There’s something about a cozy, one pot chicken recipe that checks all the boxes. This Chicken Florentine recipe is not only quick to make, but it has an immensely flavored, rich and creamy white wine sauce that you’ll absolutely want to sop up with crusty bread. It’s packed with spinach, so the only side dish you need is mashed potatoes, rice, or maybe even a baked potato.
What is chicken florentine? As with most florentine-style dishes, one of the main ingredients is spinach. Here, fresh spinach is paired with golden brown, juicy pan seared chicken breasts (cutlets or thighs are fine too!) and a luscious, creamy white wine sauce. It’s flavored with garlic, chicken stock, a bit of heavy cream, and of course lots of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Even with the added cream, the sauce remains light. This is definitely a chicken recipe we enjoy as a family, but it’s also got that special wow factor that makes it a gem for entertaining.
If you love these flavors, you might like our Salmon Florentine or this quick and simple Quiche Florentine, a breakfast staple! Or check out all of our easy poultry recipes, including our Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts, which feature a lot of the same ingredients.
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 can finish on the stove top.
- All-purpose flour: To dredge the chicken and turn it golden brown when pan seared.
- Kosher salt: To season everything!
- Freshly cracked black pepper: To season everything!
- Extra virgin olive oil: This helps the chicken brown.
- Unsalted butter: Adds flavor and fat the to the pan.
- Garlic: For a little heat and garlicky flavor.
- White wine: Use 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: We prefer fresh baby spinach to frozen spinach, but you can use either. If using frozen, be sure to ring out all excess water before adding it to the pan (and use 2 containers!).
- Grated Parmigiano Reggiano: Melts into the sauce and adds a nutty, salty taste.
- Chives or parsley: Add chopped chives or fresh parsley as a garnish just before serving!
You’ll need a large cast-iron or stainless steel skillet. Nonstick just doesn’t produce a golden brown sear which, trust me, you want.
How To Make Chicken Florentine
- Season the chicken. Dredge the chicken with flour that’s seasoned with Kosher salt and black pepper. Shake off any excess.
- Cook the chicken. Heat oil and butter over high heat in a large skillet, then add the chicken, leaving a little space in between. Cutlets will take 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, then tent loosely with foil. Chicken breasts, however, will need 7 minutes per side. Transfer to a preheated oven at 375F for 5-10 minutes, depending on thickness. Chicken is safe to eat when an internal temperature of 165F is reached. Set aside.
- Brown the onions. Add a little extra butter to the pan, then add thinly sliced onion (or shallots) and garlic. Lower the temperature to medium, then cook until browned, 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, Parmesan cheese, and a tablespoon of butter.
- Add spinach. Stir in fresh baby spinach, then season with Kosher salt. Cook until the cheese has melted and the spinach is 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!
We recommend the Thermapen MK4 to check for doneness on all meats!
Expert Tips For Pan Searing
A few tips to help achieve that crispy exterior on the chicken, while maintaining a flavorful, juicy center:
- Wait till the pan is 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.
- Season the flour for dredging! Make sure to season the flour with Kosher salt and black pepper.
- Don’t use nonstick! There is a time and a place for a nonstick skillet, but this isn’t it. If you want a golden brown crust, use cast-iron or stainless steel.
- Leave the chicken alone! Let the chicken cook undisturbed for 5 minutes without moving it in the pan. You’ll know the chicken is ready to flip when it lifts away easily from the pan with no hesitation.
FAQs
Yes, absolutely! Boneless, skinless thighs will cook in a similar time to the cutlets, whereas bone-in chicken thighs will need to finish in the oven.
Mashed potatoes, pasta, steamed white rice, or even just crusty baguette. If you want a lighter side dish, consider an easy arugula salad or roasted veggies (we love oven roasted broccoli). If you like mushrooms, pan seared shiitakes, baby bellas, or sliced cremini mushrooms are a fantastic addition.
This one is definitely best on the first day. When you go to reheat leftovers, you’ll have the same amazing flavor, but the cream and butter are likely to separate.
Any dry white wine will work for this recipe, but make sure it’s something you enjoy drinking as the flavor will intensify as the sauce reduces. If you don’t want to use white wine, chicken broth or vegetable broth are fine.
Make-Ahead, Leftovers, & Storage
- Make-ahead: For this recipe, you really want to enjoy it fresh. The sauce is truly best just after making.
- Leftovers: Allow leftovers to cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Keep in a fridge, then use within 3-4 days. Reheat slowly on a stovetop or in a microwave until warmed throughout.
- We do not recommend freezing because of the creamy parmesan sauce. It will separate during thawing and reheating. This recipe is best enjoyed fresh.
Moist, tender chicken breasts, lots of fresh spinach, and a super creamy, luscious white wine sauce. This is a weeknight dinner recipe that we 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!
Chicken Puttanesca Braised Chicken Thighs Chicken Marsala Pasta Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta with Sun Dried Tomatoes 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 for serving
Instructions
- Season the chicken. If using chicken breasts (versus chicken cutlets), preheat an oven to 375F. For either: Season ½ cup flour with 1 tsp Kosher salt and ¼ tsp black pepper, then dredge the chicken on all sides. Be sure to shake 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 5oz 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!
Notes
- Make-ahead: For this recipe, you really want to enjoy it fresh. The sauce is truly best just after making.
- Leftovers: Allow leftovers to cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Keep in a fridge, then use within 3-4 days. Reheat slowly on a stovetop or in a microwave until warmed throughout.
- We do not recommend freezing because of the creamy parmesan sauce. It will separate during thawing and reheating. This recipe is best enjoyed fresh.
Printed out this recipe for my husband to make. He followed it to a tee and was so good!! This is defiantly going on repeat
Way to go, husband! I love hearing stories like this! xo, Ari