If you’re tired of the same old boring chicken recipe for dinner, then this rich and hearty Chicken Florentine is for you. Made with chicken breasts over a bed of spinach in a super creamy and delicious cheese sauce, everyone will want second of this chicken dinner! An easy one-pot recipe that takes less than an hour from start to finish, this creamy chicken Florentine is the perfect weeknight dinner and one of my favorite chicken recipes. “Florentine” refers to the inclusion of spinach in the sauce, popularized in the Italian region of Florence, so feel free to add an extra handful!
If you are looking for more dinner inspiration, check out my Turkey Burgers, Homemade Chicken Shawarma, or Swedish Meatballs; they’re some of my favorites!
What You Need to Make this Recipe
Chicken breasts – I like to pound them slightly, making them an even thickness but not too thin to help them cook evenly. Be sure to find breasts that are similar in size as well. I would avoid getting bone-in skin-on breasts to keep this a quick and easy recipe.
Spinach – spinach cooks down a lot, so 3 cups may seem like a lot at a glance but once cooked, it’ll be the perfect amount. I am cooking with baby spinach as it is more tender than regular spinach, especially the stem that tends to be thick and fibrous.
Dry white wine – I advise against getting a wine to cook with that you wouldn’t drink. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but you want something that will make your sauce taste good! Wine like Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, or Pinot Blanc will work wonderfully.
How to Make Chicken Florentine
1. Pound the breasts to an even thickness of just under an inch.
2. Season with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour.
3. Cook the breasts for about 4 minutes on each side or until golden and cooked through. Set aside.
4. Cook the garlic for about a minute, while stirring constantly, before adding the wine to the pan.
5. Stir in the cream and let it come to a simmer.
6. Sprinkle in the parmesan cheese.
7. Add in the spinach and cook down.
8. Add chicken back into the pan to coat with the sauce with spinach.
Pro Tips for Making this Recipe
- You can also use boneless and skinless chicken thighs to make this recipe.
- If you’re not a fan of creamy spinach, you can use Swiss chard or kale.
- If you don’t have wine, you can use the same amount in chicken stock instead.
- You can add mushrooms and onions to this recipe at the beginning if you want. Sauté it alongside the garlic as it’ll be a delicious addition.
- If you don’t have Italian seasoning, you can use dried herbs of your choice.
- Don’t try to move the chicken once you have added it to the pan to sear. Once the golden crust has formed on the breasts, it will easily lift from the pan. If you move it around, you won’t get the perfect sear.
- Like most cream-based recipes, it is best to serve this meal as soon as you have finished making it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does this keep?
Leftover chicken florentine will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days. Once the meal has cooled to room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. This is not a freezer-friendly recipe as the cream sauce will break when frozen and reheated.
How do I reheat this?
Similar to my Creamy Tuscan Chicken, I like to reheat this on the stove gently. This way, you can stir the sauce as it warms up to prevent it from separating. Start on low heat and make your way up to medium heat. You don’t want to blast the leftovers on high heat.
What can I serve alongside this recipe?
I love serving chicken florentine up with some mashed potatoes as a delicious way to complete this comfort food meal. If you’re not in the mood to cook up a side dish, some crusty baguettes or soft dinner rolls will soak up all of the delicious creamy sauce.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Chicken Florentine recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Chicken Florentine
Equipment
- Large skillet
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts large, pounded
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ⅓ cup flour for dredging
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 Tbsp butter divided
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- ¾ cup white wine dry
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach
- ¾ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Parsley for garnish optional
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine flour and spices. Whisk together.
- Pound the breasts with a mallet and flatten to about an inch thick.
- Season both sides with salt and pepper then dredge or dip chicken breasts in the flour. Tap off any excess.
- Add a tablespoon of oil and butter to a pan over medium high heat. Add two chicken breasts, cover and cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes, flip and repeat. Cook until the chicken has an internal temperature of 165F/75C. Remove the cooked chicken to a plate, then add another tablespoon of butter and cook the remaining two breasts.
- Reduce heat to medium, melt two tablespoons of butter in the pan, then add the garlic and stir constantly for 30-45 seconds or until fragrant.
- Pour in the wine and cook while stirring occasionally until reduced by about half. Stir in the cream and let it come to a simmer then sprinkle the parmesan cheese in and stir over heat until melted.
- Add the spinach and cook until wilted then return the chicken and any juices to the pan and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer until the chicken is warmed through and the sauce has thickened, about 4 minutes. Garnish with more spinach or parsley if desired and serve.
Video
Notes
- You can also use boneless and skinless chicken thighs to make this recipe.
- If you’re not a fan of spinach, you can use Swiss chard or kale.
- If you don’t have wine, you can use the same amount in chicken stock instead.
- You can add mushrooms to this recipe at the beginning if you want. Sauté it alongside the garlic. It’ll be a delicious addition.
- If you don’t have Italian seasoning, you can use dried herbs of your choice.
- Don’t try to move the chicken once you have added it to the pan to sear. Once the golden crust has formed on the breasts, it will easily lift from the pan. If you move it around, you won’t get the perfect sear.
- Like most cream-based recipes, it is best to serve this meal as soon as you have finished making it.
Nutrition
