Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken

This easy recipe for Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken will quickly become a dinner favorite! Chicken and garlic mix together with spinach and tomatoes in a simple cream sauce that cooks in one skillet in less than 35 minutes!

This Tuscan Garlic Chicken is one of my favorite meals. It’s packed with flavor and cooks in one skillet. Inspired by the popular Olive Garden recipe, this dish is made with simple ingredients and cooks up quickly. It’s great for a weeknight dinner in a pinch!

The creamy sauce comes together using garlic, fresh tomato, and onion that are simmered down into a sauce with heavy cream. Top it with parmesan cheese, then serve with your favorite sides for a hearty and comforting dinner everyone will enjoy.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• This homemade recipe is made with simple ingredients you can find in any grocery store making it a budget-friendly option. 
• The entire meal comes together in one skillet making the kitchen clean-up a breeze. 
• You can adapt this recipe to be suitable for low-carb or keto lifestyles.
• It’s versatile and can be served over pasta, rice, or paired with your favorite side dishes. 
• The entire dish can be made in 35 minutes or less.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil – This is the cooking oil you’ll use to cook the chicken breasts in the skillet.  It helps give them color and seal in moisture. You can substitute with avocado oil, if needed.
• Chicken Breast – You’ll want boneless, skinless chicken breasts that are filet evenly into 4 pieces of the same thickness.
• Dried Italian Seasoning – This Italian herb mixture gives the chicken classic Italian flavors. 
• Salt & Pepper – Balance out all the flavors in the dish. 
• Butter – A bit of unsalted butter is used to deglaze the pan and help give the sauce a rich buttery flavor. 
• Onion & Garlic – These aromatic vegetables are classic in Italian cooking and infuse the dish with a garlic onion flavor. 
• Fresh Tomato – Gives the sauce a light red color and adds acidity to the sauce 
• Baby Spinach – Adds nutrition, texture, and a pop of green color. 
• Heavy Cream – Cream makes the sauce creamy and rich. 
• Grated Parmesan Cheese – Gives the dish a salty bite. 
• Fresh Parsley – Adds a pop of freshness and color. You can omit.

How to Make Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken

Step 1. Heat oil in a cast-iron skillet set over medium heat. Add chicken and season with Italian seasoning, salt, pepper. Cook until golden and no longer pink, 8 minutes per side. Remove from the skillet and set aside. 

Step 2.  Reduce heat to medium-low, then add butter and a splash of water, broth, or white wine, deglazing the brown bits from the pan. Saute onions for about 5 minutes or until soft and translucent, then stir in garlic and cook 30 to 60 seconds, until fragrant. Add diced tomatoes and spinach, season with salt and pepper, and cook until spinach begins to wilt. 

Step 3. Stir in heavy cream and parmesan and bring the sauce to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer until sauce is slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Return chicken to skillet and cook until heated through 5 to 7 minutes. 

Step 4. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately with your favorite side dishes.

Low Carb and Keto Tuscan Garlic Chicken

You can easily adapted this recipe to fit a low-carb or keto lifestyle. Simply reduce to ½ cup onion and tomato, and 4 cloves garlic. Serve the chicken over:

• Spaghetti Squash
• Zucchini Noodles
• Steamed Broccoli
• Riced Cauliflower
• Cauliflower Mash

Recipe Tips

• Cut the chicken breast into pieces that are the same size and thickness to make sure they cook evenly. To make sure the chicken is fully cooked, use a meat thermometer and cook until the internal temperature reaches 165F. 
• Do not add the spinach to the dish until the very end. Let the heat of the sauce wilt the spinach for best results. 
• Always use fresh garlic cloves if possible for the best flavor.

Variations

• Change up the greens by using fresh kale or collards to wilt down into the sauce instead of spinach. 
• Don’t like chicken? This recipe is also delicious with salmon or shrimp. 
• Add a little spice by using a pinch or two of red chili flakes right in the sauce.

SERVING SUGGESTION: Tuscan garlic chicken tastes great on its own or served over rice or pasta.

More Skillet Dinner Recipes

• One Pot Chicken Enchilada Pasta
• Baked Mediterranean Chicken (baked in a skillet)
• Turkey Taco Quinoa Skillet
• Maple Dijon Chicken Skillet
• Shrimp Stir Fry
• Creamy Tomato Basil Tortellini Skillet
• Spanish Chicken and Rice