15-Minute Creamy Tuscan Chicken Skillet

Look, I get it — by the time you’re home from work, the last thing you want is a recipe that takes an hour. This Creamy Tuscan Chicken Skillet is my go-to when I want something that feels like a slow Sunday dinner but only takes 15 minutes start to finish. Golden seared chicken, a ridiculously rich sun-dried tomato cream sauce, and handfuls of spinach that melt right in. My wife thought I’d ordered takeout the first time I made it. Nope — just one skillet and zero stress.

aka The Weeknight Tuscan Wonder

Ingredients

• 1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into thin cutlets (about ½ inch thick)
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes (oil-packed, drained and roughly chopped)
• 1 cup full-fat coconut cream
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast (or grated Parmesan if not dairy-free)
• 3 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Instructions

1. Season the chicken: Pat the chicken cutlets dry with a paper towel. Season both sides with sea salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning.
2. Sear the chicken: Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through (internal temp 165°F). Remove and set aside on a plate.
3. Build the sauce: In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and stir for another 30 seconds.
4. Add the cream: Pour in the coconut cream and nutritional yeast. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Let the sauce simmer for 2-3 minutes until it thickens slightly.
5. Wilt the spinach: Add the fresh spinach in handfuls, stirring until fully wilted, about 1-2 minutes.
6. Finish and serve: Return the chicken to the skillet, nestling it into the sauce. Squeeze lemon juice over everything. Spoon sauce over the chicken and garnish with fresh basil. Serve immediately.

Tips

• Slicing chicken breasts in half horizontally into thin cutlets is the key to fast cooking — no more dry, overcooked thick breasts.
• Don’t skip patting the chicken dry. Moisture is the enemy of a good sear.
• For an even richer sauce, let the coconut cream reduce for an extra minute before adding the spinach.
• This pairs beautifully with cauliflower rice for a low-carb option, or serve over your favorite gluten-free pasta.
• Leftovers reheat well in a covered skillet over low heat — add a splash of water or broth to loosen the sauce.