My creamy chicken Florentine recipe combines tender chicken breast pieces simmered in a rich Florentine sauce with wilted spinach. Ready in 20 minutes; it’s a perfect weeknight meal!.
I have a lot of creamy chicken breast recipes saved, and ever since I got back from my trip to Italy, my family asks for chicken Florentine at least once a week! It looks and sounds fancy, but it’s really not that hard to make.
Chicken florentine is a classic Italian chicken dish, with origins from the Florence region. Its key features include a creamy sauce that contains cream, butter, cheese (in this case, parmesan!) and spinach.
With a simple yet elegant flavor and balance of rich textures, this dish works equally well on a random Tuesday as it does on your special date night. Table of Contents.
People all over the world love Chicken Florentine, an Italian-American classic that makes your mouth water. This rich, creamy treat with spinach not only tastes great but also has a long history. What exactly is chicken Florentine? Let’s find out how to make this delicious dish.
The Origins of Chicken Florentine
The origins of chicken Florentine can be traced back to Florence, Italy. ‘Florentine’ in the name refers to the Italian city where this recipe was first created. During the 15th century Renaissance period, Florentine chefs experimented with different recipes using spinach, a vegetable that had been newly introduced to Italy.
One of these innovative creations resulted in what we now know as chicken Florentine. The classic blend of spinach, cream garlic and tender chicken quickly became a favorite amongst Italian nobles and aristocrats. As Italian immigrants brought their culinary traditions stateside, chicken Florentine grew popular in Italian-American cuisine.
Decoding the Quintessential Ingredients
The star ingredients that give chicken Florentine its iconic flavor are
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Chicken breasts – Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are sautéed to golden perfection. Chicken provides the base and lean protein.
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Spinach – Fresh spinach adds color and an earthy, slightly bitter depth. It also packs a healthy dose of vitamins and minerals.
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Heavy cream – Cream gives the sauce a luxuriously rich and smooth texture. It balances out the spinach’s bitterness.
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Garlic – Garlic provides aromatic flavor and dimension
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Parmesan cheese – Grated parmesan lends a salty, nutty taste and helps thicken the sauce.
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White wine – A splash of white wine brightens up the flavors.
So in essence, chicken Florentine brings together spinach, chicken, and cream – three quintessential Italian ingredients. This winning flavor combination is what gives the dish its signature taste.
Cooking Techniques for Optimal Flavor
To get the rich flavors of chicken Florentine just right, you need to use the right techniques. Here are some pro tips:
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Sauté the spinach – The raw spinach needs to be sautéed with garlic first. This eliminates any gritty texture and condenses the greens.
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Simmer the sauce – After adding the cream, Parmesan, and seasonings, let the sauce simmer. This allows the flavors to mingle and the cheese to melt.
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For the chicken, pound the breasts until they are the same thickness and then sear them in a pan. This ensures the chicken cooks through perfectly.
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Rest the chicken – Letting the chicken rest after cooking allows the juices to redistribute evenly throughout the meat.
When you use the right methods to put it all together, the flavors come together perfectly for a comforting Italian classic.
Serving Suggestions: Pasta, Veg, and Beyond
While chicken Florentine shines as a main dish, it pairs wonderfully with a variety of sides:
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Pasta – Serving florentine sauce over pasta is a no-brainer. Linguine, fettuccine, or gnocchi make great partners.
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Sautéed veggies – Spinach, zucchini, and eggplant complement the flavors.
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Salad – A fresh green salad or Caesar salad balance the richness.
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Garlic bread – Buttery, garlicky bread is perfect for dunking and sopping up the luscious sauce.
Chicken Florentine also shows its versatility as a filling for sandwiches, lasagna, empanadas, and more. However you choose to enjoy it, chicken Florentine delivers a hearty dose of Italian comfort.
Customize It for Special Diets
One of the great things about chicken Florentine is that it can be adapted to suit different dietary needs:
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For a gluten-free version, serve florentine sauce over rice, quinoa pasta, or roasted veggies instead of regular pasta.
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To make it lighter, use reduced-fat milk and part-skim mozzarella instead of heavy cream and Parmesan.
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For vegetarian florentine, replace the chicken with sautéed mushrooms or white beans.
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To add protein, mix in shrimp or cannellini beans.
So feel free to get creative and switch up this classic recipe to work with your diet! The possibilities are endless.
A Comforting Dish with Global Appeal
While chicken Florentine hails from Florence, Italy, its popularity has spread across continents. From Europe to America to Australia, home cooks and restaurants worldwide have put their spin on this classic spinach and chicken pasta.
Some global variations include:
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In France, chicken Florentine is made with spinach, mushrooms, Gruyère, and Mornay sauce.
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The Spanish add chorizo, saffron, and white wine for a spiced, smoky twist.
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The Greeks use spinach, feta, and phyllo dough to create spanakopita-inspired florentine.
