Do you like one pan dinner recipes ? This easy Chicken Florentine recipe is for you. Seared chicken breasts and a rich, creamy garlic & spinach sauce make this one of the most comforting dishes you can possibly make at home. And did I mention that you can get it ready in less than 30 minutes ?
I’m telling you, this is a game changer!
What is Chicken Florentine ?
Chicken Florentine is a quick and comforting one-pot dinner. It’s one of those dishes that looks impressive and tastes like it came straight out of a chef’s kitchen. It is, however, very simple to make and does not require any special ingredients.
To make this chicken florentine recipe, all you need is some lightly floured chicken breasts, heavy cream, garlic, spinach, parmesan, white wine or chicken broth and some salt and pepper to taste.
The chicken is seared first then put back into the thick creamy sauce that serves as the main flavour carrier in this dish.
This recipe is especially great for busy weeknights as it can be made in under 30 minutes.
Origins
Chicken Florentine became popular in the 16th century in, you guessed it, Florence. However, there is a catch.
While the term “Florentine” does refer to the style of common in Florence, Italy. It’s very common in this region to use spinach with different kinds of meats and creamy sauces.
Now to get back to our chicken, it was Catherine de Medici, a Florentine aristocrat who brought this style of cooking to France when she married a french nobleman. Her relocation lead to her bringing her own style of cooking that was later dubbed “Florentine”.
Chicken Florentine served in a deep pan,This style of cooking became more and more popular overtime and the kind of “Florentine Chicken” that we see nowadays is a North-American interpretation of classic Florentine cuisine.
How to make Chicken Florentine
Making Chicken Florentine is simple and straightforward process. There are however a couple of things you need to do before you get cooking.
First, if your chicken is a little too thick, you may want to cut it in half lengthwise, or pound it using a meat tenderizer before cooking it. Don’t worry about pounding too much, your chicken breasts will plump up when cooked.
Next, you want to make sure that you finely mince you garlic cloves.
To your flour, add 1 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of pepper. Dredge your chicken in your flour mixture and sear in olive oil until golden brown. This process should take 3-4 minutes on each side.
Remove your chicken, lower the heat to medium and add your garlic along with the butter. After 2 minutes, deglaze your pot/pan with white wine or broth and cook until mixture is reduced. Add heavy cream and parmesan and stir.
Add your spinach leaves, one handful at a time and cook until reduced. Add your seared chicken and cook for another 3-5 minutes or until your sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper.
What to serve with Chicken Florentine
The choices are numerous. You can enjoy your chicken with some fresh pasta, or homemade mashed potatoes. You can also have it as is.
How about a slice of sourdough bread to scoop up all of that sauce? You can’t go wrong with that.
Pro Home Cook Tips:
Stick to fresh baby spinach leaves as they tend to be more tender, less sour and cook very quickly.
Don’t stir or move your chicken while it’s cooking. As it’s searing, it will form a crust and will lift from the pan. You only have to move the chicken twice: to flip it and to remove it from the pan.
Use a combination of butter and olive oil, not one or the other. To sear the chicken, it’s better to use olive oil as butter tends to burn due to the natural sugars that it has. However, butter tends to work out a lot better as a sauce thickener.
Possible additions to this dish: mushrooms, fresh kale, cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh artichoke hearts.
More Chicken Dinner Ideas
Moroccan-Spiced Chicken Meatballs
Oven-Baket Low-Carb Fried Chicken
Super Creamy Chicken Florentine
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 cup white wine or chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup grated parmesan
- 3 handfuls fresh spinach
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Prepping
- First, if your chicken is a little too thick, you may want to cut it in half lengthwise, or pound it using a meat tenderizer before cooking it. Don't worry about pounding too much, your chicken breasts will plump up when cooked. Next, you want to make sure that you finely mince you garlic cloves.
Cooking
- In a shallow plate, combine flour, 1 tsp pepper and 1 tsp salt. Dredge your chicken breast in flour mixture and set aside.
- Warm up a non-stick an on high heat and add your olive oil. Cook your chicken breasts for 2-3 minutes on each side or until they get golden brown. Remove the chicken and lower the heat to medium-low.
- Add your butter along with your minced garlic. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the garlic is slightly golden. Add your white wine or broth and cook for another 5-7 minutes until the alcohol evaporates and the wine is reduced.
- Add your heavy cream and parmesan and gently stir. Add your spinach one handful at a time and cook until it reduces in size. Place your chicken on top of the sauce and cook until the sauce reduces to your desired consistency. I like to cook it for another 5-7 minutes.
- Serve with pasta, mashed potatoes or with a slice of crusty bread. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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