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 on the recipe card.
We’ve always loved the creamy Italian-inspired flavors of these Creamy Tuscan Chicken Recipe, this Crockpot Chicken and Potatoes, this Crockpot Tuscan Chicken and this Tuscan Chicken Pasta Bake!
This Baked Tuscan Chicken is an Italian-inspired dish that’s as effortless as it is impressive!
Juicy baked chicken breasts are bathed in a rich, velvety cream sauce infused with the bold flavors of sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan, and fresh baby spinach.
Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s the perfect solution for a delicious dinner that feels fancy enough for guests but requires minimal effort.
Why you’ll love this creamy Baked Tuscan Chicken:
- Quick and easy: Ready in just 30 minutes, perfect for busy weeknights or last-minute dinners!
- Effortless: 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!
- Comfort food: Juicy chicken and a creamy, flavorful sauce make this dish cozy and satisfying.
Creamy Baked Chicken Breasts ingredients:
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts: these are pounded thin for even cooking.
- Spices: I use a simple blend of Italian seasoning, paprika, black pepper, and salt.
- Heavy cream: the base for the creamy sauce! I don’t recommend going with low-fat dairy for this recipe.
- Minced garlic: adds a depth of flavor. You can use pre-minced garlic or mince it yourself.
- Corn starch: this acts as a thickening agent to make our sauce nice and thick.
- Sundried tomatoes: these are more concentrated than regular tomatoes, adding a tart and tangy flavor to the sauce! Use the kind that comes packed with oil and spices for the best flavor.
- Parmesan cheese: shredded parmesan cheese melts right into the sauce, giving it a tangy flavor! You can buy shredded Parmesan or shred it yourself from a block.
- Fresh spinach: adding chopped spinach is an easy way to get your veggies in!
Love these flavors? Try them in my Tuscan Chicken Noodle Soup!
How to make Baked Tuscan Chicken:
This recipe couldn’t be simpler to whip up! Just follow the easy steps below—check out the recipe card for all the details.
- Flatten chicken breasts to an even thickness.
- Whisk cream, garlic, cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Stir in sundried tomatoes and Parmesan cheese. Pour around the chicken.
- Bake until the chicken is cooked through.
- Stir fresh spinach into the sauce and let the chicken rest, covered with aluminum foil. Stir the sauce again if needed, then serve.
Tips for the best baked chicken breast
- 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 towels: 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!
- 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.
- Internal temperature: use a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature of the chicken reaches at least 165ºF before eating.
How to store leftovers:
This Tuscan Chicken Breast is a great option for prepping ahead because it stores easily and is delicious reheated!
You can store leftover chicken an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, provided all of your ingredients are fresh.
If you stuck to the recipe and used heavy cream (low-fat dairy cannot be frozen), you can also store it in an airtight freezer container or a freezer bag for up to 3 months!
What to serve with this chicken breast recipe:
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.
You can also keep it low-carb with cauliflower rice!
Also, these Breadsticks do a great job of soaking up all that creamy sauce 😉
Like it extra saucy?
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 Breast
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, 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. The sauce may separate as it cooks (it is NOT curdled!) — just give it a stir and it will come together. Cover pan and allow chicken to rest for 10 minutes while the spinach wilts.
- Uncover and serve.
Video
Notes
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.
- Cheese: If you don’t want to use parmesan cheese, you could swap it with asiago, Romano, or pecorino cheese!
- 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.
- 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!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Tried this recipe?
Tag @thereciperebel or hashtag #thereciperebel — I love to see what you’re making!
Tag @thereciperebelMore baked chicken breast recipes:
- The Easiest Lemon Chicken Recipe — with a creamy lemon parmesan sauce.
- Baked Monterey Chicken — with barbecue sauce, bacon and fresh tomatoes.
- Baked Chicken Breast — simply seasoned and perfect for meal prepping.
- Baked Honey Garlic Chicken — sweet and tangy.
Emily Van Peteghen says
Have you ever tried this with pork loins rather than chicken. I’ve made it with chicken several times and everyone loves it with or without the sun dried tomatoes. Thank you.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Emily! I haven’t but would love to know how it turns out if you decide to give it a try!
Kim says
Made exactly as written and it was perfect and delicious. I used the sun dried tomatoes in the sauce and I added halved grape tomatoes with the spinach.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Kim! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Lynne says
Made this for dinner today. It is absolutely delicious!!!! and easy to make. Will definitely be making again.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Lynne! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Linda Agee says
Hello – Could I sub sour cream for the heavy cream? TIA
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Linda! I haven’t tried it myself but other readers have with great success.
