Creamy and rich, this easy recipe for Baked Tuscan Chicken is a brilliant way to turn boneless, skinless chicken breasts into a fantastic and simple one-pan dinner.
With spinach, parmesan cheese, sun dried tomatoes, and garlic, this delectable sauce is perfect over pasta, but the dish can shine on its own as a low-carb dinner option too!
Your family is going to love this easy baked chicken dinner! It’s just as delicious as my skillet Tuscan Chicken Recipe, or my reader favorite Marry Me Chicken, but made even easier, because it’s baked in the oven!
This recipe requires just a few minutes of prep work and 20 minutes in the oven so that you can make this baked chicken recipe work for any night of the week, even the busiest ones.
Baked Tuscan Chicken Recipe Highlights
- One Pan – You’ll need a bowl to stir the sauce ingredients in, and a 9×13-inch baking dish. That’s only 2 dishes to wash! I love these types of recipes because I can fit everything in the dishwasher after the meal is over.
- Amazing Flavors – The flavors in Tuscan baked chicken are just perfect in this rich and creamy sauce. They key is to use plenty of freshly minced garlic and sun dried tomatoes.
- Easy Weeknight Meal – How long the chicken takes to bake will depend on the size of your chicken breasts, but on average, you can have this meal ready in less than 30 minutes!
Key Ingredients for Baked Tuscan Chicken
Here’s what you need to make this delicious baked chicken dinner:
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Chicken Breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are perfect in this recipe. I haven’t specifically tested it with chicken tenders or other cuts of chicken, but I bet they’ll work too!
- Half and Half: This is slightly lighter than heavy cream, and works well to create the base for our rich and creamy sauce.
- Cornstarch: Mixed in to the sauce, cornstarch will thicken it as it heats up in the oven.
- Garlic: I highly recommend that you use fresh garlic cloves here! Mince them finely so that every single bite is packed with savory garlic flavor.
- Sun Dried Tomatoes: These are a little bit sweet and a little bit tangy.
- Seasonings: Dijon mustard adds a bit of sophistication, smoked paprika gives a little bit of warmth, and dried oregano and dried thyme are the perfect herbs for this sauce.
- Spinach: Save the spinach and add it to the baked chicken at the very end. It will wilt down into the sauce and add delicious nutrients.
How To Make Baked Tuscan Chicken
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) first!
Tip!
Turn the oven off once the chicken is fully cooked. The spinach will cook down from the heat of the sauce and the residual heat of the warm oven.
Recipe Tips
- Parmesan Cheese: It’s important that you’re using fresh grated parmesan cheese for this sauce, never the stuff that comes in a cylinder can!
- Prep the Chicken Breasts: So that the chicken cooks evenly, gently pound out the thicker side of each breast so that it’s the same thickness as the thinner side. You can do this with a meat mallet or a rolling pin.
- Try Dark Meat: Instead of chicken breasts, make this recipe with boneless, skinless chicken thighs. You will want 6 to 8 thighs to replace 4 chicken breasts. Trim away any excess fat before cooking them.
- Other Vegetables: Feel free to add other veggies, like mushrooms or green beans to this dish. Since we’re baking it, you’ll want to saute or steam the vegetables first, then add them.
- Cooking Time: The exact cooking time for this dish will depend on how thick your chicken pieces are. Use a thermometer to ensure that the meat is cooked to a safe temperature of 165°F (74°C). Check at 15 minutes, and add more time as needed.
- Low-Carb Tuscan Chicken: This recipe has about 13g net carbs per serving if you enjoy it without any pasta. Serve the cream sauce with fresh steamed green beans or zucchini noodles instead!
Storing Tips
Leftovers of Tuscan Chicken are delicious! Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
If you’d prefer to freeze the leftovers, ensure that they have cooled down completely, then store them in a freezer bag or container for up to 2 months.
To reheat, add the leftovers to a small saucepan and heat on the stove over low heat. You can also use the microwave.
