Description
This 25-Minute Creamy Tuscan Chicken is a delicious dairy-free recipe featuring tender chicken thighs or breasts cooked in a rich coconut milk sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, fresh spinach, and fragrant Italian herbs. It’s a quick, flavorful meal perfect for weeknight dinners, served with your choice of vegetables, rice, or potatoes.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 chicken thighs (or chicken breasts, see instructions)
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp ghee (can substitute avocado oil for dairy-free)
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 shallot, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
- 3 cups spinach
- 1/4 cup basil, chopped
- Chopped parsley (optional topping)
Sauce
- 1/4 cup chicken broth (see notes)
- 2 tbsp arrowroot starch (see notes)
- 1.5 cups coconut milk
Instructions
- Prepare Aromatics and Seasoning: Dice the shallot and mince the garlic. In a small bowl, mix together Italian seasoning, sea salt, and pepper to create the dry seasoning blend.
- Prep Chicken: If using chicken breasts, place them between two pieces of parchment paper and pound them to an even thickness. This ensures even cooking. Skip this step if using chicken thighs.
- Brown Chicken: Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the ghee. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken evenly with the Italian seasoning mixture. Add the chicken to the hot pan, cooking without moving it for 4-5 minutes to develop a golden crust. Flip and cook an additional 4-5 minutes until the chicken is mostly cooked through. You may need to cook in batches depending on pan size.
- Make Thickening Mixture: While the chicken cooks, whisk together the chicken broth and arrowroot starch until smooth. Set aside.
- Sauté Shallot and Garlic: Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside. Add more ghee to the pan if needed, then add the diced shallot and minced garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and softened.
- Add Sauce Ingredients: Pour in the coconut milk, sun-dried tomatoes, and chopped basil. Give the chicken broth and arrowroot starch mixture a quick whisk and add it to the skillet. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the pan to incorporate extra flavor.
- Simmer Chicken in Sauce: Return the chicken to the pan, nestling it into the sauce. Cover the skillet and reduce the heat to low. Let it simmer gently for 3-4 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
- Wilt Spinach: Add the spinach in batches, stirring each batch into the sauce until wilted and evenly distributed.
- Serve: Plate the chicken along with the creamy Tuscan sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired. Serve alongside your favorite sides such as vegetables, potatoes, rice, or cauliflower rice.
Notes
- This recipe is naturally dairy-free by using ghee or avocado oil and creamy coconut milk.
- Chicken thighs provide more moisture and flavor, but chicken breasts work well if pounded evenly.
- Arrowroot starch thickens the sauce without adding gluten, making it suitable for gluten-free diets.
- Serve with rice, noodles, roasted vegetables, or mashed potatoes for a complete meal.
- Fresh spinach and herbs add vibrant flavor and color; feel free to adjust quantities to your preference.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (1 chicken thigh with sauce and spinach)
- Calories: 370
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 120mg
