Quick, easy, and insanely flavorful! This Italian Chicken Florentine recipe is a weeknight favorite for it’s relatively short cook time, creamy white wine sauce, and the fact that it’s a one pot meal. Can’t beat that!
What is chicken florentine? When we see the word florentine, our minds usually go to spinach, often a main ingredients found in florentine-style dishes. Served on top is pan seared chicken, cooked until golden brown. The sauce is built around shallots (or onion), garlic, white wine, chicken stock, heavy cream, and grated Parmesan. Add lots of fresh baby spinach — and bonus? you’ll feel better about the cream sauce if you load it up with a veggie! — then simmer until bubbly. You’re left with a creamy spinach sauce that is rich and deeply flavored. Return the cooked chicken to the pot, then serve as a low carb entrée or (if you’re like us!) with creamy mashed potatoes or crusty baguette.
The sauce has a bold, vibrant flavor from the wine, but it’s not too heavy. Love that! Top the finished dish with fresh chives and an extra sprinkling of Parmigiano Reggiano. It is truly so delicious!
Love these flavors? You might like our Salmon Florentine or this quick and simple Quiche Florentine!
Ingredient Notes
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken cutlets: Either is fine, but chicken breasts will need to be finished in the oven, while cutlets will finish on the stove top.
- All-purpose flour: To dredge the chicken and help it turn golden brown when pan searing.
- Kosher salt: To season the chicken and the white wine sauce.
- Freshly cracked black pepper: To season the chicken and the sauce.
- Extra virgin olive oil: The fat added to the pan to help the chicken brown.
- Unsalted butter: Adds flavor and fat the to the pan.
- Garlic: Adds tons of flavor!
- White wine: A big part of the flavor in the sauce comes from the wine. Choose a dry white wine that is good enough to drink, because you’ll absolutely taste it in the florentine sauce.
- Chicken stock: Cuts back on the acidity from the white wine and helps to round out the flavor of the sauce.
- Heavy cream: Adds a creaminess to the sauce.
- Onion or shallots: For sweetness and texture!
- Baby spinach: Wouldn’t be a florentine sauce without spinach! We prefer fresh baby spinach to frozen spinach, but you can use whichever you prefer. Just make sure to ring out all excess water before adding frozen spinach to the pan (and use 2 boxes!).
- Grated Parmigiano Reggiano: Melts into the sauce and adds a lovely nuttiness and salty bite.
- Chives or parsley: Add chopped chives or fresh parsley as a garnish just before serving!
We recommend making this in a large cast-iron skillet or even stainless steel. You’re less likely to get a nice golden sear on the chicken breasts or cutlets if you use a nonstick pan.
How To Make The Best Chicken Florentine
- Dredge and season the chicken. If using chicken breasts (versus cutlets), preheat oven to 375F. Season all-purpose flour with Kosher salt and black pepper, then dredge the chicken on all sides, shaking off any excess flour.
- Cook the chicken. Heat 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil and 1 Tbsp unsalted butter over high heat in a large cast-iron skillet. When melted and hot, add the chicken breasts, leaving a little space in between. If using chicken cutlets, cook for 5 minutes per side, or until each side is a deep golden brown. Transfer to a plate, then tent loosely with aluminum foil. If using chicken breasts, they’ll cook for 7 minutes per side, then transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and finish in a preheated oven to 375F for 5-10 minutes, depending on thickness. Set aside.
- Brown the onions. Add an additional 2 Tbsp butter, then add thinly sliced onion or shallots and garlic. Lower the temperature to medium heat, then cook until browned and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
- Make the sauce. Deglaze the pan with white wine and chicken broth. Use a spatula to scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan, then add heavy cream, grated Parmesan cheese, and butter.
- Add spinach. Add 5 oz fresh baby spinach to the pan, season with ½ tsp Kosher salt, then stir until the cheese has melted and the spinach has wilted. If finishing chicken in the oven, simmer the sauce until chicken is fully cooked.
- Return the chicken to the pan, tossing once to coat on each side, then garnish with chopped parsley or chives and an extra sprinkle of grated Parmesan. Serve immediately!
Chicken is safe to eat when an internal temperature of 165F has been reached.
