One-Pan Creamy Tuscan Chicken
Well-seasoned bone-in chicken (drumsticks and thighs) paired with fresh leaf spinach and cherry tomatoes nestled in a creamy, rich sauce makes this easy One-Pan Creamy Tuscan Chicken the perfect anytime meal idea!
Looking for more tasty chicken dinner ideas? You should check out my Creamed Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast, Classic Crispy Chicken Parmesan, Sicilian Chicken & Spinach Saute, and Creamy Chicken Marsala.
It doesn’t get any better than a one-pan meal. And while it has many positives, one aspect really stands out to me, and that is flavor! Building on flavors is a huge plus when using the same pan for the entire job.
In this recipe, the seasonings and drippings from the chicken stay behind to make the sauce even more flavorful. In the end, everything comes back together to bake in the oven. It’s the reason this One-Pan Creamy Tuscan Chicken recipe is so good. And don’t get me started on the sauce.
The Tuscan flavor profile shines through in the sauce, complemented by herbs and spices such as oregano, parsley, rosemary, and thyme.
Ingredients you’ll need to make this one-pan chicken meal:
- You’ll need three (3) whole chicken quarters where the thigh and drumstick (leg) are attached. I find purchasing quarters easier since I like a combination of both in this recipe. Plus, it’s less expensive.
- To season your chicken, you’ll need paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, ground thyme, and sea salt. You’ll then lightly coat the chicken with all-purpose flour.
- Fresh spinach and cherry tomatoes play double duty as your “veggies” and will provide some additional flavor and color.
- The sauce brings everything together. It’s a combination of heavy whipping cream, grated parmesan cheese, minced garlic, and butter. And because the sauce must be seasoned as well, you’ll add in oregano, parsley flakes, ground thyme, onion powder, black pepper, and sea salt.
How to make Creamy Tuscan Chicken:
Preheat the oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Prepare the chicken. Cut the chicken leg quarters at the joint to separate the drumstick from the thigh. Season both sides with paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, ground thyme, and sea salt. Coat evenly with flour.
Cook the chicken. Heat large skillet to medium heat. Add olive oil and cook the chicken, skin side down, for 5 to 7 minutes until the fat renders and it is golden brown. Flip and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Prepare the sauce. Add butter and garlic to the pan and allow to cook for 1 minute. Add cherry tomatoes to skillet and cook for 1 minute before adding the spinach. Cook spinach until it begins to wilt. Add heavy cream, parmesan cheese, oregano, parsley flakes, ground thyme, onion powder, black pepper, sea salt, and stir until well combined. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 3 -4 minutes. Add chicken back into the pan.
Bake. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Creamy Tuscan Chicken Tips
- Since you will brown your chicken on the stove and finish baking it in the oven, make sure to save those chicken drippings. This will add more flavor to your sauce.
- Your cherry tomatoes will “burst” while baking in the oven, so don’t overcook them beforehand on the stove.
- Make sure your pan or skillet is oven-safe as you transfer your pan from the stove and directly into the oven.
- When placing your browned chicken back in the skillet before baking, ensure the top of your chicken drums and thighs remain out of the sauce so the skin can stay crispy. If you use a boneless chicken breast, you can submerge the chicken in the sauce.
What can I serve with creamy Tuscan chicken?
This recipe is excellent on its own, especially since it’s already made with vegetables. Still, it is equally great with a side of rice, mashed potatoes, or even pasta for a heartier meal. You can even pair the chicken with steamed or roasted vegetables to take a lighter route.
When you want to add some great flavor to your dinner table, give this Creamy Tuscan Chicken a try! It’s easy, and you can have it ready and on the dinner table in under an hour.
Tips
Tips when prepping and cutting your chicken:
- Sharpen your knife: Use a sharpening/honing steel (a steel rod with a handle) that has a higher hardness factor than the knife you are sharpening. A dull knife will make cutting through a bone joint challenging, so be sure not to skip this step. Pull the knife down and across the sharpening steel from the knife’s heel to the tip, switching sides and easing off the pressure with each stroke. Repeat 3-10 times.
- Use a cutting board: To avoid cross-contamination of your chicken, use a separate cutting board. Place a damp cloth under a cutting board to prevent the board from slipping.
- Prep the chicken: To separate the drumstick from the thigh, turn the leg quarter skin side down and cut through the joint to separate the two pieces of chicken.
