Low Carb Creamy Tuscan Chicken (Printable)
Tender chicken in a rich, creamy garlic sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach. An elegant, satisfying low-carb dinner ready in 40 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (6 oz each)
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
06 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
→ Sauce
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil), drained and chopped
09 - 1 cup heavy cream
10 - 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
11 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
13 - 2 cups fresh baby spinach
→ Garnish
14 - Fresh basil leaves, chopped
15 - Extra Parmesan cheese
# How To Make It:
01 - Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder, ensuring even coverage.
02 - Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken breasts and sear for 5-6 minutes per side until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil.
03 - In the same skillet, add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn. Stir in chopped sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 1 minute to release their oils.
04 - Pour in chicken broth, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to medium-low.
05 - Stir in heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning. Continue stirring until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
06 - Add fresh spinach to the sauce, tossing gently until wilted, approximately 1 minute. The spinach should remain bright green.
07 - Return chicken breasts to the skillet, spooning sauce generously over each piece. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until chicken is heated through. Serve immediately garnished with fresh basil and additional Parmesan if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce comes together in minutes but tastes like it simmered all afternoon
- Its the kind of dinner that makes people think you tried much harder than you actually did
02 -
- If your sauce looks grainy, the cream was probably too cold or added too quickly
- Letting chicken rest on a plate while making the sauce keeps it from overcooking
03 -
- Room temperature cream incorporates more smoothly into the sauce
- Grate your own Parmesan—pre-grated cheese has anti-caking agents that make sauce grainy