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Made with luxurious spinach cream sauce, this Chicken Florentine recipe delivers a restaurant-quality chicken dinner in under 30 minutes!
Looking for more restaurant-quality favorites? Don't miss Shrimp Scampi, Chicken Marsala, or Marry Me Chicken.
If you are like me, you are always looking for quick and easy chicken recipes. And while I love a quick chicken and asparagus stir fry or chicken and green bean skillet, when it comes to WOW factor delivered fast, I turn to this recipe for Chicken Florentine.
Made with a rich and creamy sauce studded with fresh spinach and parmesan cheese, it is hard to believe that Chicken Florentine is made in one skillet in under 30 minutes. It feels fancy, looks fancy, and tastes indulgent, yet this chicken dinner is easy enough to prepare any night of the week.
Chicken Florentine Ingredients
- Chicken: You will need 4 thin chicken cutlets for this chicken Florentine recipe. While you can purchase thin chicken cutlets at any grocery store, it is more affordable to use boneless skinless chicken breasts and cut them into cutlets yourself, following the instructions I have provided.
- Olive Oil + Butter: Using butter will add a rich flavor to the spinach sauce while the olive oil will help prevent the butter from burning.
- Shallot: Instead of using an onion and garlic which can overwhelm the Florentine sauce, I recommend using a shallot, which will add mellow notes of both onion and garlic to the sauce.
- Spinach: It is best to use fresh baby spinach. It will wilt down easily into the sauce, without the need to chop or trim off the stems prior to cooking.
- White Wine: To add an acidic burst of flavor that helps to balance out the richness of the creamy Florentine sauce, I love using a dry white wine, like Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, or Riesling. If you don't cook with alcohol, replace the wine with additional chicken stock.
- Chicken Stock: Use low-sodium store-bought or homemade chicken stock. This will help you stay in control of the level of sodium in the dish.
- Heavy Cream: To make the creamy Florentine sauce, heavy cream is a must. I don't recommend any substitutions.
- Parmesan: For the best flavor, I recommend using freshly grated parmesan rather than parmesan cheese from a canister.
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: Adding a bit of crushed red pepper helps to wake the dish up with subtle spice. If you are sensitive to spice, you can omit it completely.
How to Make Chicken Florentine
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the ingredient quantities and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Prepare the Chicken Cutlets. It is more economical to start this recipe using boneless, skinless chicken breasts and cut them into cutlets yourself, rather than purchase prepared thinly sliced chicken cutlets. Simply cut the chicken breasts into halves lengthwise and then pound with a mallet so that each cutlet is even in size.
- Pan-Fry Chicken. To help thicken the creamy spinach sauce, it is best to coat each chicken cutlet in seasoned flour before searing it until golden.
- Make Florentine Sauce. The spinach cream sauce comes together quickly, yet in steps to create a sauce nuanced and rich. Begin by sautéing the shallots, then deglaze the pan with wine/broth, add the cream and parmesan, and simmer until thick. Finish the sauce with the addition of fresh spinach.
- Add the Chicken to the Florentine Sauce. Add the seared chicken back to the skillet and spoon the sauce over the chicken. Simmer briefly just to warm the chicken through and finish cooking.
Recipe Modifications
- Gluten-Free: The chicken cutlets are coated in flour before being pan-fried to create a nice crispy exterior on the chicken and to help thicken the pan sauce. If you need this recipe to be gluten-free, feel free to use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour.
- Add Mushrooms: Add up to 1 cup of sliced button, Baby Bella, or shitake mushrooms, along with the shallots. The mushrooms will add a nice earthy flavor to the sauce and pair well with the spinach.
- Low-Carb: Omit the flour and reduce the chicken broth to ½ cup. You may need to simmer the Florentine sauce a bit longer to reduce the sauce, as there will be no flour coating on the chicken which helps thicken the sauce quickly.