No matter where you enjoy it, chicken Florentine always brings a taste of Italian comfort and nostalgia. This global appeal speaks to just how special this savory, soul-warming dish is.
Satisfy Your Cravings at Home
Thanks to its simple ingredients, chicken Florentine is easy to whip up at home. All you need is a skillet, a creamy spinach sauce, and some cooked chicken. For a quick weeknight meal, use pre-washed spinach and boiled chicken breast. Or go all out with homemade creamed spinach and pan-seared chicken cutlets.
However you make it, taking just 30-45 minutes to prepare this Italian favorite can satisfy your cravings for a hearty homecooked dish. Serve it with a loaf of crusty bread and a glass of Chianti, and you’ll be transported straight to the Tuscan countryside with every bite.
So now that you know exactly what chicken Florentine is all about, it’s time to savor this creamy, garlicky goodness. From its Italian origins to its versatile adaptations, this globally-loved dish is the ultimate comfort food.
How to make chicken Florentine
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Slice the chicken breasts lengthways, leaving you with four thin breasts. Pound them and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Once seasoned, dip them in the almond flour and parmesan cheese.
Step 2- cook the chicken. Place a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, and, once hot, add the seasoned chicken breasts. Cook for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove the chicken from the heat.
Step 3- Make the cream sauce. Put the garlic and extra butter in the pan. Cook for 30 seconds. Then add the chicken broth and Italian seasoning and mix well. Let it simmer for 5-6 minutes or until it has noticeably reduced. Add the cream and bring it to a boil, then add the parmesan cheese and spinach.
Step 4- Assemble. Add the chicken back into the pan and let it simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens, then serve warm.
What can I serve with this dish?
- Don’t cook the chicken too long; it will keep cooking while it rests. When you add it to the florentine sauce, it will keep cooking.
- Add more Parmesan cheese on top to make it taste even cheesier.
- If you serve this cold, the florentine sauce will harden.
- This dish tastes great on its own, but sometimes I like to add artichoke hearts, capers, or sun-dried tomatoes to make it more interesting.
- Add wine. When I want to go the extra mile, I never use broth. Instead, I drink a dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc.
To store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 5 days.
To freeze, put the chicken and sauce in a container that won’t let air in. You can keep this in the freezer for up to two months.
Reheating: Either microwave the chicken with the sauce in 30-second spurts until hot, or in a skillet.
Florentine-style means cooking something in a cream-based sauce. Here, the chicken is simmered in a creamy and cheesy sauce.
Why I love this recipe
- Super low in carbs. There are only 6 grams of carbs in a serving, which is surprisingly low. I wouldn’t call it “healthy,” though.
- Made with one bowl and one skillet. So you don’t have to clean up for an hour in the kitchen
- Ready in 20 minutes. And that includes all the prep time too.
- Simple ingredients. This dish, like “marry me chicken,” is made with common kitchen and pantry items that you probably already have on hand.
★★★★★ REVIEW
“So Yummy! My family loved it!” – Christina
- Chicken breasts. Skinless chicken breast fillets. You will only need two fillets, cut in half, to make enough food for four people.
- Salt and pepper. To sprinkle on the outside of the chicken.
- Almond flour OR all-purpose flour. You shouldn’t use almond meal because it will separate when mixed with the florentine sauce. If carbs aren’t a problem, you can also use regular flour.
- Parmesan cheese. Freshly grated, NOT the shelf-stable kind.
- Olive oil. To pan fry the chicken before adding the sauce.
- Florentine sauce. Please mince the garlic for me! As well as chicken broth, Italian seasoning, heavy cream, more Parmesan cheese, and fresh spinach, I need to make this simple recipe.
Chicken Florentine Recipe
FAQ
What is chicken Florentine made of?
Chicken Florentine combines that creamy, garlicky sauce with juicy chicken thighs that get coated in flour and seared in butter. Sun-dried tomatoes and grated parmesan finish it off. How do you thicken a cream sauce? The easiest way to thicken a cream sauce is to add a little flour.
What does Florentine consist of?
Florentine, also written as “à la Florentine,” is a term from traditional French cooking that refers to dishes that have cooked spinach as the base, a protein, and Mornay sauce. Chicken Florentine is the most popular version.
What is the difference between chicken Florentine and Tuscan chicken?
Both share same creamy herbaceous and bold flavor sauce. Where Florentine Sauce highlights flavor of spinach, the Tuscan Sauce highlights flavor of herbs, garlic, and roasted tomatoes. All ingredients are very easy to find and give amazing depth of flavor to the sauce.
What to eat with chicken Florentine?
What to Serve with Chicken FlorentinePasta is a great choice to pair with chicken Florentine. Hearty garlic mashed potatoes or a rice pilaf will go well. Roasted potatoes such as lemon potatoes, parmesan potatoes, or smashed potatoes would complement it. A pretty fruit salad is a nice side to add color.