Golden brown chicken breasts simmered in a creamy spinach sauce sounds like it takes hours to prepare. But while it’s full of decadent flavor, Chicken Florentine comes together in one skillet in under 30 minutes. How do you make Jeanette’s creamy Chicken Florentine recipe? Searing the chicken breasts before simmering gives them a golden color and deeper flavor. Learn how to prepare this easy meal with Florentine-style ingredients and complementary side dishes to give a chicken dinner some gourmet flare.

Your Go-To Chicken Florentine Recipe

Jeanette’s creamy Chicken Florentine recipe enhances the traditional cream sauce with cream cheese for a rich tang. Meanwhile, dredging the chicken in a mixture of flour and Italian seasoning adds additional flavor and a crisp, golden crust. But before we detail how to make this classic chicken recipe, here’s what makes a dish Florentine.

What Does Florentine Mean in Cooking?

The term “Florentine” generally refers to the style of cooking common in Florence, Italy. Dishes in this region often use spinach as a main ingredient and include a variety of meats with creamy sauces.

Chicken Florentine origin dates back to 1500’s France when Catherine de Medici, a Florentine aristocrat, married a French prince. While this meant leaving Florence for France, Catherine didn’t want her favorite recipes left behind. Consequently, her relocation included spinach seeds and the best Florentine chefs. Over time, the chefs prepared so many spinach dishes that the French deemed this style of cooking “a la Florentine.” While Chicken Florentine is an American take on Florentine-style cooking, its creamy spinach sauce is in keeping with the centuries-old cuisine.

What to Serve With Chicken Florentine

Chicken Florentine is a rich and decadent dish. Consequently, it’s best served with pasta, rice, or potatoes to help absorb its creamy sauce. A green salad is a fresh complement, while a roasted vegetable can stand up to its robust flavor. 

Here’s what to serve with Chicken Florentine:

• Crusty bread: A French baguette or Italian loaf is perfect for dipping in the creamy sauce
• Pasta: Toss with the remaining sauce and top with the chicken.
• Mashed potatoes or rice: Serve alongside the chicken, topped with sauce.
• Fresh green salad: Adding a balsamic vinaigrette cuts through the creamy sauce with a contrasting tang.
• Roasted broccoli, asparagus, or zucchini: Roasting brings out the flavor of these green vegetables so they can hold their own with the rich main course.

Jeanette’s Chicken Florentine Recipe

Prepared in one skillet in under thirty minutes, Jeanette’s Chicken Florentine recipe is perfect for entertaining or enjoying as a family dinner. Adding a sprinkle of lemon juice just before serving can provide a pop of freshness.

Ingredients:

Chicken:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 Tbsps olive oil
• 2 Tbsps butter

Flour Mixture:

• ½ cup flour
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 2 tsps Italian seasoning
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 tsp garlic powder

Florentine Sauce:

• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 ½ cups chicken broth
• 1 cup half and half
• ⅓ cup cream cheese, softened
• 3 cups fresh spinach

Instructions:

1. With a meat tenderizer or heavy cup, pound chicken breasts until they are about an inch thick throughout. Pat dry.
2. Melt butter and add olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
3. Assemble flour mixture and dredge chicken, coating both sides well. Cook in skillet for 4-5 minutes per side. Remove chicken and place on plate.
4. Add garlic to skillet and cook 1 minute.
5. Pour in chicken broth and stir to loosen brown bits from skillet. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
6. Add the half and half, stirring constantly. Let sauce reduce by half again.
7. Stir in cream cheese until smooth and combined. 
8. Add spinach and stir until it’s soft and wilted.
9. Return chicken to pan and cover to heat through. Garnish with lemon juice, if desired.

While your local appliance repair service can rescue your oven or stove, Jeanette’s creamy Chicken Florentine recipe can save any dinner dilemma. Try her mixed berry cobbler pie or strawberry cheesecake cookie cups to satisfy your next sugar craving!