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Chicken Florentine

Chicken Florentine is a restaurant-style, creamy spinach chicken made with golden seared chicken breasts and a silky white wine and cream sauce. The sauce turns pale and elegant with Parmesan, lemon, and herb-fleck vibes while fresh baby spinach wilts right into it.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 670
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste
black pepper
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper to taste
garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder to taste
Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp Italian seasoning to taste
olive oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
garlic
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
dry white wine
  • 0.5 cup dry white wine
heavy cream
  • 1 cup heavy cream
chicken broth
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
fresh baby spinach
  • 3 cup fresh baby spinach
lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice fresh
lemon zest
  • 1 tsp lemon zest fresh
fresh parsley
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
lemon
  • 0.5 lemon slices, for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken breasts generously on both sides with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, then add chicken and sear 5-6 minutes per side, flipping once, until golden with an internal temperature of 165°F.
  2. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Keep any browned bits in the skillet for flavor.
Build the white wine cream sauce
  1. Reduce heat to medium and cook the minced garlic in the same pan for 30 seconds until fragrant. Immediately deglaze with dry white wine and simmer for 2 minutes, scraping the browned bits.
  2. Add heavy cream and chicken broth, then simmer for 4-5 minutes until slightly thickened. The sauce should look smooth and lightly coat the back of a spoon.
Finish Florentine style and serve
  1. Stir in Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest until melted and combined into a pale, silky sauce with visible flecks from the cheese. Add fresh baby spinach and stir until wilted.
  2. Return the chicken to the pan and spoon the sauce over each breast. Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon slices, then serve over pasta or rice.

Notes

Pro tip: deglaze right after cooking the garlic so the browned bits dissolve into the wine, helping the sauce turn creamy and uniform. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently to avoid breaking the cream. Freezing is not recommended due to sauce texture changes. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, knowing the sauce may be slightly thinner.