Description
This Easy Creamy Chicken Florentine is a quick and flavorful dish featuring pan-seared chicken breasts smothered in a rich and creamy garlic-Parmesan sauce with fresh spinach. Perfect for a weeknight dinner, it combines tender chicken with a luscious sauce and vibrant greens for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tablespoon butter
Vegetables
- 3 cups fresh spinach leaves
Instructions
- Season the Chicken: Start by seasoning both sides of the chicken breasts generously with salt and pepper to enhance their flavor.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken breasts and cook for 5 to 7 minutes per side, or until golden brown and fully cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
- Prepare the Sauce: In the same skillet, melt the butter and add the minced garlic. Sauté for about 1 minute, stirring frequently, until the garlic becomes fragrant but not burnt.
- Add the Liquids: Pour in the chicken broth and heavy cream, stirring to incorporate all the flavorful bits from the bottom of the skillet.
- Stir in Flavor: Add grated Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes (if using). Stir continuously until the cheese melts and the sauce thickens slightly, which takes a few minutes.
- Add the Spinach: Toss fresh spinach leaves into the skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the spinach wilts and turns bright green.
- Combine Chicken and Sauce: Return the cooked chicken breasts to the skillet, spoon some sauce over them, and let simmer for another 2 to 3 minutes to warm the chicken through and meld the flavors.
- Serve and Enjoy: Serve the chicken warm, ladling extra creamy sauce over the top. This dish pairs wonderfully with pasta, rice, or crusty bread to absorb the rich sauce.
Notes
- You can substitute heavy cream with half-and-half for a lighter sauce but expect a thinner consistency.
- Adding crushed red pepper flakes is optional; omit if you prefer a milder flavor.
- To ensure even cooking, pound chicken breasts to an even thickness before seasoning.
- This recipe can be doubled easily for larger gatherings.
- Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat gently on the stovetop.
