dish. Thanks!