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.
Servings: 4
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.
Video
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: 485kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 129mg | Sodium: 627mg | Potassium: 498mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2623IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 183mg | Iron: 2mg