Sarah says
WOW! This is delicious! I couldn’t stop eating the sauce and wish I made more lol. The only thing I changed was using half 3/4 cup of crushed tomatoes instead of sundried (didn’t have any)but it was so so good. This is a new staple. Thank you! 🙂
Sarah says
* -half
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Sarah! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
SuzySweet says
My family loved this recipe! I didn’t have heavy cream so I used 10% (half and half) and some melted butter (2 Tbsp) instead. I also heated up the sauce in a small pot on the stove before covering the chicken and added some thinly sliced fresh mushrooms. It was amazing! Definitely making this again.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
KBunch says
I’ve made this recipe 3x and it’s DELICIOUS! I do always double the sauce since we like a lot. I’ve paired it with pappardelle pasta and last night with your cream cheese mashed potatoes recipe! This is a WONDERFUL recipe!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Kaitlyn says
Absolutely love this recipe!! I love to pair it with pasta and double the portions to make enough for a family of 5. Adding in even more than double the heavy cream is helpful if making it for a pasta!! This is my family’s new favorite recipe and we even made it for our main dish on Christmas!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Kaitlyn! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Cheryl Burden says
This is a wonderful dish! Even kids like it! Thank you so much for all of your great recipes, Ashley!!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Cheryl! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Trupti says
Thank you for this delicious recipe. I just made minor changes: did not flatten it, seared the seasoned chicken before transferring to the baking dish, made the sauce in the same pan, deglazed it w/white wine, used red bell pepper, baked the chicken at 375F for 35-40 mins (temp the chk), & lastly added al dente cooked zitti along w/spinach.
It was a hit at Christmas Eve dinner w/friends; thank you & Merry Christmas.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Trupti! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review! Merry Christmas!
Jaime Robertson says
Have you tried with frozen spinach? Would you recommend cooking along with the chicken? Or thawing and then mixing in at the last step as per recipe?
Thanks.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Jaime, I have not but I would probably thaw it and drain it first.
Ashley says
How would I modify cooking time for bone in skin on thighs?
Ashley says
Meant to rate it a 5!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Ashley! I haven’t tested this with bone-in skin on thighs but I would cook a minimum of 20 minutes then start testing the temperature. Let me know how it goes if you decide to try it out!
TCarb says
I thought for sure I had sun-dried tomatoes, but when I was well into preparation I realized I was wrong. I substituted chopped pimentos and it turned out great. My husband shouldn’t eat spinach (bad for kidney stones) so I left that out and sprinkled fresh Italian parsley over it before serving for color. I will make this again – next time with sun-dried tomatoes.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi TCarb! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Dee says
I made this last night for dinner today and the sauce was very “soupy” and watery looking, what did I do wrong?
It’s for dinner today, I am going to try to thicken it up, taking the chicken out and heating the sauce with some more cornstarch 🤷♀️
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Dee! I’m sorry to hear you got that result. I haven’t had this problem and it would be really hard for me to say without being in the kitchen with you. A few things to troubleshoot. Was your chicken fully defrosted? Did you use full fat heavy cream? Was your oven at 425 and do you have an oven thermometer to make sure it’s running at the right temp?
Lucy says
Hi Ashley
Recipe looks great. Can you use olive oil instead of canola?
Also, have you actually tried using mushrooms at the start of the cook time? If so, what kind and how much?
Many thanks!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Lucy! Any oil would be fine. I’ve only tested the recipe as is. If you decide to experiment with the mushrooms, let me know how it goes!
Liz says
Can you leave out the cheese? My husband doesn’t like cheese but I’m worried it will affect the consistency of the sauce??
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Liz, yes you can leave it out.
Lorraine says
Love this recipe. Thx heaps Ashley!
Is it possible to freeze this recipe?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Lorraine! 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.
Lisa says
This is absolutely delicious! My husband declared it “restaurant quality”, but he didn’t leave me a tip LOL! The second time I made it I did it on the stovetop. I sauteed the garlic in some butter and then added the seasoned chicken breasts to brown them. Then added the sauce to simmer. Ended with the cheese and spinach. Served it over rice. Love this recipe. Also-I didn’t have corn starch on hand so I substituted with double amount of flour which worked out fine.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Lisa! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review and feedback about the flour!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Lisa! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Michelle says
Can the sun dried tomatoes be omitted?
The Recipe Rebel says
Sure!
Melanie says
I just tried this recipe out tonight for dinner for my family. I was pleasantly surprise when I tasted how tender the chicken was and the flavor was fantastic. I ended up using a 8×8 pan because I did not have enough heavy cream so I modify the recipe to make an 8×8 pan instead. The chicken came out so tender and juicy everyone wish there was leftovers. I also added a homemade sun-dried tomato pesto I made which gave it a lot of flavor and a nice color. Instead of adding spinach, I added a few frozen peas for color and a little bit of veggie in the meal. I put the chicken in the pan and then poured the cream sauce over the entire dish. I cooked it at the 425° for 30 minutes and it was perfect. I served it with pasta but I will make rice next time. I highly recommend this dish if you want to impress your guests for dinner. Thank you for such a wonderful but yet simple recipe to make. Happy thanksgiving! 🦃
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Melanie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Alyssa Smith says
I went back to make this again, but I’m out of cornstarch! Do you think I could sub flour??
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Alyssa, you probably could, I just haven’t tried it before. Let me know how it goes!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Alyssa, you probably could. Hope you enjoy it!