Chicken Florentine

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 17 mins

Total: 37 mins

Servings: 4

The day I develop lactose intolerance is the day the world ends for me. Thankfully I can still indulge in all the dairy I want, and eating this lusciously creamy chicken Florentine is at the top of my list. Ready to eat in just over 30 minutes, this is an effortlessly comforting meal you can’t mess up.

Cooking the sauce for this recipe is a breeze. I love garlic and measure the amount for recipes with my heart. This dish has the perfect amount of garlic and shallots, infusing the sauce with a wonderfully fragrant flavor, especially as they simmer in the residual chicken juices. If you have a favorite dried Italian herb blend on hand, feel free to sprinkle some in while the garlic is cooking.

To balance the rich, garlicky creaminess, adding a goodly glug of white wine gives the sauce a subtle sweetness and acidity, but if you don’t keep wine around you can substitute chicken stock. A touch of Dijon mustard and a shower of Parmigiano-Reggiano gives everything an extra layer of depth, complexity, and umami. 

Serve this with your favorite crusty bread for soaking up every bit of that mouthwatering cream sauce. You can also make this a hearty meal by incorporating your favorite pasta such as fettuccine or penne.

Recipe Tips

• Just brown one side—I find that browning the second side of the chicken isn’t necessary, as it’s being nestled back in the sauce anyway. Sealing in those juices is enough to avoid overcooking the chicken. 
• Use bone-in breasts or thighs, or boneless thighs—Boneless thighs are an easy 1:1 swap. For bone-in chicken, after browning, transfer it to a 350 F oven on a baking sheet and let it cook until it reaches an internal temperature of 145 F while you prepare the sauce. You may need to prepare the sauce in stages to prevent it from reducing too much. For example, remove it from heat once the wine has reduced. Just before adding the chicken back, return the pan to heat and proceed with the mustard/cream steps. Once the chicken reaches 145 F, transfer it to the sauce to finish cooking for the final 5 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt, divided

• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper, divided

• 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound 6 ounces total)

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 2 medium shallots, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)

• 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 1 cup dry white wine

• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

• 3/4 cup heavy cream

• 3 cups lightly packed baby spinach

• Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for grating

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, optional

Steps to Make It

1. Gather the ingredients.

   

2. Mix together 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon fine salt, and 1 teaspoon ground black pepper in a shallow dish.

   

3. Place 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound 6 ounces total) on a clean cutting board and use a sharp knife to cut each breast in half horizontally through the side of the chicken, using a gentle sawing motion, to make 4 equal (1/2-inch thick) chicken cutlets.

   

4. Place each cutlet in the flour mixture and turn a couple of times to coat well. Shake off any excess flour.

   

5. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the oil (in batches, if necessary, to avoid overcrowding the pan). Cook until golden brown on the first side, 2 to 3 minutes.

   

6. Flip the chicken cutlets and cook until the chicken releases easily from the pan (browning is not important), about 1 more minute. Transfer the chicken to a large plate and set aside while preparing the sauce (the chicken will not be cooked through). Do not wipe the skillet clean.

   

7. Add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and 2 medium shallots, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup) to the pan and cook over medium, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan and stirring often, until the shallot has softened, 1 to 2 minutes.

   

8. Add 5 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown and fragrant, about 1 minute.

   

9. Add 1 cup dry white wine and bring to a boil over medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up all the browned bits, until almost completely reduced but the pan still appears saucy, about 4 minutes.

   

10. Add 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, and 3/4 cup heavy cream and stir to combine. Bring back to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.

    

11. Add 3 cups lightly packed baby spinach and stir until starting to wilt, about 1 minute.

    

12. Add the chicken, browned-side up, back into the skillet along with any juices from the plate, and continue to cook over medium heat until the sauce has thickened slightly more and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of the chicken registers 160 F, about 3 minutes.

    

13. Using a Microplane or rasp grater, grate Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese to taste directly over the chicken. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, if using, and serve immediately.

    

How To Store

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in the sauce, adding a little water or chicken stock as needed to thin it out (the sauce will thicken in the refrigerator).

Feeling Adventurous? Try This:

• Try a different herb — Swap in tarragon for the parsley if desired. Tarragon is actually my preferred herb here! It has this anise-y sweetness that works beautifully with chicken and cream sauces. 
• Use chicken stock — You could omit the wine and use chicken stock, but I love the complexity that the wine brings. If choosing stock, add a squeeze of lemon at the end for brightness.