- Cutting the chicken: A sharp knife will cut through the chicken with ease. Since it will be sharp, you’ll want to ensure your hands are positioned correctly and safely. Always hold a knife in your dominant hand and ensure that your fingertips are curled underneath in a claw-like position.
One-Pan Creamy Tuscan Chicken
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Well-seasoned bone-in chicken (drumsticks and thighs) paired with fresh leaf spinach and cherry tomatoes nestled in a creamy, rich sauce make this One-Pan Creamy Tuscan Chicken the perfect anytime meal idea!
Ingredients
- 3 whole chicken quarters
- 1 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 1/2 tsp black pepper, divided
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 1/2 tsp ground thyme, divided
- 1/2 tsp sea salt, divided
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp of olive oil
- 3 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 10 oz cherry tomatoes
- 15 oz fresh organic leaf spinach
- 1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp parsley flakes
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Cut the chicken leg quarters at the joint to separate the drumstick (leg) from the thigh. Season both sides with paprika, 1 teaspoon black pepper, garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt. Coat evenly with flour.
- Heat a large skillet to medium. Add olive oil and cook the chicken, skin side down, for 5 to 7 minutes until the fat renders and it is golden brown on top. Flip and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add butter and garlic to the pan and cook for 1 minute. Add cherry tomatoes to skillet and cook for 1 minute before adding the spinach. Cook spinach until it begins to wilt.
- Add heavy cream, parmesan cheese, oregano, parsley flakes, 1 teaspoon ground thyme, onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, stirring until the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 3 -4 minutes. Add chicken back into the pan.
- Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Tuscan
Nutrition
- Calories: 804
- Sugar: 1.7g
- Sodium: 592mg
- Fat: 58.6g
- Carbohydrates: 7.2g
- Fiber: 2.1g
- Protein: 62.4g
- Cholesterol: 323mg
Mannnnnnnn! When I say this is BOMB! I’m tempted to have this in a weekly rotation!
Thanks, Veeta! It is a good one!
Fixed this tonight, it was AMAZING!
Love to hear it! Thanks for the great feedback, Lisa!
I’m getting ready to put this in the oven and OMG! That gravy is soooooo delish!! Thanks for posting this. Wasn’t difficult to make and I’m making some pasta and salad as well. When will that 25 min come?!?!?!?!
LOL! Thanks, Kathy! It is one of our family favorites!
Made this tonight. It was not only easy, but really delicious! My husband loved it and asked why I hadn’t made it before.
That’s wonderful feedback! Thanks, Carolyn!
I followed the recipe exactly except that I did two extra chicken legs. I transferred everything to a glass dish when I put it in the oven and I checked it at 25 min and the chicken was still pink inside when I cut into it and the sauce was all separated into a clumpy, oily mess. I ended up having to cook the chicken an additional 20 min. Most recipes say you need to cook chicken legs about 40-45 min in the oven at 400 degrees so I feel like your timing is way off. It tastes good but it didn’t turn out the way I had hoped.
Hello, Kim. Sorry you had issues with the recipe. Because stoves, ovens, types of pans used (stainless steel gets hotter than glass and transfers heat more quickly), and size of chicken pieces all come into play, please ensure you always check the internal temperature to confirm doneness. As stated in the instructions, the chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. (It also cooks on the stove 10 minutes before placing it in the oven.) Again, many variables could explain the issues you encountered. Again, my apologies that it did not turn out as expected.
Do you think it would be good with broccoli instead of spinach?
Hello, Vi. I don’t see why not. Just be mindful of the cooking time (and your personal “texture” preference) when you swap the veggies.
This is absolutely delicious 😋 I will make it again.
Love to hear this, Esmeralda! Thanks for sharing your feedback!
Wonderful 👍
Thanks, Albert!
I forgot to mention how awesome it was, my whole family loved it!
Looked yummy. Tastes even better. Thanks!
Thanks, Angela! Glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
I’ve had some chicken legs in the freezer for awhile, didn’t know what to do with them other than Fried Chicken. Wanted something different. Found your recipe, the sauce is AMAZING!! I will definitely be making this again. I hope I made enough sauce for the pasta.
Hello, Veronica! Glad you found us. And yes, this sauce is great with pasta!
Husband says best he’s ever tasted! Delicious!!
