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.
Table of Contents
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!
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!
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.
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!
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.)
Baked Tuscan Chicken
written by Ashley Fehr
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
Cream Sauce
- 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
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Place chicken breasts on a cutting board and cover with a piece of plastic wrap. Use a rolling pin, smooth meat mallet or small frying pan to flatten the thick side of the chicken so that it is roughly an even thickness.
- Place chicken breasts in a 9×13" baking dish (or a larger one if you are using very large chicken breasts — you don't want them smushed together or they will take longer to cook).
- Combine ½ teaspoon salt, Italian seasoning, paprika and ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Drizzle chicken with oil and rub with seasoning (I just do the top, since the bottom will be sitting in sauce).
- Whisk together cream, garlic, corn starch and salt until combined. Stir in sundried tomatoes and Parmesan cheese and pour around the chicken in the baking dish (it shouldn't cover the chicken completely, but it won't hurt anything if it does).
- Bake at 425 degrees F for 16-20 minutes, until an internal temperature of 165 degrees F is reached in the thickets part of the chicken (the exact cook time will depend on the size of your chicken breasts).
- Remove pan from oven and stir spinach into sauce. Cover pan and allow chicken to rest for 10 minutes while the spinach wilts.
- Uncover and serve.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Want to save this recipe?
Create an account easily save your favorite content, so you never forget a recipe again.
Tried this recipe?
Tag @thereciperebel or hashtag #thereciperebel — I love to see what you’re making!
Tag @thereciperebel
Emily Rodriguez says
Seasoning is on point. The only thing I changed was cut the chicken breast in half seared it in a cast iron and popped the whole thing in the oven (less cleaning). Didn’t have the spinach will make again with kale.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks for sharing Emily!
Lynette says
Thank you, Ashley, for choosing to be born, blessing this wonderful earth of ours with your presence. 🙂 I just made this recipe without the sun-dried tomatoes, substituted instead with diced artichoke hearts, and it still turned out FABULOUS! I did angel hair pasta, and again, this dish was sooo yummy. Loved it! Thanks again. 🙂
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Lynette! I’m so glad you liked it!
Maggie says
I’m not going to lie, I was a bit hesitant on trying this out but only because I’ve never had tuscan chicken prior to. This recipe is absolutely delicious, we paired it with manchego mashed potatoes and highly recommend it! Definitely will be a staple in our home.
Lynette says
Hey, Maggie, and a stunning day to you. 🙂 I’ve never heard of manchego cheese, but I just researched it and will be making manchego potatoes next week. It is “thanks” to your Chicken Tuscany review, otherwise I would never have heard of it. Yummy days for you and your loved ones — Lynette 🙂
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Maggie! I’m glad it passed the test 😀
Mary E. says
Thank you for this recipe! Absolutely delicious! Definitely a keeper for the cookbook junk journal I’m making with my young adult son!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Mary! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Brenda says
Can you substitute coconut milk (from can) in place of the heavy cream?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Brenda, I’ve not tried it with coconut milk before so it would be hard to say. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!
Manpreet says
I just made it yesterday. Absolutely loved it. Thanks for the recipe.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks for sharing!
Danette says
I don’t have sun dried tomatoes should I substitute or just leave them out ?
Ashley Fehr says
They do add lots of flavor so I would recommend finding some if you can 🙂 You could also try roasted red peppers in their place if need be.
Jennifer R says
I would definitely go get some because they are the best part of the flavor in my opinion!!!
Lori says
Would it be ok to cut the chicken in chunks before cooking? It makes it easier for me for it to be ready for the kids. Thanks
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Lori! This definitely works but the cook time will be significantly less. I would bake for 10-12 minutes then check with a meat thermometer
Melissa Brown says
Can I do this with chicken thighs?
Ashley Fehr says
Absolutely! I’m not sure how much the cook time would change, I would just recommend checking the temperature with a meat thermometer to make sure they are done.
Tiffany says
This was insanely good. Too good. Wow.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Tiffany!
Gail says
I don’t ever review recipes, but this one is so good I couldn’t help it. It came out like restaurant quality chicken dish, delicious!!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Gail! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Demetra says
I have all of the ingredients but the Parmesan cheese can it still work without it?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Demetra, yes you should be able to make this without the parmesan cheese. Hope you enjoy it!
Stacey says
If I don’t have Parmesan can I use Mozzarella
Ashley Fehr says
Yes but I would only add it on top of the chicken for the last 5-10 minutes of the cook time
Sophia says
Im 16, and I just made this recipe for mothers day. I paired it with mashed potatoes and seasoned asparagus, and it was fantastic. I got a lot of positive compliments. The chicken was really good and juicy. I would definitely use this recipe again!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Sophia! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
meganeb1234@yahoo.com says
Just made this last night, it was super delicious! I’ve had it saved to make for a while, but so glad I finally tried it cause it is definitely in my household rotation now!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Rebecca says
Absolutely delicious! I used chicken breast tenders and made extra sauce for the pasta. It was a total crowd pleaser … will definitely add this recipe into my rotation.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Rebecca! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Patsy says
I made this last night! The flavor was excellent, we put it over noodles, My husband gave compliments! Imagine that😄 most men just eat! I also made a loaf of French bread to go with it. This recipe is a keeper! Thank You! We really enjoyed it!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Patsy! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this review!
Sue says
If I were to use baby tomatoes instead of sun dried, how much would I use? And any tips to avoid cream curdling as others have commented happened?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Sue, I’ve only tested this with sun dried tomatoes, so you would be experimenting if you substitute any of the ingredients. Also they will likely add more moisture to the dish. I haven’t had problems with this curdling, but you need to make sure you use heavy cream. Hope you enjoy it!
MW says
Could this recipe work with pork loin?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi! I’ve only tested the recipe as written so couldn’t advise about the pork loin. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!
Dejana says
I have never tasted better chicken before. This meal was super delicious and easy to make.
Thank you for sharing this recipe with the rest of the world.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Dejana, So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for this review!
Don Black says
Is the páprika smoked and hot or just plain used for colour more or less
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Don, the paprika in this is just regular paprika, I would always indicate if it were the smoked one. Paprika adds a subtle earthiness, with a sweet and peppery taste, so not just used for color. Hope you enjoy it!