Enjoy this creamy Tuscany classic dish prepared with chicken pieces cooked in a creamy, flavorful sun-dried tomato and parmesan sauce.

“Satiating” is the one word that righty describes the feeling I had after eating a serving of Tuscan chicken alongside cooked white rice. Traditional Tuscan chicken is prepared using chicken breasts cooked in creamy buttery cheese and spinach sauce.

Let me warn you early, this is not a delicacy that is lactose-intolerant friendly. I know that there are lactose-free options of cream and you can use them if you wish. I’m just not sure if it would produce the same level of creaminess known to Tuscan chicken.

What is Tuscan Chicken?

This dish is known as Tuscan because chicken is cooked in Tuscan sauce. Tuscan sauce has been associated with old Italian cuisine, the Tuscany region to be precise.

It is characterized by a rich sauce made with heavy cream, parmesan, butter and spinach. These standard ingredients have remained the same, even today.

What Do I Need to Make Tuscan Chicken?

1. Protein

As mentioned, traditional Tuscan chicken uses chicken breasts. However, since the main part of this dish is the sauce, I used chicken thigh cuts, personal preference. Season the chicken lightly before cooking them in the creamy sauce.

2. Sun-dried Tomatoes

Used in place of diced red bell peppers, they have a concentrated flavour, a few strips add a mild sweetness to the sauce.

3. Heavy Cream

Whipping or heavy cream makes up most of the liquid content of the Tuscan sauce. Heavy cream and butter merge to cause a burst of flavour.

4. Unsalted Butter

Oil the skillet with unsalted butter before searing the chicken pieces. You can use olive oil in place of butter if you like.

5. Aromatics

Some chopped garlic and onions add an aromatic appeal to this sauce. I am not sure there exist any sauces that I will make without these aromatics.

6. Parmesan Cheese

Parmesan is commonly used in Italian cuisine. A sprinkle of parmesan is added towards the end of the cooking process. This flavors the sauce and serves as a mild thickener.

After the chicken pieces are seared till light brown, they are set aside while the rest of the ingredients go in. This is a dish that comes together quickly, it is advised that you already have what will be eaten as a side. Popular accompaniments are cooked rice, pasta, soft buttery buns etc.