Low Carb Creamy Tuscan Chicken (Printable)

Tender chicken in a rich garlic cream sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach. Ready in 40 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (6 oz each)
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
06 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

→ Sauce

07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped
09 - 1 cup heavy cream
10 - ½ cup low sodium chicken broth
11 - ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
13 - 2 cups fresh baby spinach

→ Garnish

14 - Fresh basil leaves, chopped (optional)
15 - Extra Parmesan cheese (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder, pressing seasoning into meat to adhere.
02 - Heat olive oil and butter in large skillet over medium-high heat until butter foams. Add chicken breasts and sear 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer to plate and rest.
03 - Add minced garlic to same skillet and sauté 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn. Stir in chopped sun-dried tomatoes and cook 1 minute to release oils.
04 - Pour chicken broth into skillet, using wooden spoon to scrape up browned bits from bottom. Let simmer 1 minute to concentrate flavors.
05 - Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens slightly and cheese melts.
06 - Add fresh spinach to sauce, tossing gently to coat. Let wilt about 1 minute until just softened but still vibrant green.
07 - Return chicken breasts to skillet, spooning sauce generously over top. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes until chicken is heated through. Serve immediately, garnished with chopped fresh basil and additional Parmesan if desired.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in the same pan you cooked the chicken in, meaning less cleanup and more flavor from those gorgeous browned bits
  • It's the kind of dinner that makes you feel like you ordered restaurant food, but it took less than 45 minutes and cost a fraction of the price
  • The leftovers reheat beautifully, if they even make it that far
02 -
  • If your cream starts looking grainy or separated, the heat was too high, so reduce it immediately and whisk vigorously until it smooths out again
  • The sauce will continue thickening as it stands, so if you're not serving immediately, you might need to splash in a little extra broth when reheating
03 -
  • Don't rush the sear on your chicken, that golden crust is what gives the sauce its deep flavor and color
  • Let the sauce reduce until it coats the back of a spoon rather than following the timing exactly, because pans and stovetops vary so much

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