Description
This Chicken Florentine recipe is a delicious and easy one-pan dinner that features tender chicken breasts simmered in a creamy sauce with garlic, mushrooms, spinach, and Parmesan cheese. Ready in just 30 minutes, this comforting dish combines sautéing and simmering techniques for a flavorful meal perfect for any weeknight.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 (8-oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (plus more if needed)
Sauce & Vegetables
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced (~2 cups)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 6 cups fresh spinach, packed
Instructions
- Prep Chicken: Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season both sides evenly with sea salt and black pepper.
- Brown Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and brown them on both sides until golden, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Cook Mushrooms: In the same skillet, add the minced garlic and sliced cremini mushrooms. Sauté until the mushrooms are browned and most of the liquid has evaporated, which usually takes about 5-7 minutes.
- Make Sauce: Reduce heat to medium. Stir in the unsalted butter until melted. Pour in the chicken broth and dry white wine, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to deglaze and release all the flavorful bits. Let the liquid simmer until it is reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
- Add Cream and Cheese: Stir in the heavy cream and continue to simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, around 3-4 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and mix in the grated Parmesan cheese until it melts smoothly into the sauce.
- Wilt Spinach: Add the fresh packed spinach to the pan, stirring frequently, and cook until it wilts down, approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Return Chicken and Finish: Nestle the browned chicken breasts back into the creamy spinach sauce. Cook for another 3-5 minutes until the chicken is heated through and coated with the sauce. Serve warm.
Notes
- Use fresh spinach for best flavor and texture; baby spinach works well too.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, simmer it a bit longer before adding the spinach.
- Dry white wine can be substituted with extra chicken broth if preferred.
- Make sure the chicken breasts are patted dry for better browning.
- This dish pairs beautifully with rice, pasta, or crusty bread to soak up the creamy sauce.
