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Chicken Florentine

Chicken Florentine with a silky white wine and cream sauce, golden-seared chicken breasts, and wilted spinach. Finished with Parmesan and lemon so the pale sauce looks elegant with herb flecks throughout.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 0.25 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
Sauce
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 0.5 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
Florentine
  • 3 cup fresh baby spinach
  • 0.5 Fresh parsley for garnish
  • 1 lemon for garnish

Equipment

  • 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; remove and set aside.
Make the white wine cream sauce
  1. In the same pan, cook the minced garlic over medium heat for 30 seconds until fragrant, not browned.
  2. Deglaze with the dry white wine and simmer for 2 minutes, scraping up the browned bits, until slightly reduced.
  3. Add the heavy cream and chicken broth and simmer for 4-5 minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened and glossy.
Finish with spinach and lemon
  1. Stir in the grated Parmesan, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest until the cheese melts and the sauce turns pale and smooth.
  2. Add the baby spinach and stir until wilted throughout, about 1-2 minutes, with spinach flecks visible in the sauce.
Serve
  1. Return the chicken to the pan and spoon the creamy spinach sauce over each breast so it pools around the chicken.
  2. Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon and serve over pasta or rice.

Notes

Pro tip: for restaurant-style texture, keep the chicken seared and golden before making the sauce, then simmer the cream until it lightly coats a spoon. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet so the sauce doesn’t split. Freezing is not recommended because cream-based sauces can separate. Dietary swap: use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a lighter sauce (texture will be slightly less rich).