Tuscan Chicken
This is the skillet I make when I want chicken that looks filled when you cut it. A pocket in each breast takes spinach, sun-dried tomato, and a little mozzarella. The outside sears until it spots gold, then finishes covered so the cheese melts and the center cooks through. Parmesan and parsley go on at the end, which is the white scatter in the photo. The pan juices stay in the skillet as a light spooning sauce.
Sun-dried tomato is the Tuscan note, along with the spinach and the olive oil. Cheese is there so the filling holds together. Too much and it leaks out the side before the chicken is done. Secure the pocket with a toothpick if it gapes. Pull the chicken at 165 F (74 C) in the thickest part, not when the cheese first bubbles. The cheese melts before the center is cooked.
It feeds two as written, one breast each, or four if you slice the breasts and share them. Rest them 3 minutes before you cut, or the filling runs out and you lose the cross-section in the photo.
Why you'll love it
- Ready in 30 minutes, one skillet.
- Filling shows when you cut it: spinach, tomato, melted cheese.
- Gold crust, parsley and Parmesan on top.
- A light pan sauce, not a heavy cream gravy.
Anti-Inflammatory & Mediterranean Recipes
Tuscan Chicken
- Prep12 min
- Cook18 min
- Total30 min
- Servings2 servings
- Calories390 kcal
Ingredients
- Chicken
- Filling
Instructions
- Cut a pocket in the side of each breast. Do not cut through. Season inside and out with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
- Mix the spinach, sun-dried tomato, mozzarella, garlic, and parsley. Stuff the pockets. Close them with a toothpick if they gape.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high. Sear the breasts 4 minutes a side, until deep gold.
- Lower the heat, cover, and cook 6 to 8 minutes, until the center reads 165 F (74 C).
- Rest 3 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan and parsley. Spoon the pan juices over the top and serve.
Notes & Tips
- A deep pocket, not a cut that goes through. The filling needs a wall.
- Dry the outside before it hits the pan, or it will not brown.
- Cover at the end. An open pan dries the top before the center cooks.
- Rest before you slice. The cheese sets just enough to stay in the cut.
- Nutrition: Per serving (1 stuffed breast). Estimate.
- Nutrition: Net carbohydrates: 5g
- Nutrition: WW estimate: 7 points on the current plan (oil, cheese, and sun-dried tomato carry the points; chicken is the lighter part)
- Fridge: 3 days, covered. Reheat covered in a low oven so the breast does not dry. The cheese will not pull the way it did on day one.
- Freeze: up to 1 month, cooked. Thaw in the fridge and warm covered.
- Nutrition is an estimate from chicken breast, spinach, sun-dried tomato, mozzarella, Parmesan, and olive oil.
Variations & serving ideas
- No mozzarella: use provolone. It melts the same way.
- Lighter: use half the cheese and add an extra handful of spinach.
- No sun-dried tomato: roasted red pepper, chopped, gives a similar sweetness.
- Dairy-free is not this filling. A spinach and olive pocket, no cheese, is the stand-in.
- Thighs: boneless thighs work if you pound them a little so the pocket is even.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving · makes 2 servings
| Nutrient | Amount per serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 390 kcal |
| Total fat | 19 g |
| Sodium | 780 mg |
| Total carbohydrate | 6 g |
| Fibre | 1 g |
| Protein | 46 g |
Nutrition values are approximate and vary with brands and portion sizes.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to make Tuscan Chicken?
About 30 minutes in total: 12 minutes of prep and 18 minutes of cooking.
What ingredients do I need for Tuscan Chicken?
The key ingredients include chicken breasts, mozzarella, parmesan, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and garlic. The recipe card lists every ingredient with exact amounts.
Can I freeze Tuscan Chicken?
Freeze: up to 1 month, cooked.
How many servings does this recipe make?
It makes 2 servings.
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