Description
Here’s a delicious Chicken Florentine that brings classic Italian flavors right to your dinner table. Creamy spinach and tender chicken come together in a simple yet elegant dish that makes your weeknight meal feel special.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Seasonings:
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Cooking Liquids and Fats:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¾ garlic cloves
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ⅔ cups fresh baby spinach
- Optional garnish: chopped parsley or lemon zest
Instructions
- Pat your 1-pound chicken breasts completely dry using paper towels. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and ½ teaspoon garlic powder evenly across both surfaces.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet at medium-high heat (375°F). Cook chicken for 4-5 minutes per side until internal temperature reaches 165°F and surface turns golden brown.
- Transfer chicken to a separate plate. Reduce skillet temperature to medium (350°F). Melt 2 tablespoons butter and immediately add 3-4 minced garlic cloves.
- Pour ¾ cup chicken broth into the skillet. Use a wooden spatula to scrape any caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Stir 1 cup heavy cream, ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard, and ½ cup parmesan cheese into the liquid. Simmer sauce for 3-5 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Add 2-3 cups fresh spinach to the sauce. Gently stir until leaves become completely wilted and bright green.
- Return chicken to the skillet. Spoon sauce generously over each piece and simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes to reheat.
- Plate your chicken and drizzle remaining sauce on top. Garnish with optional fresh parsley or lemon zest if desired.
Notes
- Chicken halving helps ensure even, quick cooking and prevents dry meat by creating thinner, more uniform pieces.
- Scraping browned bits from the skillet adds deep, rich flavor to the sauce, so don’t skip this essential step.
- For a lighter version, swap heavy cream with half-and-half or Greek yogurt and use less parmesan to reduce calories.
- Fresh spinach works best, but frozen spinach can be substituted by thawing and squeezing out excess moisture before adding to the sauce.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-18 minutes
- Category: Sautéed
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2
- Calories: 680 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 58 g
- Saturated Fat: 23 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 33 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 45 g
- Cholesterol: 200 mg