Thanks, Mandy! Love the feedback!
wow! This is one excellent dish! Your guest will think you are a gourmet chef. Don’t mess with the ingredients. I cooked mine in a cast-iron pan.
Thanks, Arlene! Whoo hoo!
Ok found it online. Time to see if I can make it look as good as the picture…ughhhhh STAY TUNED LOL 😆
Well, I just fine this recipe on line and this will be for dinner tonight it seams easy to prepare and sound great.
Thanks, Peggy! I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Yummy, however, my cream sauce split and so it was less appetizing in general. Has anyone else had that problem with this? Any idea what I did wrong? I would totally like to try this again!
Hi, Carrie! I’ve never had this happen, but when cream splits, I ‘ve found it was either cooked at a temperature too high or a different type of cream (not full fat) was used. In step #5, I would make sure all ingredients are combined thoroughly before dropping the temperature to medium-low. Using a whisk may help with this.
I’ve made this a few times and continue to tweak it to my family’s preferences. I now usually add diced chorizo sausage to give it a kick and sometimes chilli flakes. I also use whatever chicken we have and it’s always good. Everyone loves it and it goes great with rice, potatoes, or pasta or just extra veggies.
Sandra this is great to hear! Glad you are able you create it to your liking and still enjoy it!
I was searching for skillet recipes, and this popped up. Only when I started cooking, I realized that it also requires oven. So if you don’t have access to oven or a skillet that can easily go into oven this is a little problem. Also I felt like the chicken at the end didn’t come out as soft and falling if the bone as I would prefer. Otherwise the recipe is great and tasty!
Hi, Natalie! We do clearly state in the recipe tips to “make sure your pan or skillet is oven-safe, as you will transfer your pan from the stove and directly into the oven.” Sorry the recipe didn’t turn out 100% as expected, but glad you still enjoyed it! 🙂
the ingredients list just says “2 tbsp minced” (between butter and cherry tomatoes) – is this supposed to say minced garlic?
Hello, Debbie. Yes, this should say “minced garlic”. The recipe instructions have been updated. Thanks!
I love this Tuscan Chicken recipe! I normally throw in a bag of cavatappi to cook and soak up all the flavors. Truly a one-pot meal and ALWAYS A WINNER at my house.
Nice!
I made this the other night with a few adjustments to reduce the caloric and fat content. It was delicious!
BUT it can not be made in 25 minutes.
If you add all of the recommended minimum times listed in the recipe the minimum total is 33 minutes WITHOUT prep time.
It is a disservice to say it can be made in 25 mins.
At sea level the minimum time for this recipe is somewhere between 45 mins – 1 hr.
Please change the time on this recipe.
I have been cooking for at least 45 yrs. my chicken was larger and I am at altitude so the bake time was longer. It took 1.5 hours for me to complete this dish.
Again, it was delicious. Thank you for the recipe.
Thanks Deborah for giving this recipe a try and glad you enjoyed it! I’m sorry the cook time took longer than expected. I will take a look and see what adjustments need to be made on the timing to help forecast total cook time a lot better. Thanks again!
Love the flavors and creaminess of this dish! Used half and half instead of heavy cream, but was still great! Easy cleanup too. Would definitely make again.
Delicious, easy and beautiful dish. The burst tomatoes and spinach are so good in this and add great color and flavor. Used boneless chicken thighs because that’s all we had, so it shortened the cooking time. Served over pasta. Everyone raved.
Maggie thanks so much for sharing! Boneless chicken I’m sure was just as great. Glad you enjoyed it!
This recipe was perfect! We didn’t have time to marinate but these didn’t need it. The flavor was perfect! My son loved them!! Thank you for sharing!
When the kiddos love it, you know it’s a hit! Thanks for trying out the recipe. 🙂
I had to comment, this was a winner especially in my picky household. Everyone loved it, even my husband who swears he doesn’t like creamy sauces. It wasn’t heavy, very flavourful. Probably the best thing I’ve had in a while. I didn’t have parm or fresh spinach, so I substituted with Gruyère and a quarter block of frozen spinach. It still turned out great!
Hi, Olivia! Glad to hear that you and your family enjoyed it (and good to see your substitutions worked)! It’s definitely a favorite in my home as well. 🙂
This looks amazing but what gives it such a deep yellow ? Looking thru list I don’t see what it could be unless I missed something.
The color comes from the combination of the ingredients.