Tuscan Chicken Recipe with Fresh Tomatoes and Basil

Rich, creamy, and packed with flavor, Tuscan chicken is the perfect summertime dinner! It’s made with simple, fresh ingredients (no sun-dried tomatoes!) and comes together quickly for a meal you’ll make again and again.

When Fancy Dinners Meet a Cast Iron Skillet

If I’m being honest, I’ve never been into fancy, Pinterest-perfect recipes. For me, it’s about creating delicious, nourishing meals with the simple ingredients I always keep on hand.

But when a fancier meal (like this recipe or chicken Alfredo spaghetti squash) intersects with simple and healthy, I couldn’t be more excited. And if it’s a skillet meal, you better know it’s gonna be a new favorite!

What Makes this Recipe Special?

• Made with fresh summertime ingredients, no sun-dried tomatoes needed!
• Versatile meal perfect for dinner parties or busy weeknights.
• Healthy recipe made with simple, nourishing ingredients and packed with protein, good fats, and even some veggies!

Ingredients

• Chicken breasts
• Roma tomatoes – Thinly sliced. You can substitute halved cherry tomatoes if you prefer.
• Baby spinach
• Heavy cream – If you’re dairy free, you can substitute full-fat canned coconut milk instead.
• Parmesan cheese – Freshly shredded. While pre-shredded cheese will work, the sauce won’t be quite as flavorful or smooth.
• Butter – Homemade butter from raw milk is my favorite, but regular butter is delicious as well. If you’re dairy free, feel free to substitute olive oil.
• Fresh basil – Chopped. Adds a peppery freshness to Tuscan chicken you don’t want to miss!
• Lemon wedges (optional) – To take this dish to a whole new level, garnish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Tools Needed

• Large cast iron skillet

Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1: First, heat a skillet on medium heat and melt 1 tablespoon of butter in it. While it’s heating, season the chicken breasts with the dried spices and salt.

When the skillet is hot, place the seasoned chicken breasts in it and cook them for 5-7 minutes on each side until cooked through.

Then remove the chicken from the pan.

Step 2: Turn the temperature down to medium-low and add the rest of the butter to the skillet. Use a spatula to loosen any bits of stuck on chicken.

Then add the chopped onion and cook for a few minutes until it becomes translucent. Next add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.

Step 3: Add the tomato slices and cook until the skins begin peeling off. This typically takes 5-8 minutes.

Step 4: Now add the baby spinach and cook it until it wilts, about 2 minutes.

Step 5: Then whisk in the heavy cream. Reduce the heat to low and gradually whisk in the cheese.

Bring the sauce to a slow simmer, and let it cook for about 5 minutes until it’s slightly reduced. Make sure to whisk frequently to prevent burning.

Step 6: Finally, add the chopped basil and chicken to the skillet, and let the sauce continue to simmer until the chicken is heated through.

Serve immediately with fresh lemon wedges as garnish.

Chef’s tip: Adding the parmesan all at once can cause it to seize up and not melt properly into the sauce. To prevent this, whisk it in gradually on low heat, only adding more when the sauce is smooth.

For a perfectly-paired dessert option, check out my healthy lime bars made with real lime curd or coconut sugar ice cream!

Tips for Success

Don’t overcook the chicken – Chicken breasts should only take 10-14 minutes to cook, flipping halfway through.

Use freshly-grated parmesan – While pre-shredded parmesan will work in a pinch, freshly-grated parmesan has a richer flavor and creates a smoother sauce.

Make sure to add the basil at the end – Fresh basil should be cooked as minimally as possible to maintain its signature flavor.

Don’t skip the lemon wedges – While they’re technically optional, I highly recommend garnishing this dish with a little small amount of freshly-squeezed lemon juice. It takes the flavor to a whole new level!

FAQs

If you try this recipe, let me know in the comments! Tag me on Instagram @violet_rightathome

Tuscan Chicken with Fresh Tomatoes and Basil

Rich and flavorful, Tuscan chicken is the perfect summertime dinner! It's quick to make with simple, fresh ingredients (no sun-dried tomatoes!).

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Clean Eating Dinner Recipes, Clean Eating Lunch Recipes

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Gluten Free

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 729kcal

Author: Violet Parcha

Equipment

• Cast iron skillet

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts fresh or thawed
• 4 roma tomatoes thinly sliced
• 3 cups baby spinach
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 onion finely chopped
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
• 1/4 cup butter divided
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 4 lemon wedges optional for serving

Instructions

• Heat a skillet on medium heat and melt 1 tablespoon of butter in it.
• Season the chicken breasts with oregano, salt, and pepper.
  4 chicken breasts, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon oregano
• When the skillet is hot, place the seasoned chicken breasts in it and cook for 5-7 minutes on each side until they're cooked through. Remove from the pan.
• Turn the temperature down to medium-low and add the rest of the butter to the skillet. Use a spatula to loosen any bits of stuck on chicken.
• Add the chopped onion and cook for a few minutes until it becomes translucent.
  1/2 onion
• Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
  4 garlic cloves
• Place the tomato slices in the skillet and cook until the skins begin peeling off, about 5-8 minutes.
  4 roma tomatoes
• Add the baby spinach and cook it until it wilts, about 2 minutes.
  3 cups baby spinach
• Whisk in the heavy cream.
  1 1/2 cups heavy cream, 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
• Reduce the heat to low and gradually whisk in the cheese.
• Bring the sauce to a slow simmer, and let it cook for about 5 minutes until it's slightly reduced. Make sure to whisk frequently to prevent burning.
• Add the chopped basil and chicken to the skillet, and let the sauce continue to simmer until the chicken is heated through.
  1 tablespoon fresh basil
• Serve immediately with fresh lemon wedges as garnish.
  4 lemon wedges

Notes

Tuscan chicken can be served over rice, pasta, cauliflower rice, or even potatoes. My personal favorite way to eat it is with a loaf of crusty sourdough bread.

Substitutions

• If you’re dairy free, you can substitute olive oil for the butter and full-fat canned coconut milk for the heavy cream.
• You can substitute 1 1/2 cups of halved cherry tomatoes for the Roma tomatoes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1chicken breast | Calories: 729kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 55g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 31g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 282mg | Sodium: 824mg | Potassium: 1271mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 4466IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 224mg | Iron: 2mg

If you tried this Tuscan chicken, I’d love to hear how it turned out for you! Please make sure to come back and leave a comment and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating.