Creamy Tuscan Chicken
It’s time to make this delicious and easy Creamy Tuscan Chicken recipe that I’m sure the whole family will enjoy! Discover how easy it is to make this recipe. This dish is great for freezing if you’re meal-prepping for the week. Serve it with mashed potato, green salad, pasta, or over steamed rice.
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I’m sure your whole family will enjoy this recipe
Sunday is my meal-prepping day, and I always look for a way in which I can maximize the flavor of my dishes. Searing the chicken to get a nice golden color means rendering the most delicious flavor. For the sauce, since this is a Tuscan dish, I like to make it creamy with lots of tomatoes. It’s harvest time, and my cherry tomatoes are blooming beautifully. Using fresh ingredients is my number one goal when infusing great flavors. I used fresh basil, also from my tiny but mighty garden. I’m happy this year to have a bountiful harvest!
Ingredients and substitutions
PREP THE INGREDIENTS
- Onion and garlic are aromatics that render so much flavor. Chop the onion and finely mince the garlic.
- Cherry tomatoes are fresh tomatoes I harvested from my garden. Cut these tomatoes in halves.
- Spices, Italian seasoning, dried basil, paprika, red chili pepper flakes, and sea salt. In a small bowl, combine all the spices and set them aside.
- Fresh basil is a great flavoring and garnishes to finish off this dish. Tear them off the stems.
- Sundried tomatoes in oil make the sauce very flavorful. Cut them into thin strips.
- Chicken breast cooks fast and goes well with the creamy sauce. Cut the chicken breast in half, making it thinner and faster to cook.
- Salt and pepper are important to have on hand to season your dish. Generously season the chicken.
- Avocado oil has a high smoke point that won’t easily burn when sauteing or searing. It also contains good fat.
- Butter gives creaminess to the sauce. “It’s always better with butter”
- Tomato paste adds creaminess to the sauce. It also gives your dish a nice bright color.
- Honey adds sweetness and contrasts the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Heavy cream makes the sauce wonderfully flavored
- Parmesan cheese is a great addition to the sauce that makes it so creamy
- Lemon zest brings the flavor in harmony. It’s a nice addition to finish off this dish
SUBSTITUTIONS
- Shrimps – instead of chicken
- Spinach – instead of basil
- Brown sugar – instead of honey
- Whole milk – instead of heavy cream
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how to make creamy Tuscan chicken
- Prep the veggies and spices. Chop the onion, mince the garlic, wash and cut the cherry tomatoes in halves, tear the fresh basil leaves off the stem, and cut the sun-dried tomatoes into thin strips. In a bowl, add Italian seasoning, dried basil, paprika, red chili pepper flakes, and sea salt. Mix until well combined. Set it aside.
- Prep the chicken. Cut the chicken breast in half. Season them well with salt and pepper.
- Cook the chicken. Heat a cast iron skillet or nonstick pan with oil. Add the seasoned chicken breast. Cook them for 2-3 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF. Set them aside.
- Saute the aromatics. Use the same pan, add the butter, and stir, wait until the butter melts. Add the onion, and saute until tender or translucent. Add the garlic and continue sauteing until aromatic.
- Get ready to make the sauce. Add the mixed seasoning, tomato paste, sundried tomatoes, honey, and heavy cream, and stir to combine. Simmer for 1-2 minutes or until the sauce is slightly thickened. Add the Parmesan cheese, and add the zest of one lemon. Continue stirring until all ingredients are well combined.
- Finish cooking. Add the fresh cherry tomatoes and basil, and cook until the basil is wilted. Add the cooked chicken back into the pan. Stir to make sure the chicken is well coated with the sauce.
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Creamy Tuscan Chicken
Equipment
- Cast iron or nonstick skillet
- Wooden flat spatula
- cutting board
- knife
- Serving plate
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 3 medium size skinless and boneless chicken breast, cut in halves
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, julienne
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- zest of one lemon
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halves
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Heat a pan with oil. Add the chicken breast, and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF. Remove them from the pan and set them aside.
- Use the same pan, and add the butter. Stir until the butter melts. Add the onion, and cook until tender or translucent. Add the garlic, and continue sauteing until aromatic.
- Add the spices, Italian seasoning, dried basil, paprika, sea salt, and red chili pepper flakes. Then add the tomato paste, sun-dried tomatoes, honey, and heavy cream. Stir to combine, and simmer for 1-2 minutes or until the sauce is slightly thickened.
- Add the Parmesan cheese, zest of one lemon, fresh cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil leaves, stir and cook until the basil is wilted.
- Add the cooked chicken back into the pan. Stir, and make sure the chicken is well heated and coated with the sauce. Serve over pasta.
Notes
frequently ask questions
WHAT TO SERVE IT WITH
You can serve this dish over pasta, with mashed potato, or steamed rice. You can also make homemade garlic bread as a side dish. Or make a mixed green salad with an Italian dressing.
HOW CAN I STORE IT
If you’re planning to have this dish as part of your meal plan, make a big batch. Divide them for individual serving. Place them in a freezer bag and store them in the freezer for up to 3-4 weeks.
CAN I MAKE IT VEGETARIAN
Absolutely! You can use eggplant, zucchini, asparagus, or cauliflower. Pretty much whatever veggies you like. If you use eggplants, roast or fried them first, and just pour the sauce over them.
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Hi there! Nice to meet you. My name is Jen.
I’m a mom of 2 wonderful girls. I love to prepare and cook home-cooked meals. Cooking and planning your meals might sound like another chore added to your already long list of things to do. Believe me, I’ve been there. However, cooking more meals at home is worth all the effort. After years of cooking for my family and teaching culinary classes, I can honestly say that I have more control over the quality of the ingredients I use. That means I’m eating a lot better. Eating healthy doesn’t have to be boring and you don’t have to eat the same thing repeatedly. There are ways we can do and naturally enhance the flavor of our food and enjoy home-cooked meals.