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Baked Tuscan Chicken Breasts

written by Ashley Fehr

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4.97 from 729 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings

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Published on April 12, 2021 / Last updated on October 22, 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, it’s one of our favorite chicken breast recipes.

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
  1. How to make Baked Tuscan Chicken:
  2. Variations and substitutions:
  3. How to store leftover Tuscan Chicken:
  4. What to serve with Tuscan Chicken Breasts:
  5. 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 chicken 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 breast recipes 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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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!
  3. Rub with oil and season well: we are keeping the seasoning simple again, but the sauce adds a ton of flavor!
  4. 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.
  5. 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
Season chicken and pour the cream sauce around the edges
spinach added to baked chicken breasts with sauce
Once cooked, stir in the spinach
baking dish covered in foil
Cover and let chicken rest while the spinach wilts

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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Baked Tuscan Chicken

written by Ashley Fehr

4.97 from 729 votes
This Baked Tuscan Chicken Breast is an easy meal ready in 30 minutes or less! With a creamy sauce that's perfect over pasta.
square image of baked tuscan chicken in baking dish.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Cuisine American, Italian
Course Main Course
Servings 4 servings
Calories 423cal

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, salt and pepper 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

*1 serving is 1 chicken breast with roughly ½ cup of sauce

Nutrition Information

Calories: 423cal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 159mg | Sodium: 712mg | Potassium: 823mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1461IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 137mg | Iron: 2mg
Keywords baked chicken, tuscan chicken

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Meet Ashley

My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!

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Comments

  1. Kiana says

    Wow. This was so good. We used garden cherry tomatoes instead of sundried since we had some on hand. Will definitely be making this again!! Thanks!

    Sidenote: I don’t like parmesan when it is strong but it wasn’t too strong in this for me.

    Reply

  2. Ambre says

    Extremely confused. Pounded out 2 chicken breasts to 1/4 in thick. Cooked 20 minutes at 425-still RAW cooked about her 15 minutes still pink in middle and not to temp.Currently cooking another 15 minutes. What did I do wrong? Also sauce has little lumps in it ( used heavy cream, grated Parmesan and little bit of corn starch)

    Reply

  3. Kathleen says

    This dish was very tasty, but the sauce seemed lumpy, not smooth. I used half and half, but otherwise followed the recipe. Is 425 F perhaps too hot for a creamy sauce?

    Reply

    • The Recipe Rebel says

      Hi Kathleen! I actually covered this in the blog post: “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.” Hope this helps!

      Reply

  5. Debbie D says

    This recipe was absolutely delicious!! Made it for dinner and it was a hit with my family! So easy and creamy. Chicken came out so soft and had so much flavor. My son told me to definitely keep this recipe on hand at all times! Thank you so very much for sharing is amazing recipe.

    Reply

  7. Nora says

    So yummy! I used boneless skinless chicken thighs and served it over pasta as there was leftover sauce, loved it!

    Reply

      • Mirna says

        I had last minute guests and decided to try this recipe for being so simple and having good reviews. It was DELICIOUS! My guests loved it.
        I will definitely make it again.
        Thank you for sharing it!

  10. Barb says

    We dont like tomatoes so replaces with mushrooms. It was delicious. Highly recommend. Served with green beans. Next time will serve over riced cauliflower.

    Reply

    • Shira Oden says

      Wow!! This was soo good and easy to make. Next time I will double to sauce. Served it with mashed potatoes. I used cooked green beans at the end because I didn’t have spinach. Also I didn’t have tomatoes but it was great without them! I think a bit of lemon juice on the chicken would taste good. Thanks for a great recipe that my whole family loved!!

      Reply

  11. Rebecca Smith says

    I absolutely love this recipe! My whole family enjoyed the chicken, even my youngest who won’t normally eat chicken! This will be a regular meal at our house!

    Reply

  12. Catherine says

    Loved the chicken! It was so flavorful. My sauce came out clumpy not creamy, might you know what happened?

    Reply

  13. Ann P says

    I’ve made this multiple times. It’s become a signature dish in our home. Super easy and delicious. My boys are 8 and 11 and they beg me to make this. I do double up on the sauce cause we aren’t big into pasta and then I warm up Italian bread to dip in the sauce.

    Reply

  14. Julie says

    Hi, I am going to try this recipe tomorrow for dinner. What do you suggest serving it with for a side?

    Reply

      • The Recipe Rebel says

        Hi Lori! You probably could, I just haven’t tested it myself. I’d go with at least two pounds. Enjoy!

      • Ronel says

        Holy moly, not only super delicious, but so easy to make!! Definitely a dish to make when serving guests. No mess no fuss, and it tastes like you are some culinary whizz!
        I served this with pasta, but I could see it working with some mash potato if there is a lot of sauce.

  15. Christina says

    Served this dish to my italian husband and he loved it. He also loved that I am trying new things….I didnt tell him how easy this was to just follow and it comes out perfect. This dish is such a nice way to spice up chicken. Thank you!

    Reply

  17. Jean says

    Is it ok to triple the recipe and get good results. Thinking of having a large dinner party and this looks like an easy dish to prepare.

    Reply

  18. Katy says

    I have made this before and it is delicious! I think I want to double the cream sauce, this way we have some extra to pour over each serving.

    Reply

  19. Debbie Barnes says

    Yes last night it’s was amazing! I sautéed a half a bag of chopped spinach with a small package of baby Bella mushrooms added that after the 45 minutes in the oven put back in for 10 more. We had leftovers at work today my son and husband loved it 😃

    Reply

  20. Gray says

    Prepping to make this for dinner tonight and just noticed I don’t have canola oil on hand. Would light olive oil be okay or would that mess with the flavor? Looking forward to trying this delicious looking recipe 🙂

    Reply

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