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Chicken Florentine

Chicken Florentine is a restaurant-style Italian spinach chicken made with golden seared chicken breasts and a pale white wine and cream sauce. The silky sauce is simmered until lightly thickened, then finished with Parmesan, lemon, and wilted spinach for an elegant weeknight dinner.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian, Italian-American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken Florentine
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 0.5 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp pepper to taste
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder to taste
  • 0.5 tsp Italian seasoning to taste
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 0.5 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • 3 cup fresh baby spinach
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • fresh parsley for garnish
  • lemon for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken breasts generously on both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through to 165°F, then remove to a plate.
Make the Florentine cream sauce
  1. Cook the minced garlic in the same pan for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  2. Pour in the dry white wine and simmer for 2 minutes, scraping up browned bits from the pan.
  3. Stir in the heavy cream and chicken broth, then simmer for 4-5 minutes until slightly thickened.
  4. Stir in the grated Parmesan, lemon juice, and lemon zest until the sauce turns smooth and pale.
  5. Add the fresh baby spinach and stir until wilted.
Finish and serve
  1. Return the chicken breasts to the pan and spoon the sauce over each piece.
  2. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with lemon on the side over pasta or rice.

Notes

Pro tip: Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer after adding the cream so it stays silky and doesn’t break. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because the cream sauce can separate after thawing. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream (the sauce will be slightly thinner).