Creamy Tuscan Chicken is a delicious and easy one pot meal featuring easy sautéed chicken in a lighter garlic cream sauce made with coconut milk, fresh spinach and sun-dried tomatoes. Italian comfort food at its finest, delicious and ready in 30 minutes!
What’s the secret to turning everyday chicken into dinner party worthy fare on a tight timeline? It’s the sauce! This delicious, quick and super easy Tuscan Chicken recipe takes only 30 minutes, while being a quick cleanup, one pot dish perfect for weeknight suppers!
Coconut milk, chicken broth, basil and garlic create a warm base brightened with punches of sun-dried tomato. The sauce is thick but not heavy like other cream sauces. It’s a recipe reminiscent of Olive Garden’s Tuscan Garlic Chicken- only better! Much like Chicken Cacciatore and Chicken and Rice Casserole, the flavor is succulent and bright.
How do I know it’s one of the most versatile main dishes?!
It was Christmas Eve. I’d been up all night with a horrible flu and was scheduled to host a dinner party in 10 short hours. My guest list? A party of 12 including: 5 kids, 2 low carb dieters, 1 non-dairy guest, and a partridge in a pear tree.
This recipe was my godsend! Easy, customizable, delicious and quick! (Of course, hubby did the cooking, and it was spectacular.)
Ingredients and Variations
Here’s an overview of the ingredients you’ll need including ideas for substitutions and variations. The best thing about this dish is how easy it is to customize.
Chicken. This recipe uses chicken breasts pounded to ½ inch thick.
Chicken Broth. I chose a sugar free-chicken broth, but any variant will suffice.
Coconut Milk. Canned coconut milk can be substituted with regular or heavy whipping cream. Regular milk is not recommended.
Flour. All-purpose flour will work, whereas you can use tapioca flour is best suited for keto and almond flour for paleo or gluten free flour as needed for dietary concerns.
Vegetables. The generous flavor comes from a mix of sun-dried tomatoes pack in oil, which have the most flavor, yellow onion, and spinach. This recipe calls for fresh spinach. Frozen spinach can be substituted if allowed to thaw and drained/blotted with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
Seasonings. Powdered garlic flavors the chicken while minced garlic cloves add depth to the sauce. For ease, we use dried basil leaves.
How to Make Tuscan Chicken
Minimal ingredients and a simple cream sauce make meal prep (and clean up) a breeze.
Chicken breasts get pounded into an even ½-inch thickness (best for juicy, even cooking), seasoned, lightly floured and then browned in a sauté skillet. (photo 1) Then they get to rest, which brings out the juiciness.
*Tip from our Kitchen – I cannot sing the praises of a good meat tenderizer enough. They are perfect for even cooking and getting the proper thickness to keep meat juicy. Have a good deep 12″ skillet with lid.
Once the chicken is sauteed and resting, the onions and garlic take a fragrant turn in the olive oil and a thickener is added for the sauce. (photo 2)
DO YOU SEE THAT SAUCE?!– The best thing about this dish is that the sauce recipe moves pretty quickly while being very forgiving. Simply thicken and add your seasonings and sun-dried tomatoes and spinach. (photo 3)
Add the resting chicken back in, simmer, and then serve. Easy! (photo 4)
More Ways to Enjoy
This dish is designed to fit with several dieting options, but for flavor preferences, some of our favorite additions include:
- Mushrooms
- A sprinkling of parmesan cheese
- Bite sized kale leaves
- Thinly sliced strips of fresh or roasted red bell pepper
- Swap the chicken breasts for large shrimp or salmon
- Fresh diced tomatoes instead of sun-dried tomatoes
- A pinch or two of red pepper flakes for a little heat
Storage and Reheat Instructions
Store: I doubt you’ll have leftovers- it’s really that good! But if you find yourself with extra it keeps well for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Freeze: Unlike dairy based recipes, coconut milk is better for freezing. Keep up to 6 months stored in an airtight container. If the sauce separates after thawing, a quick stir after reheating will make it whole again.
Make Ahead: Even though this whole recipe takes less than 30 minutes, you could easily make the sauce ahead of time to make cooking minimal on busy nights.
30 Minute Dinner Ideas
- Italian Sausage Kale Soup
- Pan Seared Pork Chops
- Kielbasa Cheesesteak Hoagies
- Cajun Blackened Chicken
- Honey Teriyaki Chicken Kebabs
Frequently asked Questions
This dish is super versatile! I tend to think of it in seasonal terms. If you’re cooking in the spring or summer, keep the plate appropriately light.
Angel hair pasta
Simple garden or Ceasar salad
Crusty loaf of bread
Over rice or Mashed Potatoes
Mashed cauliflower (keto and Whole30 friendly option)
Vegetables like Roasted Carrots, Sauteed Brussel Sprouts, or parsnips
Roasted zucchini or zoodles
If you are following highly specific diets, like Keto, Whole30, or Paleo, it can be hard to find some ingredients. I have included a list of specific substitutions for you (also listed in the recipe box).
Tapioca Flour – keto and whole30 substitute for flour
Almond Flour – appropriate for Paleo diets.
Sugar-free Chicken Broth – – Believe it or not, almost all chicken broths have cane sugar in them, but this one doesn’t. It must be the natural goodness variety.
The FDA Food Code recommends cooking chicken to 165°F. You can use a meat thermometer. If you do not have one on hand, you can poke or cut the meat to see if the juices run clear. If the juices have a pinkish color, you may need to cook it a little longer.
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PS. If you make this recipe, leave a COMMENT AND A STAR RATING in the comments section at the bottom and be sure to take a photo and tag it #cravingcreative on Instagram! I appreciate you for taking the time to read about me and my family recipes.
Creamy Tuscan Chicken
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 tablespoon Flour substitute tapioca flour for keto or whole 30, almond flour for paleo
- ¾ cup Yellow Onion Diced
- 3 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 cup Chicken Broth sugar-free
- ½ cup Canned Coconut Milk
- ½ teaspoon Dried Basil
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 2 cups Baby Spinach stems removed and rough chopped
Instructions
- Pound out the chicken breasts to about ½ inch thick. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- In a large skillet, add the olive oil and cook the chicken breasts on medium heat for 4-5 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through. Set the chicken aside on a plate.
- Over medium heat, add the onions to the skillet and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook about 45 seconds or until the garlic starts to brown and become fragrant.
- Whisk in flour and stir for 1 minute until well blended and bubbly. Stir in the broth and coconut milk. Add the basil, salt and pepper to taste. Cook over medium-high heat until the sauce starts to thicken, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the sun-dried tomatoes and the spinach, Stir until the spinach is wilted, 2-3 minutes, Lay the chicken in the pot and simmer until warmed throughout.
Courtney says
I was a little hesitant to use the coconut sauce so I added a bit of heavy cream and it was delicious! Hit with the family too.