Baked Tuscan Chicken Breasts

Name: Baked Tuscan Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts ((breast halves)); 1 tablespoon canola oil; ½ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning; ¼ teaspoon paprika; ⅛ teaspoon black pepper; 1 cup heavy cream; 2 teaspoons minced garlic; 1 teaspoon corn starch; ¼ teaspoon salt; ⅛ teaspoon black pepper; ⅓ cup sundried tomatoes ((chopped)); ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese; ½ cup chopped fresh spinach

written by Ashley Fehr

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4.97 from 617 votes

Prep Time 10

Total Time 30

Servings 4 servings

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Published on April 12, 2021 / Last updated on April 26, 2023

This Baked Tuscan Chicken Breast is an easy meal ready in 30 minutes or less! With a creamy sauce that’s perfect over pasta.

See the step by step recipe video down in the recipe card.

overhead image of four baked tuscan chicken breasts in baking dish.

Table of Contents

How to make Baked Tuscan Chicken:
Variations and substitutions:
How to store leftover Tuscan Chicken:
What to serve with Tuscan Chicken Breasts:
Baked Tuscan Chicken Recipe

This Tuscan Chicken Breast has been a long time coming!

We’ve always loved the creamy Italian-inspired flavors of these Creamy Italian Instant Pot Chicken Breasts, this Crockpot Chicken and Potatoes and this Instant Pot Italian Chicken Pasta.

But I’ve never done any creamy delicious like this in the oven or stove top.

Since this month is all about these perfect Baked Chicken Breasts, I wanted to share a few different ways that we can take a classic roast chicken breast and jazz it up without adding much prep time.

In the end, we’ll have multiple easy, toss-it-in-the-oven-and-forget-it chicken dinners that just need a simple salad or pot of pasta to make it an instant hit with the family.

For the first one, I definitely wanted something creamy and comforting. It’s still on the chilly side here, and we are game for a creamy baked chicken dinner full of garlic, Parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach any day of the year!

Check out this Baked Monterey Chicken or these 30 Easy Baked Chicken Recipes next!

close up image of tuscan chicken in grey baking dish.

It looks impressive, and yet it is so easy to make!

Perfect for guests when you don’t want to slave over the stove 😉

Don’t feel like turning on the oven? Try my Crockpot Tuscan Chicken instead! Or try this cheesy Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast instead.

How to make Baked Tuscan Chicken:

Flatten your chicken breasts so they are roughly the same size: this will ensure they cook evenly and that one side doesn’t end up completely dried out! Simply cover in plastic wrap and use a rolling pin or a small frying pan to flatten the thick end slightly.
Dry with paper towel: we want our chicken to roast and be golden and flavorful, so we don’t want any of the excess water that might be on it. Drying it before seasoning will give the best results!
Rub with oil and season well: we are keeping the seasoning simple again, but the sauce adds a ton of flavor!
High heat for a short time: what I love most about this recipe is that almost all of the sauce ingredients are added right to the pan, and everything cooks at once. There’s no simmering on the stove or extra hassle! Just toss and go — the only thing we add after is the spinach.
Cover and let rest: at least 10 minutes! You can even let it rest for 20 and I promise it will be so juicy and hot. This keeps the juices inside the meat and gives the spinach a chance to wilt down in the sauce without becoming overcooked and slimy.

raw chicken breasts on cutting board with plastic wrap on top — Flatten raw chicken breasts so they are an even thickness

tuscan sauce poured over raw chicken breasts — Flatten raw chicken breasts so they are an even thickness

Variations and substitutions:

Boneless chicken thighs: you can absolutely swap for boneless chicken thighs without changing the rest of the recipe! You will likely want to use twice as many thighs as the breasts called for.
Cream: I know it’s tempting to swap the heavy cream for a lighter variety, but be careful because lower fat dairy cannot be cooked at a high temperature without curdling. You may be able to swap for evaporated milk if you are a looking for a lower calorie option, but it may not thicken like heavy cream does and your sauce may be thinner.
Sun-dried tomatoes: I know these can be hard to come by at times, but I just love the subtle flavor they add! A couple other options would be fresh cherry tomatoes or jarred roasted red peppers — they’ll both add a nice pop of flavor!
Seasoning: you can absolutely play with the seasoning, as long as you choose herbs and spices that pair well with the sauce.
Spinach: you can leave it out if you want. I love that it adds a pop of color and a boost in the nutritional value. You can swap for other vegetables if you prefer: green beans or mushrooms could be added at the beginning of the cook time for a new twist!

overhead image of sliced tuscan chicken on pappardelle pasta.

How to store leftover Tuscan Chicken:

This Tuscan Chicken Breast is a great option for prepping ahead because it stores easily and is delicious reheated!

You can store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days provided all of your ingredients were fresh.

If you stuck to the recipe and used heavy cream (low fat dairy cannot be frozen) you can also store in an airtight freezer container or zip-top bag for up to 3 months, maybe it a great freezer meal!

What to serve with Tuscan Chicken Breasts:

We love this with plain, simple pasta, but you can also serve over these Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes for a touch of indulgence, or these Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes for a make ahead option.

This Instant Pot Brown Rice is also a great complement for a healthier, gluten-free option.

Also, these Breadsticks do a great job of soaking up all that creamy sauce 😉

Note that the chicken is as saucy as it is in these photos — it is enough sauce for us to serve with pasta, but the pasta is not drowning in sauce. If you want a lot of sauce, I would multiply the sauce recipe by 1.5 (so instead of 1 cup cream, use 1.5 cups, etc.)

close up image of tuscan chicken on bed of pappardelle.

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