This creamy Baked Tuscan Chicken is an easy take on the traditional Italian recipe. Instead of cooking this chicken with a cream sauce in a skillet, it’s conveniently made in the oven. This rich, comforting recipe is cheesy, delicious, and packed with hidden veggies (like spinach!).
This yummy baked Tuscan chicken is a dump-and-bake recipe, so it’s more hands-off than the traditional version. It features a creamy, tangy sauce that’s perfect for pouring over cooked pasta.
Use leftover chicken up by making these delicious recipes: Healthy Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk, Dutch Oven Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuits, or Creamy Chicken and Mashed Potatoes.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy – The prep for this baked Tuscan chicken is quick, with only a few steps to follow.
- Simple – You’ll only need a few kitchen tools for this baked Tuscan chicken breast dish.
- Dump and bake recipe – Traditional Tuscan chicken is made in a skillet. This yummy version is easier since you don’t need to watch the dish on the stove.
- Cheesy – The final step in this yummy recipe is adding a layer of melty cheese.
- Decadent – Heavy cream helps create a deliciously rich sauce for the chicken.
- Great for family dinners – This recipe is picky-eater-approved (even with the added veggies!).
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
How to Make Baked Tuscan Chicken
Quick Overview
- Combine ingredients.
- Add to baking dish.
- Bake.
Step by Step Instructions
Allow the cream mixture time to thicken while prepping the chicken.
Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temp of the breast.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, and cornstarch. The mixture will start to thicken. Set aside.
Step 2: In a large baking dish or shallow Dutch oven, toss together the chicken, shallot, sundried tomatoes, garlic, salt, Italian seasoning, paprika, red pepper, and black pepper. (I usually use my hands.)
Step 3: Add the spinach underneath and around the seasoned chicken breast.
Step 4: Pour cream mixture around the chicken.
Step 5: Bake for 10 minutes covered so the spinach can wilt. Uncover and another 10-15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees in the thickest part of the chicken breast.
Step 6: Add the cheese and broil for 1-2 minutes or until it is melted.
Recipe Serving Suggestions
Garnish this baked Tuscan chicken with fresh parsley, extra cheese (like pecorino or parmesan cheese), and lemon slices.
I love serving this baked Tuscan chicken casserole with other Italian-inspired pasta dishes. Here are a few ideas:
Expert Tips
- Use a meat thermometer. The best way to ensure you’ve properly cooked baked Tuscan chicken recipes is by using a meat thermometer. Ensure you put the thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken breast for the most accurate reading.
- Avoid frozen spinach. Using frozen spinach can cause the sauce to come out thinner/runny. I avoid this by using fresh whole or chopped spinach when making this baked Tuscan chicken recipe. If you choose to use frozen spinach, you must remove excess moisture by squeezing the defrosted greens and patting them dry with paper towels.
- Use thin chicken pieces. You can use a meat mallet to pound the chicken breast into thinner pieces for a more even cook. Ensure you create a similar thickness for each breast for the best results. This step will also cut down on the cooktime of the dish.
Additions & Variations
- Use boneless chicken thighs: Instead of Tuscan chicken breast, you can turn this recipe into baked Tuscan chicken thighs. Thighs are higher in fat, so they’ll produce a slightly juicier result than breast.
- Add other veggies: If you don’t like spinach or sun dried tomatoes, you can use other options like mushrooms, artichokes, or roasted red peppers in this baked Tuscan chicken dish. Or, make the dish more filling by keeping the spinach and tomatoes and adding other veggies.
- Try other seasoning: Adjust the seasoning in this easy baked Tuscan chicken to your preferences by using spices other than what I have listed. The only note here is to ensure the spices work well with the other flavors in the dish. I recommend using options like rosemary, oregano, parsley, and thyme.
- Add in cream cheese: You can make this dish even more decadent by adding in cream cheese. Let it come to room temperature first so it’s easier to work with. Then, whisk it into the cream mixture until well combined.
Recipe FAQs
The sauce for baked Tuscan chicken typically includes heavy cream, spices (like Italian seasoning), and fresh garlic. Depending on your recipe, you may notice other ingredients/seasoning in the sauce.
Whether you cover chicken while baking depends on the recipe you make. For example, roast chicken should be left uncovered in the oven to get a crispy skin. In this dish, I recommend keeping the dish covered for part of the time and uncovered for the rest.
Usually, Tuscan chicken is served with pasta, rice, or bread. However, you can also serve it with other grains (like quinoa), salad, cooked veggies, etc.
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Baked Tuscan Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 small lemon, zested & juiced
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 1.75 pounds
- 1 shallot, diced
- 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
- 8 cloves garlic
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Morton kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 5- ounce clamshell baby spinach or kale
- 1 cup parmesan or mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, and cornstarch. The mixture will start to thicken. Set aside.1 1/2 cups heavy cream, 1 small lemon, zested & juiced, 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- In a large baking dish or shallow Dutch oven, toss together the chicken, shallot, sundried tomatoes, garlic, salt, Italian seasoning, paprika, red pepper, and black pepper. (I usually use my hands.)4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 1.75 pounds, 1 shallot, diced, 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, 8 cloves garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons Morton kosher salt, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, freshly ground black pepper
- Add the spinach underneath and around the seasoned chicken breast.1 5- ounce clamshell baby spinach or kale
- Pour cream mixture around the chicken.
- Bake for 10 minutes covered so the spinach can wilt. Uncover and another 10-15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees in the thickest part of the chicken breast.
- Add the cheese and broil for 1-2 minutes or until it is melted.1 cup parmesan or mozzarella cheese
Notes
- Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
- Use a meat thermometer. The best way to ensure you’ve properly cooked baked Tuscan chicken recipes is by using a meat thermometer. Ensure you put the thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken breast for the most accurate reading.
- Avoid frozen spinach. Using frozen spinach can cause the sauce to come out thinner/runny. I avoid this by using fresh whole or chopped spinach when making this baked Tuscan chicken recipe. If you choose to use frozen spinach, you must remove excess moisture by squeezing the defrosted greens and patting them dry with paper towels.
- Use thin chicken pieces. You can use a meat mallet to pound the chicken breast into thinner pieces for a more even cook. Ensure you create a similar thickness for each breast for the best results. This step will also cut down on the cooktime of the dish.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Oh my god, this was so delicious! Loved the recipe for the oven. Just prepared and could get on with my day, to be rewarded with a super creamy, cheesy and flavorful sauce that I mopped up with a hunk of fresh sourdough bread. The sneaky spinach meant I could even feel good about getting my greens.
This was a huge hit with my family!!! Easy to make and we loved the cream sauce!!!
This chicken dish was super yummy and perfect for busy weeknights! I served it over orzo and my family loved it. It’ll definitely be on regular rotation in our house!
This turned out perfectly! We all loved the combination of chicken and spinach! Thanks for the tip, not to use frozen spinach!