Creamy Tuscan Chicken

A decadent dinner doesn’t have to come at the expense of hours of prep and lots of dirty dishes to clean. This one-pan wonder is proof. Herby chicken cutlets take a swim in a garlicky Parmesan cream sauce filled with wilted spinach and tangy sun-dried tomatoes for a luxe meal the whole family will agree on. 

And because it takes just about 30 minutes to make from start to finish, it’s quick enough for the busiest weeknight (though it absolutely feels special enough for a weekend, too). 

What Is Tuscan Chicken?

Despite its name, Tuscan chicken didn't originate in Tuscany. The dish was instead created and popularized by the Italian American chain restaurant, Olive Garden. 

The original recipe featured pan-seared chicken in a thick and creamy garlic Parmesan sauce with wilted spinach and red bell peppers that were served over fettuccine pasta. Over the years, both fresh and sun-dried tomatoes have been used instead of peppers, adding a more Italian feel to the dish—just don’t expect to find it on menus in Italy.

Oil-Packed vs. Dry Sun-Dried Tomatoes

My take on Tuscan chicken utilizes sun-dried tomatoes, which lend their signature sweet-tart, bold flavor to every bite. They come in two forms: oil-packed and dried. Oil-packed are slightly more common in grocery stores and are sun-dried tomatoes that are packed in oil and sold either whole or thinly sliced (labeled “julienne-cut”) in jars. 

Dry sun-dried tomatoes are sold in containers or bags that are often vacuum-sealed to keep them from drying out too much and becoming tough. Either works in this recipe. 

If you use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, pluck them out of their jar of oil (save the oil for vinaigrettes and to fry eggs in!) and pat them dry. If using dry sun-dried tomatoes, avoid any that are too dried out and hard—they should be fairly soft and flexible.

Tips and Tricks

• If you can’t find chicken cutlets, buy 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds total). Lay the chicken breast flat on your cutting board and use a sharp chef’s knife to cut it in half horizontally. Each chicken breast will give you 2 cutlets.
• If you’re out of dried oregano, use dried Italian seasoning, rosemary, or thyme instead.
• Need to skip the white wine for whatever reason? Here are a few great substitutes. 
• Heavy cream will give you the most luxurious sauce here, but if you’d like to lighten things up just a little, you can use half-and-half instead. The sauce will still be creamy but a little less rich.

How To Serve Creamy Tuscan Chicken

It feels natural to serve this creamy dish over pasta to catch all the sauce. Long shapes like fettuccine and spaghetti are good choices as well as short shapes like penne and even orzo. 

Pasta isn’t your only option, though. My favorite choice is polenta, whose nutty, lightly sweet flavor balances all the savory richness and also happens to make this dinner naturally gluten-free. Mashed potatoes, mashed cauliflower, rice, and farro are good options too.

One-Pan Chicken Dinners

• One-Pan Paprika Chicken with Potatoes and Tomatoes
• Chicken Scarpariello
• Herbes de Provence Skillet Chicken with Potatoes and Greens
• Roast Chicken With Vegetables