What To Serve With Baked Tuscan Chicken
I like to serve this with pasta, and any shape of pasta will do just fine! Try bowties, angel hair, or rigatoni.
You might also like to make buttered noodles or my garlic butter pasta to go with it.
Tuscan chicken is delicious over rice, mashed potatoes, or a low-carb option like cauliflower rice.
More Dinners to Make with Chicken Breast
- Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast
- Creamy Lemon Chicken
- Butter Chicken
- Chicken Schnitzel
- Baked Salsa Chicken
- Chicken Caprese
- Chicken Marsala
- Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu
Recipe FAQs
What can I use instead of sun-dried tomatoes?
If you can’t find sun-dried tomatoes, you can replace them with fresh cherry tomatoes or roasted red peppers to add a similar burst of flavor and color.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes! Prepare the chicken and sauce and place it in your baking dish. Cover and store in the fridge for up to 24 hours, until you’re ready to bake it.
This option is perfect for nights when you’re working late. Your family can easily pop this in the oven and will be eating dinner in no time.
Can I swap half and half for heavy cream?
This recipe will work with heavy cream in place of the half and half, but the sauce will end up much thicker that way. If needed, you can thin the sauce out by adding a splash of water or milk at the end.
This super easy one-pan meal is perfect for dinner tonight! Not ready to make Tuscan Chicken right now? Save it for later by Pinning or sharing it.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Baked Tuscan Chicken
Recipe Video
Equipment
Ingredients
Sauce
- 1 cup (240 ml) half and half single cream in the UK, 240 ml
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ cup (35 g) sundried tomatoes diced
- ½ cup (35 g) grated parmesan cheese
Chicken
- 4 chicken breasts 6-8 ounces each, thick parts lightly pounded to flatten
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup chopped fresh spinach
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) or 160°C if using a fan oven.
- In a medium bowl or a jug, combine half and half with garlic, dijon mustard, cornstarch, oregano, thyme, and smoked paprika. Whisk until well combined.
- Add diced sundried tomatoes and parmesan cheese and stir to combine. Set aside.
- To a 9×13 inch casserole dish, add the chicken and season with salt and pepper.
- Pour the sauce around the chicken, and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes (exact time depends on the thickness of the chicken). The chicken is done when the internal temperature of the thickest part reaches 165°F (74°C). Switch off the oven and remove the pan.
- Sprinkle the spinach all over the sauce, and carefully stir most of it in the sauce with a small spatula. Return to the warm oven (no need to switch it back on), and let the casserole sit for 5-10 minutes or until the spinach starts to wilt. Serve warm over pasta, rice, or cauliflower rice.
Notes:
- Serving Size: Each serving should be one chicken breast and ⅓ cup of sauce.
- Parmesan Cheese: It’s important that you’re using fresh grated parmesan cheese for this sauce, never the stuff that comes in a cylinder can!
- Prep the Chicken Breasts: So that the chicken cooks evenly, gently pound out the thicker side of each breast so that it’s the same thickness as the thinner side.
- Try Dark Meat: Instead of chicken breasts, make this recipe with boneless, skinless chicken thighs. You will want 6 to 8 thighs to replace 4 chicken breasts. Trim away any excess fat before cooking them.
- Cooking Time: The exact cooking time for this dish will depend on how thick your chicken pieces are. Use a thermometer to ensure that the meat is cooked to a safe temperature of 165°F (74°C). Check at 15 minutes, and add more time as needed.
- Low-Carb Tuscan Chicken: This recipe has about 13g net carbs per serving if you enjoy it without any pasta. Serve it with fresh steamed green beans or zucchini noodles instead!
- To Store Leftovers: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Joe says
Great recipe. Sauce is on point. Served with penne though wish I had used angel hair inside to make it feel lighter. Added mushrooms which was a big plus. Will try this one again.
Little Sunny Kitchen says
Hi Joe! Thank you so much for the feedback. I’m glad you found the recipe and enjoyed it!
Stewball says
never having used them, are the sun dried tomatoes in oil or dry?
Diana says
They’re packed in olive oil.