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Tender Tuscan Chicken in a skillet with creamy decadent sauce and bacon bits. An easy weeknight meal to enjoy. Tuscan Chicken Skillet is a delicious and easy-to-make one-pan dish that features the flavors of the Italian region of Tuscany. It typically includes ingredients like chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, spinach, and a creamy sauce. You will love the flavors of this dish, they truly are unmatched!
Since its all made in one pan, there is little cleanup which makes for a great weeknight meal to enjoy. Easily make this into a dairy free recipe if needed. You can customize it with extra veggies as well. Another easy one pan dish to consider, One Pan Chicken And Veggies or One Pot Lasagna Soup.
Ingredient Notes
- Bacon. This is optional but highly recommended, it adds a great richness to the dish. You will use the leftover bacon grease to cook the onions so be sure to reserve some!
- Chicken Breasts. Use high quality boneless/skinless chicken breasts for this recipe.
- Seasonings. salt, pepper, dried thyme, oregano, dried basil.
- All Purpose Flour. to coat the chicken with and it also thickens the sauce.
- Garlic and Diced Onions. This adds lots of flavor.
- Cherry Tomatoes. For color and texture.
- Sun Dried Tomatoes In Oil. These can be found in the condiment aisle at the store. They add a huge flavor to the dish.
- Heavy Cream. This is the base of the sauce for this recipe.
- Fresh Spinach. This adds color and some nutrients.
- Parmesan. This adds thickness and lots of flavor.
All other ingredients and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Steps To Make Tuscan Chicken
Ready to cok Tuscan Chicken? Let me walk you through the recipe. For your convenience, there is a full ingredient list and detailed instructions in the printable recipe card below.
- Step One. Slice the bacon into small bits and add to a large heavy bottomed skillet. As the bacon cooks add it to a paper towel on a plate. Set aside (photo 1). Drain the excess bacon grease into a jar, leave a little behind in the skillet and you may need some more to help cook the aromatics. You can also use butter or olive oil.
- Step Two. Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel. If the breasts are large, cut them in half for even and quicker cooking. Place the chicken on a plate. Add the seasoning to a small bowl, mix it together and sprinkle it over both sides of chicken. Pat the chicken with flour on both sides. Set aside (photo 2).
- Step Three. In the same skillet as the bacon with the leftover bits of grease, add the seasoned chicken breasts. Cook the chicken, then set it aside.
- Step Four. In the same skillet pan, add the onions, garlic, tomatoes and sun dried tomatoes. Sauté for about 2 minutes on medium heat, add the heavy cream to the skillet let it come to a low simmer.
- Step Five. Add the parmesan over everything in the skillet. Take it off the heat and serve in bowls or on plates. Add the crispy bacon to the top and enjoy!
Recipe Pairings
This Tuscan Chicken Skillet is great served over rice or pasta of choice. It also pairs great with a fresh salad or steamed veggies. Try it with my Charred Broccoli Salad, or Mixed Greens Salad.
Recipe Tips & Substitutions
- Don’t Overcook Chicken. Be cautious not to overcook the chicken breasts, as they can become dry. Use a meat thermometer to ensure they reach an internal temperature of 165°.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes. If using sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, you can use some of the oil for sautéing garlic to infuse more flavor into the dish.
- Add Greens at the End. Add delicate greens like spinach towards the end of cooking to avoid overcooking. They should be just wilted into the dish.
- Customize with Vegetables. Feel free to add more vegetables like mushrooms, artichokes, or olives for added flavor and texture.
- Chicken Breasts. You can also use chicken thighs. If using chicken thighs you won’t need to butterfly them before cooking.
- Bacon. Use turkey bacon to make it a bit more calorie friendly.
- Bacon Grease. Use olive oil or butter instead if needed.
- Heavy Cream. Use half and half or 2% in place of the heavy cream to cut some calorie.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use bone-in, skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts if you prefer. Adjust the cooking time accordingly as bone-in chicken may take a bit longer to cook.
Yes! Make this dairy free by using dairy free heavy cream or use half and half.
Other Chicken Dinners To Try
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Tuscan Chicken Skillet
Equipment
- large skillet
- small bowls
Ingredients
- ½ lb raw bacon, diced
- 1 lb chicken breasts, boneless & skinless, About 3-4 breasts
- 1 tsp salt, more as needed
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup onion, diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- ⅓ cup sun dried tomatoes, sliced, *in oil. Some oil is used to sauté onions
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1½ cup heavy cream , *see notes
- ¼ cup fresh parmesan , *more as needed
Instructions
- Slice the bacon into small bits and add to a large heavy bottomed skillet. As the bacon cooks add it to a paper towel on a plate. Set aside until later.
- Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel, if they are large, cut them in half so they cook evenly and quicker. Place the chicken on a plate.
- Add the seasonings and flour to a small bowl, mix it together and sprinkle it over both sides of chicken. Set aside.
- Drain the excess bacon grease into a jar, leave a little behind in the skillet and you may need some more to help cook the aromatics. You can also use butter or olive oil.
- In the same skillet as the bacon with the leftover bits of grease, add the chicken breasts. Cook the chicken for 7-9 minutes on each side or until 165º internally. Once the chicken is cooked through, pull it off the skillet and onto a plate, set aside.
- In the same skillet pan, add a little sun dried tomato oil, onions, garlic, cherry tomatoes and sun dried tomatoes. Sauté for about 2 minutes on medium heat, add the heavy cream to the skillet let it come to a low simmer.
- Add the chicken back into the skillet with the sauce for about 2 minutes. Bring the chicken to temp and the sauce should thicken as it simmers. Add the spinach and parmesan, let it just soften and melt quickly.
- Take it off the heat and serve in bowls or on plates. Add the crispy bacon to the top and enjoy!
Notes
- Don’t Overcook Chicken. Be cautious not to overcook the chicken breasts, as they can become dry. Use a meat thermometer to ensure they reach an internal temperature of 165°.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes. If using sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, you can use some of the oil for sautéing garlic to infuse more flavor into the dish.
- Add Greens at the End. Add delicate greens like spinach towards the end of cooking to avoid overcooking. They should be just wilted into the dish.
- Customize with Vegetables. Feel free to add more vegetables like mushrooms, artichokes, or olives for added flavor and texture.
- Chicken Breasts. You can also use chicken thighs. If using chicken thighs you won’t need to butterfly them before cooking.
- Bacon. Use turkey bacon to make it a bit more calorie friendly.
- Bacon Grease. Use olive oil or butter instead if needed.
- Heavy Cream. Use half and half or 2% in place of the heavy cream to cut some calorie.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can freeze these for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is a meal prep must. The flavors are on point and it is packed full of protein. I cannot recommend this dish enough.
Everyone needs to make this! Omg the bacon and the creamy sauce was fantastic, so so good.
This was so delicious. I used heavy cream to make it thicker and boy did it please everybody’s pallets.
This skillet is delicious and now in our regular rotation. It’s definitely a keeper.
This recipe checks all the boxes! So delicious and will keep this on a weekly rotation.