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Marry Me Chicken

Creamy Tuscan Chicken

This Tuscan Chicken dish combines chicken breasts with spinach, mushrooms, and sun-dried tomatoes in a delectable cream sauce. Serve with pasta, rice, or choice of potato for a restaurant quality dish at home!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Keyword Chicken, chicken skillet dinner, Creamy Tuscan Chicken Skillet Recipe, one pan chicken dinner, stovetop chicken dinner, stovetop dinner, Tuscan Chicken
Servings 4
My Island Bistro Kitchen Barbara - My Island Bistro Kitchen

Ingredients

  • 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (apx. 1 lb/454g)
  • Apx. 1+ tsp coarse Kosher Salt
  • 3-4 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
  • 3 - 5 minced garlic cloves, or to taste
  • ¼ cup dry white wine
  • ½ cup chicken stock (mixed with 1¾ tsp cornstarch)
  • ½ tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp dried Italian Seasoning
  • 1 cup whipping cream (35% - 36%M.F.), room temperature [no substitutions]
  • ½ oz (14g) finely grated Parmesan Cheese
  • 4 oz (114g) baby spinach, washed and dried
  • 5 oz (142g) white button mushrooms, sliced
  • 3 oz (85g) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced into slivers

Instructions

  1. Pre-prep: Dry brine the whole chicken breasts: Evenly sprinkle about ¼ tsp of coarse Kosher salt on each side of the whole chicken breast, gently patting/rubbing the salt into the meat. Set chicken breasts on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet and place, uncovered, in refrigerator for at least 6-8 hours or up to 18 hours to allow the salt to fully penetrate and tenderize the meat and deepen the flavor.

  2. When ready to make the recipe, set out whipping cream to come to room temperature. Assemble and measure out all ingredients. Wash spinach. Spin dry spinach in a lettuce spinner and gently roll spinach in clean tea towel to remove excess moisture. Chop shallots, mince the garlic, slice the mushrooms, and coarsely slice the sun-dried tomatoes (if large) into slivers, and grate the Parmesan cheese.
  3. Remove dry-brined chicken breasts from refrigerator and place on cutting board (do not rinse dry-brined chicken). With sharp chef’s knife, slice each chicken breast in half, horizontally, parallel to the cutting board. Place each piece of chicken between two pieces of plastic cling wrap or parchment paper (or in a sealed plastic bag). Using the smooth side of a meat mallet, gently pound each piece of chicken to a uniform thickness of 1/3”– ½” thick, being careful not to tear the chicken. Let chicken cutlets rest for about 10-15 minutes before proceeding with recipe.
  4. Mix flour, garlic powder, and paprika in shallow dish. Dredge all sides of each chicken cutlet with the flour mix. Shake off excess flour and set chicken aside.

  5. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in large skillet (e.g., 28cm/11” pan) over medium-high heat. When hot and the oil is shimmering, add 2 tablespoons of butter. Once the butter has melted, add the chicken pieces, making sure not to crowd them in the pan. Work in batches, if necessary, or use two medium-sized skillets. Reduce heat if necessary to avoid scorching the chicken pieces. Cook the chicken pieces approximately 3 minutes per side (depending on their size and thickness as well as level of heat used), or until their internal temperature registers 165°F on an instant read thermometer. Remove the chicken pieces from the pan and place in heatproof dish. Cover. Place chicken in oven set to the "warm" or lowest setting or, alternatively, tent with tin foil to keep the chicken pieces warm.

  6. Over medium-low heat, add 1 more tablespoon each of olive oil and butter to the pan and add the shallots and sliced mushrooms, cooking and stirring constantly for approximately 2 minutes. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for about 1 minute before adding the minced garlic. Briskly stir mixture for about 20 seconds to ensure garlic and shallots do not scorch. Reduce heat, if necessary.

  7. Remove skillet from heat and move pan contents to one side of pan. Add the white wine. Return skillet to stovetop and bring wine to a boil over medium heat, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits (fond) on the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to medium low and let wine reduce to about half then add the chicken stock, into which the Dijon mustard and 1¾ tsp cornstarch have been whisked until smooth. Stir occasionally until mixture starts to thicken. Integrate the pan vegetables into the sauce. Add the Italian Seasoning and cook over medium low heat for apx. 1 minute. Slowly stir in the whipping cream and Parmesan cheese until blended and cream is heated and cheese is melted. Reduce heat to simmer and cook slowly over low heat for about 2 minutes, until sauce slightly thickens, stirring frequently.
  8. Return the chicken cutlets to the pan and heat for about 1-2 minutes, coating chicken pieces with the sauce. Add the spinach, a handful at a time, and gently stir and cook mixture for 1½ - 2 minutes longer, just until spinach has slightly wilted. Do not overcook.
  9. Serve immediately with pasta, rice, or favorite potato side dish.

Recipe Notes

Yield: 4 servings

[Copyright My Island Bistro Kitchen]

 

NOTE: The oil drained from the sun-dried tomatoes may be used in place of the olive oil called for in the recipe; however, my tests revealed the olive oil gave a cleaner, less oily taste to the dish.