Baked Tuscan Chicken Breasts

Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings

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This Baked Tuscan Chicken Breast recipe 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.

You might also like this Tuscan Chicken Pasta Bake or this One Pan Tuscan Orzo with Chicken!

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

This Tuscan Chicken Breast recipe 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 breast recipes 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 recipe:

  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.
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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 chicken breast recipe 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 Breast

4.97 from 959 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.
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
  • teaspoon black pepper

Cream Sauce

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon corn starch
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • teaspoon black pepper
  • 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. Rhonda says

    Loved this recipe easy and delicious!!!!i 4times the sauce light on the tomatoes everyone LOVED it I am going to make this sauce for Christmas dinner with clams and linguine with our traditional steak and lobster dinner can’t wait.thank you

  2. Sharon says

    We loved this recipe!!! I could not get the plain sundried tomatoes so I swapped smoked sundried tomatoes and It was fantastic! This will be one recipe that definitely goes into the rotation.

  3. Mary Mayshark says

    This is so great with chicken! We make it at least once a week!

    Do you think you could do the same with salmon?

  4. Angie says

    This was absolutely wonderful! My husband and son loved the sauce.
    I cut the chicken into strips and doubled the sauce. Next time I will reduce the cook time by about 5 minutes. My husband said it’s a keeper.

  5. Natalie says

    This was super tasty!!! The sauce is sooo delish!!! I didn’t have spinach or sun dried tomatoes so I used canned whole tomatoes which I chopped up and topped it with thyme and sage. Still came out very good!! I think I used a lot more garlic because I’m obsessed. Thanks for the great recipe.

    • Ashley Fehr says

      Half and half will work but won’t thicken quite the same way and lower fat cream does have the potential to curdle at high temperatures. It will still taste fine 🙂

  6. Miranda says

    How would you make this a freezer meal? Would you cook then freeze? Or cook half way then freeze. My morther in law is having foot surgery and like to have an easy meal to throw in the oven.

    • Ashley Fehr says

      Hi Miranda! That’s a great idea. I think I would put everything in the pan (up to the point of baking) then cover really well and freeze. I would recommend thawing before baking for most even cooking results.

      • Jenn says

        I had company coming for dinner but they cancelled at the last minute. Everything was fully cooked but I had waaaay too much. I let everything cool and put into freezer bags. A couple of weeks later, simply but the chicken back into the oven, warmed, added just a bit more cream to the sauce, and it tasted exactly the same. You couldn’t tell it had ever been in the freezer!

  7. Teresa says

    This was so yummy! I will definitely double the sauce next time because it was so yummy I want more lol! Thanks for the recipe! My house smells amazing still!

  8. Elizabeth says

    I made this exactly to recipe and omg it is so good!! I did have a cook my chicken a little longer, to 30 minutes, but it was still juicy and delicious.

  9. Wendy says

    Wow-Yum. I followed to a T although I chose to roast the garlic in a tad of butter before mixing with cream. Amazing flavor & done exactly on time. Served over Orzo! & had French bread too 😋 Next time I’m going to try this with Tenderloins, which is my chicken of choice. As another reviewer stated, ‘this is lick the plate clean’. Thank you!!

  10. CindyB says

    Hi i cooked it for 16 mins but then added it to 20 because it was still reading as 130 degrees. I let it come for 7 mins more. I checked the temp and it was 150 so i took it out and let it sit for 10 mins. Do you think itll be okay? I hope it doesnt dry out😭

  11. Kortesha says

    This recipe was very delicious and nutritious I will definitely keep this one in rotation. I made mashed potatoes with this.

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