Creamy and hearty—this Chicken Florentine recipe is a perfect weeknight dinner for the family. You will get your supply of meat and veggies in just one dish.
You can make this recipe in less than 20 minutes, and the results yield a creamy, meaty, and saucy dish that the whole family will love.
Why Try This Chicken Florentine Recipe?
Quick and Easy: You will love this recipe with its quick and easy steps. Even those with limited time and experience in the kitchen can make this in no time.
Hearty and Delicious: This Chicken Florentine recipe is an incredibly delicious hearty dish. It’s a perfect combination of creamy and meaty, with a side of vegetables. You can ensure that whatever you pair with roasted vegetables, rice, or mashed potatoes will be an excellent and tasty meal.
All in One: This meal contains everything you will love in a chicken dish. It’s cheesy with a side of well-seasoned sauce.
What You Will Need
This ingredients list contains the name of the things you will need. For the exact measurements of ingredients, see the recipe card below.
Ingredients:
- Parmesan Cheese
- Garlic
- Chicken Breast Cutlets
- Salt and Pepper
- Flour
- Butter
- Olive Oil
- Dry White Wine/ Chicken Stock
- Italian Seasoning
- Heavy/ Whipping Cream or Half and Half
- Spinach
Equipment Needed:
- Meat Tenderizer
- Cast-Iron Skillet
How to Make Chicken Florentine
Now that we know the ingredients and equipment you need, let’s get into cooking the delicious Chicken Florentine.
Step 1: Prepare and Cook the Chicken
Pound the chicken breasts until they are just under an inch thick. Next, season it with salt and pepper and dip it in flour.
Step 2: Cook the Chicken
Fry the chicken with one tablespoon of butter for 4 minutes on each side. Put the lid on the skillet but constantly check every minute or so. Then, set aside.
Step 3: Sautee the Garlic and Add the Sauce Base
Sautee the minced garlic in two tablespoons of butter and olive oil. Then, pour the white wine or chicken stock. Constantly stir to avoid burning the garlic. Let the wine reduce to half and add the Italian seasoning.
Step 4: Cook the Creamy Sauce
Add the cream, constantly stirring as you do so. Let the cream simmer, and then add the freshly grated parmesan cheese. Wait for the cheese to melt before going to the next step. Stir the cream mixture constantly to avoid clumping.
Step 5: Add the Spinach
Add your spinach to the pan as the creamy sauce starts to bubble. Don’t worry if they look too plenty for you. The spinach will wilt and shrink as you cook it. You can adjust the amount depending on your preference.
Step 6: Add the Chicken to the Sauce
Add the chicken you set aside earlier as the spinach starts to wilt. Then, let it simmer and heat it back up on low heat for four minutes. Keep the lid on the skillet to trap the heat as the chicken cook.
That’s it! With those easy steps, you can have your meal ready to serve. Serve it steaming hot for maximum deliciousness.
Tips and Tricks
- Use Almond Flour. If you want a gluten-free variation of this dish, you can use almond flour instead of the regular ones.
- Chicken Stock is an excellent substitute for white wine if you don’t want alcohol in your food. It keeps the moisture in the chicken breasts as they are prone to drying.
- Pair with Salad, Pasta, or Rice. This dish is quite flexible when pairing it up with other dishes. Add a bowl of greens or crabs on the side, and you are in for a delicious and hearty meal.
- Almond Cream.You can substitute the heavy cream with some almond milk if you can’t consume dairy.
- You can substitute kale or other leafy greens if you don’t like spinach.
- Much like other cream-based dishes, this is best served hot and fresh from the skillet.
- If you are not fond of Italian seasoning, you can use other dried herbsto spice up your Chicken Florentine.
Common FAQ
Want to know more about Chicken Florentine? Then there are some answers to common FAQs.
What is the Best Pairing with Chicken Florentine?
Chicken Florentine is the best partner with less savory side dishes. Carbohydrate-rich food such as rice, potatoes, and pasta will make for an excellent pairing with this dish. Baguettes or white bread is also perfect if you love a hearty meal.
However, if that’s not your jam, salads and lighter side dishes are also excellent choices. It provides a well-balanced meal along with a meaty dish.
How Long Does Chicken Florentine Last?
Chicken Florentine can last from two to three days in the refrigerator. Keep in mind that since the dish uses a hefty amount of cream and cheese, it spoils if not refrigerated properly.
To keep your Chicken Florentine properly, be sure to refrigerate it not when it’s hot but when it’s at room temperature. This will lessen moisture production, thus lessening the number of bacteria.
How to Heat-Up Chicken Florentine?
Chicken Florentine should be heat-up in low heat. Colder cream from the refrigerator tends to clump when heated up. To keep that from happening, the gradual heat will slowly cook and keep it away from clumping.
The slower cooking keeps the basil and chicken from burning as you thaw the cream.
Why does Chicken Florentine use White Wine?
This Chicken Florentine uses white wine as it uses breast cutlets. This white meat is prone to drying off, resulting in lower quality and less tender meat.
So, by using the alcohol and flavors from the white wine, the chicken breast is tender and juicy throughout the cooking process. However, you can also use chicken stock as it does the same to the meat.
Summary
That’s it! Follow the steps and tricks to make your own Chicken Florentine. It’s a trouble-free recipe, perfect for those new to the kitchen.
It also provides an excellent way to introduce yourself to Italian cooking while being an ideal weeknight meal.
Chicken Florentine Recipe
Course: Recipes4
servings5
minutes20
minutes300
kcalEnjoy this easy and creamy chicken that is perfect for a weeknight meal.
Ingredients
¾ cup Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated
5 Cloves of Garlic, minced
4 Chicken Breast Cutlets, pounded to under an inch
Salt and Pepper
1/3 cup Flour
3tbsp Butter
1tbsp Olive Oil
¾ cup Dry White Wine or Chicken Stock
½ tsp Italian Seasoning
1 cup Heavy/ Whipping Cream or Half and Half Cream
3 cups of Spinach
Directions
- Pound the chicken breasts, then season them.
- Dredge the seasoned chicken with flour, then cook with butter on medium-high heat.
- Cook the chicken breast on each side for four minutes and set it aside.
- Sautee the garlic in butter and olive oil, then add the wine and Italian seasoning.
- Let it heat up before adding the cream.
- Add the grated parmesan to the sauce as the cream simmer.
- Add the spinach, let it wilt and cook before adding the chicken.
- Let the chicken cook in the sauce for four minutes on low heat.