Tuscan Chicken Skillet
Tender Tuscan Chicken in a skillet made with boneless chicken breasts and a creamy decadent sauce simmered with tomatoes and bacon bits. An easy weeknight meal to enjoy. Ready in 30 minutes!
Servings: 4
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
*some grease reserved for cooking the chicken.
- 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
Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 763kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 67g | Saturated Fat: 31g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 23g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 211mg | Sodium: 1094mg | Potassium: 732mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2971IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 120mg | Iron: 2mg