Notes on Serving and Storing
- Yield: This Chicken Florentine is a filling, flavorful quick recipe that yields 4 generous servings with a rich creamy sauce. It scales up beautifully and can be cut in half to serve two.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve Chicken Florentine over cooked pasta, orzo rice, Instant Pot Jasmine rice, or mashed potatoes to soak up the rich and creamy florentine sauce.
- Refrigerate: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat the chicken florentine in a dry skillet and heat over low heat until just warmed through.
- Do Not Freeze: I don't recommend freezing chicken florentine due to the cream which can separate when defrosted.
More Quick and Easy Chicken Recipes
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Chicken Florentine
Ready in less than 30 minutes, Chicken Florentine, made with tender pan-fried chicken coated in a rich and creamy spinach cream sauce, makes an easy, impressive chicken dinner.
Video
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, or 4 thin chicken cutlets
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, for searing chicken
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, + more for seasoning sauce
- ½ teaspoon pepper, + more for seasoning sauce
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, to saute shallot
- 1 small shallot, minced
- ½ cup dry white wine, or additional broth
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups loosely packed fresh baby spinach
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- parsley for serving, optional
Instructions
- Cut 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts in half lengthwise. Place the cutlets between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet or heavy skillet until the cutlets are even in thickness. Pay dry.
- In a large skillet, heat the 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil with 1 tablespoon unsalted butter over medium heat until the butter is melted.
- While the skillet is heating, whisk ⅓ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in a shallow dish. Dredge each chicken cutlet in the flour mixture to coat, shaking off excess flour.
- Add the chicken to the pan, working in batches to prevent overcrowding your skillet. Cook the chicken cutlets for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown on each side and nearly cooked through. Transfer chicken to a clean plate, tent with foil, and set aside.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon unsalted butter to the skillet to melt. Once melted, add 1 small shallot (minced) and saute, over medium heat for 30 seconds until just fragrant.
- Add in ½ cup dry white wine and 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth and deglaze the pan scraping any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Season the broth and wine mixture by adding in ¼ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, and a generous pinch of both kosher salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer, continuing to cook over medium heat. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, or until the mixture reduces by half.
- Add 1 cup heavy cream, turn the heat to medium-high, and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring often. Once the sauce is simmering, lower the heat to low and whisk in the ½ cup grated parmesan cheese until melted. Add in 2 cups loosely packed fresh baby spinach and cook on low, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes, to let the spinach gently wilt into the sauce.
- Add the chicken and any accumulated juices to the sauce. Turn the chicken to coat in the sauce, or spoon the sauce over the chicken, and simmer for 3-4 minutes just to warm through the chicken and to ensure it reaches 165℉ (74℃).
- Serve warm with fresh minced parsley and additional parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
White Wine: Select a dry white wine, like Pinot Grigio or Riesling. If you don't cook with alcohol, replace the wine with additional chicken stock.
Spinach: If you use mature spinach, be sure to remove stems and chop in half, so that it will wilt into the Florentine Sauce.
Gluten-Free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour.
Low-Carb: Omit the flour and reduce the chicken broth to ½ cup. You may need to simmer the Florentine sauce a bit longer to reduce the sauce, as there will be no flour coating on the chicken which helps thicken the sauce quickly.
Add Mushrooms: Add up to 1 cup of sliced button, Baby Bella, or shitake mushrooms, along with the shallots.
Storage: Store leftover Chicken Florentine in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Reheat the chicken and cream sauce in a dry skillet until just warmed through. I don't recommend freezing, as the cream can separate when thawed.
Nutrition
Calories: 485kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 21gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 20gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 129mgSodium: 627mgPotassium: 498mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 2623IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 183mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This chicken florentine was soooo good! I love how easy it was to make and the sauce was outstanding.
I am thrilled to hear you enjoyed the chicken, Jennifer!
I love spinach and chicken, this chicken florentine is a new favorite! So creamy and addicting! I'm impressed!
Wonderful, Sharina! Thank you for sharing.
This creamy sauce is everything! What a delicious dish, you'd think it was from a fancy restaurant!
I am thrilled to hear you enjoyed, Fran! I love when dishes taste so good, yet are SO easy to make!