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!
Table of Contents
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!
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:
- 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 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.)
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Pin this recipe to your favorite boardBaked Tuscan Chicken Breast
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
Nutrition Information
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Fullerton says
Fabulous! Doubled the sauce and spiced it up. Tossed sauce with linguini noodles at end and topped with halved chicken breast!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Fullerton! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Vanessa hoyos says
Thanks for the recipe! It was amazing!! Mom of three boys and already asking when I am I gonna make it again!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Vanessa! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Sylvia says
This is wonderful! The only thing I will change next time is, I will double the sauce!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Sylvia, so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this review!
Lily Hutchinson says
Literally might be my new favorite recipe. This came out FANTASTIC!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Lily, so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this review!
Wanda says
Very tasty! I sliced the chicken length wise rather then flattening the breast. Also, added 1 1/2 of 18% cream which worked well. Will make it again. Thank you
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Wanda, so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this review!
Eric says
Review update. Flavors were actually very good! Still not sure why the cream curdled? Maybe I will cover it the whole time if I try again, but overall a good, easy dish.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Eric, So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this review!
Eric Lefebvre says
I used heavy cream and the sauce did curdle any way afater just 16 minutes of cooking time.
jmi722@aol.com says
One of the best recipes I have ever tried!
Jodie says
Are the sun dried tomatoes in oil?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Jodie, yes. That is how I find them when buying them from the grocery store.
Brianna says
Do you think slow cooking would be just as good? If so any modifications you could think of? Thanks!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Brianna! I’ve only tested this recipe as written. If you decide to experiment you might could use this recipe for guidance: https://www.thereciperebel.com/slow-cooker-creamy-tomato-basil-chicken/
Jt says
Tastes great however it was not done cooking after 30 minutes for me at all. Needed to cook it for 50 to an hour to be finished
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Jt. I’m sorry you had trouble with the recipe. Myself (and others) have had success with the bake time, so I wished it would of been a hit for you.
Ellen says
Just delicious!! I also added in leftover vegs from the night before just some chopped onion, green peppers, jalapeño and peas. Everyone love it! Also used chicken thighs (boneless & Skinless) for this and crisped them some then added them to the sauce, just perfect! I will be making this again!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Ellen! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this review!
Karen P says
Chicken was juicy and the sauce was very flavorful. We will definitely make this again.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Karen! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this review!
Lynne says
I am south of Boston. Expecting 24+ inches of snow tonight ! So I researched some food to make for my family. I am making this Tuscan dish tonight ! Will let ya know how it goes !
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Lynne! Hope you enjoyed it!
Lynne says
PS I LOVE FOOD
Carla says
How was the meal?
Angela says
How was the Tuscan chicken?
Sunshine baker says
This was excellent! I used 3/4 cup 35% cream and 1/4 cup 15%. I will definitely make this again.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this review!
Sheryl says
Can I make this with frozen chicken breast or do they have to be thawed? I flatten my chicken and freeze individually.
Connie Beduze says
What kind of pasta would you recommend for this dish?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Connie! Honestly any pasta noodle would be fine. This is really about preference. Hope you enjoy it!
Haven says
this is AMAZING chicken that i will absolutely be making again! i served it over angel hair and it is delicious!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Haven! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this review!
Brenda says
Love this dish! I made it again. Served it with polenta.
Kathi says
Fantastic recipe. Only made was change and that was to swap out the corn starch to Potatoe starch. My dinner partner is allergic to anything with corn. Came out fantastic. Thanks so much for posting. Served over garlic red mashed potatoes. Yum!!!!!!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Kathi! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this review!
Tanika Hernandez says
What else can I use instead of corn starch ? Can I use flour ?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Tanika! I haven’t tried it myself but I believe you can. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!
Jessica Kepley says
This dish is soooo good and so easy to make….just a quick question are you taking 2 chicken breast and halting them or taking 4 chicken breast and just floating them out?
Jessica Kepley says
That should say flattening them out 😁
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Jessica! As you will see in the ingredient list, it’s 4 chicken breast. Hope this helps! Glad you enjoyed it!
Bianca says
Made this for dinner and was so delish ! I served it over Angel spaghetti.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Bianca! So glad to hear! Thank you for this review!
Laura Hesselberg says
So good and so easy to make! Perfect Christmas Day meal!
I doubled everything for the sauce except the tomatoes. Halved the breasts so they were the size of my palm. Fit about 13 of these in my 9×13 pan.
It all cooked perfectly!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Laura! Thank you for your review and feedback! So glad you enjoyed it!