We recommend the Thermapen MK4 to check for doneness on all meats!
Tips For Pan Searing Chicken
When you make this chicken florentine recipe at home, we want you to have the same golden brown chicken that you see here. Below are a few tips to help achieve that crispy exterior on the chicken, while maintaining a flavorful, juicy center.
- Make sure the pan is very hot! Heat the skillet over high heat, then add oil and/or butter. As soon as they heat through (and the butter melts), add the chicken and cook undisturbed for at least 5 minutes, to help the crust form.
- Season the flour for dredging! Make sure to season the flour with Kosher salt and black pepper. It will directly season the chicken, which means flavor!
- Don’t use nonstick! There is a time and a place for a nonstick skillet, but this isn’t it. If you want golden brown pan seared chicken, use cast-iron or stainless steel.
- Leave the chicken alone! Let the chicken cook undisturbed for 5 minutes without moving it in the pan. This helps to form a crust. Also, pro tip: when the crust has formed, the chicken should pull away easily to be flipped.
- Not really a tip, but if you’re a fan of mushrooms, pan seared shiitakes, baby bellas, or sliced cremini mushrooms are a fantastic addition that add a lovely earthy flavor.
Does The Sauce Reheat Well?
It is definitely best the first day. When you go to reheat, you’ll have the same amazing flavor, but the cream and butter are likely to separate a bit. Still tastes amazing, though!
Can I Use Chicken Thighs Instead?
Yes, absolutely! Boneless, skinless thighs will cook in a similar time to the cutlets, but bone-in chicken thighs will need to finish in the oven.
Best Sides For Chicken Florentine
- Mashed potatoes!! Or rice would be great. Something to absorb the delicious sauce!
- Fresh pasta! You could absolutely cut the chicken into bite-size pieces, then serve this over a big bowl of pasta. Would be divine!
- It’s already loaded with spinach, but you could absolutely serve this with an arugula salad on the side!
- Baguette: nothing beats crusty bread for sopping up that delicious white wine Florentine sauce!
Moist, tender chicken breasts, lots of fresh spinach, and a super creamy, luscious white wine and parmesan sauce. This is one weeknight dinner recipe that you will crave again and again. If you make this Chicken Florentine recipe, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!
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Other easy chicken recipes to try!
- Za’atar Roasted Chicken
- Chicken Patties
- Chicken Puttanesca
- Dinner Party Chicken
- Easy Chicken Parmesan
Chicken Florentine Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts (boneless skinless) or chicken cutlets
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter divided
- 4 cloved garlic peeled and smashed
- ½ cup white wine
- ½ cup chicken stock reduced sodium
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 shallots thinly crossed or 1 medium onion
- 5 oz fresh baby spinach
- ⅓ cup Parmigiano Reggiano grated
- 1 Tbsp chopped parsley
Instructions
- Dredge and season the chicken. If using chicken breasts (versus cutlets), preheat oven to 375F. Season ½ cup all-purpose flour with 1 tsp Kosher salt and ¼ tsp black pepper, then dredge the chicken on all sides, shaking off any excess flour.
- Cook the chicken. Heat 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil and 1 Tbsp unsalted butter over high heat in a large cast-iron skillet. When melted and hot, add the chicken breasts, leaving a little space in between. If using chicken cutlets, cook for 5 minutes per side, or until each side is a deep golden brown. Transfer to a plate, then tent loosely with aluminum foil. If using chicken breasts, they'll cook for 7 minutes per side, then transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and finish in a preheated oven to 375F for 5-10 minutes, depending on thickness. Set aside.
- Brown the onions. Add an additional 2 Tbsp butter, then add thinly sliced onion or shallots and garlic. Cook until browned and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
- Make the sauce. Deglaze the pan with ½ cup white wine and ½ cup chicken stock. Use a spatula to scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan, then add 1 cup heavy cream, ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese, and butter.
- Add spinach. Add 5 oz fresh baby spinach to the pan, season with ½ tsp Kosher salt, then stir until the cheese has melted and the spinach has wilted.
- Return the chicken to the pan, tossing once to coat on each side, then garnish with chopped parsley or chives and an extra sprinkle of grated Parmesan. Serve immediately!
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