Gluten-Free Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Skillet

Last month I had a girls’ night at my friend Cara’s house, and she served this gorgeous Tuscan-style chicken in a creamy sauce. The moment I tasted it, I knew I had to recreate it at home — gluten-free, of course. After a couple of test rounds tweaking the sauce until it was silky and rich without any flour-based roux, I landed on this version that honestly tastes even better than the original. My husband now requests it every single week, and I’m not even mad about it.

aka The Firenze Gold Skillet

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 4-5 thighs), patted dry
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (oil-packed), drained and roughly chopped
• 3 cups fresh baby spinach
• 3/4 cup full-fat coconut cream (from a can, the thick part)
• 1/4 cup chicken bone broth (we recommend Bonafide – no “natural flavors”)
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Instructions

1. Season the chicken: Pat chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and season both sides generously with garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
2. Sear the chicken: Heat avocado oil in a large cast iron or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken thighs and cook undisturbed for 5-6 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through (internal temp 165°F). Remove to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
3. Build the sauce base: Reduce heat to medium. In the same skillet with the pan drippings, add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and stir for about 1 minute.
4. Add the cream: Pour in the coconut cream and chicken bone broth. Stir in nutritional yeast, dried oregano, dried basil, and red pepper flakes. Whisk until smooth and let it simmer gently for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened.
5. Wilt the spinach: Add baby spinach in handfuls, stirring until each batch wilts down — about 1-2 minutes total.
6. Finish and serve: Nestle the seared chicken thighs back into the sauce. Spoon sauce over the chicken and let everything warm together for 1-2 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve immediately.

Tips

• Serve it over: This is amazing over cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, or certified gluten-free pasta like Jovial or Banza.
• Make it dairy-free: This recipe is already dairy-free! The coconut cream and nutritional yeast give it that rich, cheesy depth without any dairy.
• Don’t skip patting dry: Moisture on the chicken prevents a good sear. Dry chicken = golden, crispy edges.
• Leftovers: Stores beautifully in the fridge for up to 3 days. The sauce thickens as it cools — just add a splash of broth when reheating on the stovetop.
• Protein boost: Add a can of drained and rinsed white beans (cannellini) for extra protein and fiber.