Description
A rich and creamy Chicken Florentine recipe featuring tender seared chicken breasts simmered in a flavorful Parmesan cream sauce with fresh spinach and Italian seasoning, perfect for an elegant yet easy-to-make dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking Fats and Aromatics
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Sauce Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon flour (optional, for thickening)
Vegetables
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach
Instructions
- Season Chicken: Season the chicken breasts evenly with salt and black pepper on both sides to enhance flavor.
- Sear Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 5–6 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Prepare Sauce Base: Reduce heat to medium and add butter to the same skillet. Once melted, sauté the minced garlic for about 1 minute, stirring frequently, until fragrant but not browned.
- Combine Sauce Ingredients: Stir in the heavy cream, chicken broth, and grated Parmesan cheese. Add Italian seasoning and fresh lemon juice, mixing well to combine all flavors.
- Simmer Sauce: Let the sauce simmer gently for 2–3 minutes to allow ingredients to meld together. If a thicker sauce is preferred, whisk in 1 tablespoon of flour and continue cooking for another 2–3 minutes while stirring constantly.
- Add Spinach: Toss in the fresh baby spinach, stirring until the leaves are wilted and fully incorporated into the creamy sauce.
- Reheat Chicken: Return the seared chicken breasts to the skillet, spooning the sauce over them. Simmer for an additional 2–3 minutes to warm the chicken through and marry the flavors.
- Serve: Serve the Chicken Florentine hot, pairing it with sides like pasta, rice, or crusty bread for a complete meal.
Notes
- For a lighter version, substitute half-and-half for heavy cream.
- Boneless chicken thighs can be used as an alternative to chicken breasts for a juicier texture.
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce if you want a subtle spicy kick.
- Omit the flour or use gluten-free flour to maintain a gluten-free dish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with sauce
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 470mg
- Fat: 27g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 5g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 39g
- Cholesterol: 135mg
