Creamy Tuscan Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut in half horizontally or 4 thin-sliced breasts)
• salt (to taste)
• black pepper (to taste)
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp butter (salted or unsalted)
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes (halved; or other small tomatoes)
• 0.5 small onion (minced; or 1 medium shallot)
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1.5 cup chicken broth
• 1 tsp dried oregano (or 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano)
• 1 tsp dried basil (optional; or 1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil)
• 0.5 cup heavy cream
• 0.5 cup grated Parmesan (plus more for serving)
• 2 oz cream cheese (at room temperature)
• 2 cup baby spinach (packed; about 3 ounces)

Steps

1. 1

   Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and black pepper.

2. 2

   Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add the extra-virgin olive oil to the pan.

3. 3

   Add the seasoned chicken to the pan and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Note: The chicken should not be cooked all the way through at this stage. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

4. 4

   Add the butter to the same pan and let it melt. Add the halved cherry tomatoes, minced onion (or shallot), minced garlic, and a pinch of salt.

5. 5

   Cook the aromatics, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes and onion have just softened and the garlic is fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes.

6. 6

   Pour in the chicken broth and add the oregano and basil (if using). Stir to combine, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the pan.

7. 7

   Let the mixture simmer until the liquid has reduced by about half, which should take 4 to 5 minutes.

8. 8

   Add the heavy cream, grated Parmesan, and room-temperature cream cheese. Stir constantly until the cream cheese softens and melts into the sauce and the mixture has thickened, about 6 minutes.

9. 9

   Add the baby spinach to the pan and stir until it just begins to wilt, about 1 minute.

10. 10

    Return the chicken breasts to the pan. Simmer together until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, about 4 to 5 minutes.

11. 11

    Remove from heat and serve immediately, garnished with additional freshly grated Parmesan.

Notes

Serve over pasta or with crusty bread to soak up the creamy sauce. Variations: You can use sundried tomatoes instead of (or in addition to) the fresh cherry tomatoes. Kale can be substituted for the baby spinach if preferred.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• chicken
• creamy
• one-pan
• weeknight dinner
• Italian-American
• high-protein