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Chicken Florentine Recipe

This Chicken Florentine is a comforting, quick and easy one-pot wonder that the whole family will be raving about. It may look impressive and taste phenomenal but it’s deceptively simple to make with pantry friendly ingredients all in one pan. To make this Chicken Florentine recipe, lightly floured chicken cutlets are seared until golden then nestled in a luscious Parmesan cream sauce boasting baby spinach and bursting tomatoes. The sauce is lightened up by using chicken broth and cornstarch along with the heavy cream so you can give into your desires to lick you plate. Serve this Chicken Florentine over pasta, mashed potatoes or rice with a big green salad and breadsticks and you have a spectacular, simple, saucy, repeat favorite
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4 -6 servings

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 2 large chicken breasts (about 24 ounces)
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 1 tsp EACH salt, garlic powder, onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp EACH pepper, paprika
  • 2 tablespoons Danish Creamery Butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon Danish Creamery Butter
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 cup heavy cream or evaporated milk + 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley, dried basil or 1 TBS EACH fresh
  • 1/2 tsp EACH dried oregano, dried thyme
  • 1/4 tsp EACH salt, pepper
  • 1/3 cup finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese
  • 4 cups baby spinach

Instructions

  • Slice the chicken breasts in the half through the equator to create 4 fillets. Cover with plastic wrap and pound to an even thickness. Pat dry.
  • Whisk the flour and all chicken seasoning together in a shallow dish. Dredge each breast in the mixture, shake off any excess, then transfer to a dry surface.
  • Melt the 2 tablespoons butter in 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add chicken and cook for 4-5 (depending on thickness) until golden and cooked through. Transfer chicken to a plate, don't wipe out skillet.
  • Reduce heat to medium and add one tablespoon butter. One melted, add tomatoes, shallots, garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté until shallots are softened, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in heavy cream. Mix chicken broth with cornstarch and add to the skillet followed by all of the sauce seasonings.
  • Bring sauce to a simmer while scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan; simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.
  • Once thickened, reduce heat to medium-low and stir in Parmesan cheese. Cook, while stirring until melted, about 2 minutes. Stir spinach into the sauce and cook 1-2 minutes, just until wilted.
  • Add chicken and warm through to soak up the sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve over mashed potatoes, pasta, spaghetti squash, zucchini noodles, rice, cauliflower rice or cauliflower mash.

Video

Notes

*Don't miss the "how to make" video at the top of the post!

TIPS and tricks 

  • Chicken thighs.  You are welcome to use boneless skinless chicken thighs if you prefer.  They will likely require less cooking time, so it’s best to check their temperature with an instant read thermometer.
  • Frozen spinach. I prefer to use fresh spinach as the flavor and texture are more desirable but you may use frozen spinach just take care to thaw it completely and squeeze out excess moisture so it doesn’t water down your sauce.
  • Don’t cook spinach in aluminum or cast-iron pans.  These metals can chemically react with the spinach and produce undesirable flavor and color changes.  Stainless steel is ideal (much stronger metal than aluminum), as it never reacts with food I love this stainless-steel pan.
  • Don’t overcook spinach.  Spinach cooks extremely quickly and should not be overcooked to maintain its flavor. For best results, cook spinach on low just until it starts to wilt then remove from heat; it will continue to wilt from residual heat.
  • Heavy cream substitute.  You can swap the heavy cream for evaporated milk whisked with 1 teaspoon cornstarch or milk mixed with 2 teaspoons cornstarch. 
  • Use fresh Parmesan.  Use FINLEY, freshly grated Parmesan (like powder)  for the best flavor and for the best melting ability.  Pre-shredded cheeses are coated in anti-clumping chemicals which inhibits their melting ability.
  • Use a hot pan.  Add your chicken only once the pan is hot – you should hear the chicken sizzle the second it touches the pan. If you add chicken to a luke-warm pan it will not sear.
  • Don’t overcook chicken. Chicken, especially chicken breasts, are juiciest when not overcooked. The best and most efficient way to check for doneness is to insert a meat thermometer into the chicken; chicken breasts are done when they register 165 degrees.
  • Gluten free Chicken Florentine.  Swap the flour for gluten free flour and you’re all set.
  • Can I freeze Chicken Florentine?  I do not recommend freezing because the creamy sauce can break and become a funny texture.  If you want to try freezing, use evaporated milk instead of heavy cream and omit the Parmesan.

PREP AHEAD 

This Chicken Florentine doesn’t require much prep, you can still prep everything in advance so your dinner can come together in minutes.
  • Prep chicken.  Create chicken cutlets by slicing chicken breasts in half and pounding to an even thickens.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
  • Dredge chicken.  You can go one step further and dredge the chicken in flour and spices. Transfer the chicken to a parchment lined plate in a single layer and tightly cover with plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator.
  • Chop aromatics. Dice the shallots and mince the garlic and store in separate plastic bags in the refrigerator.
  • Grate cheese.  Grate the fresh Parmesan and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT 

  • Storage: Chicken Florentine should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for three to five days. 
  • Microwave: chop up chicken so it reheats more evenly then transfer a small portion to a microwave safe dish.  Heat for one minute, stir, then continue to heat at 30 second intervals. 
  • Stove: chop up chicken then transfer to a skillet. Heat over medium heat stirring often.