This creamy Chicken Florentine is pure comfort food, perfect for days when you crave a good, warm meal.
This is a simple recipe to make but it has real gourmet appeal. Chicken breasts are simmered in a creamy wine sauce with tons of spinach.
Serve with potatoes, rice or pasta and a generous sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
What is Chicken Florentine?
This is a simple chicken Florentine recipe with a creamy white wine spinach sauce. In this recipe, cream cheese adds a rich flavor and thickens the sauce.
- This is an easy 30 minute meal with a creamy wine sauce mixed and fresh spinach.
- This recipe requires only a few simple ingredients
- Easy yet elegant, it’s perfect for guests or as a weeknight dinner.
Ingredients in Chicken Florentine
Chicken – Use boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs. For quicker cooking, chicken cutlets work well in this recipe too.
Cream Sauce – The sauce for this dish does not require flour or making a roux, as the cream cheese helps to thicken it and add flavor. Heavy cream gives the sauce a velvety texture, while white wine adds depth of flavor.
Use dry white wine such as pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc. If you prefer not to use wine, you can substitute chicken broth instead.
Spinach – Use fresh baby spinach or regular spinach. Roughly chop the spinach if using larger leaves, it will be easier to eat. Other cooked vegetables can be added to the sauce, like cooked onions, broccoli, asparagus, or mushrooms.
Seasoning – The sauce is very simply seasoned with garlic, salt & black pepper. You can add other seasonings, including ½ teaspoon of dried oregano or a pinch of basil.
How to Make Chicken Florentine
- Cook chicken breasts in a skillet per the recipe below. Set aside.
- For the creamy spinach sauce, add white wine to the pan and let it reduce. Cook the spinach for a couple of minutes. Add cream cheese and cream and cook until thickened.
- Stir in the chicken along with any juices. and cook just until heated through. So easy.
This creamy chicken florentine recipe is naturally low carb and keto friendly.
Storing Leftovers
- Leftovers are one of the best things about Chicken Florentine, if you are lucky enough to have them, that is! This dish will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container. Slice chicken and add it with sauce to a homemade crepe for a tasty breakfast, or make a Chicken Florentine pizza or casserole!
- White sauce with dairy tends to separate when frozen, so it’s best to use it up rather than freeze it. But that shouldn’t be hard to do, since it’s so tasty, everyone will fight over who gets to have Chicken Florentine for lunch! Reheat on the stovetop with a little extra broth added in, for best results.
More Spinach Favorites
Creamy Chicken Florentine
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- ¼ cup white wine (or chicken broth)
- 3 cups baby spinach loosely packed
- ½ cup cream cheese
- ¾ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium high heat and add the chicken breasts. Cook the breasts for 4-5 minutes on each side until cooked through and a light golden brown. Remove the chicken onto a plate.
- In the same pan, add garlic and saute for minute until fragrant. Add white wine to the pan and let it simmer and reduce for a few minutes. Stir the wine around so that any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan come off.
- Add the spinach and cook until wilted while stirring occasionally. This will take about two minutes. Once the spinach has wilted, add cream cheese and heavy cream. Bring this to a gentle simmer, making sure that the cream cheese has completely melted and is mixed well.
- Add the chicken breasts back to the pan, spoon the sauce over and simmer for a minute or two before turning off the heat. Serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
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This was really good. I have added it to my favorites!
Easy great meal! It was a hit with entire family
In your notes, you say this is not good to freeze as it is a cream sauce, yet later in comments you tell Janae to try it!! Which is it?
As mentioned I have not tried it so I can’t say for sure how it would turn out. Often dairy does not freeze well as it tends to separate. I hope this helps Fran and if you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!
This sounds good! I only have frozen spinach, would that work? How much should I add after defrosting and squeezing the water out?
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure Susanna, but that should work just fine. I would use about 1/3 of a standard 10 oz package (so about 3-4 ounces of frozen spinach). I hope this helps!
This chicken was delicious. I used onion and chive cream cheese.. This is a keeper!!!!
This is the best, most delicious chicken florententine I’ve ever had in my life! My entire family is in love with it as well. I serve mine over mashed potatoes and they fit perfectly well together. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful recipe!
Lisa
That is great, Lisa! We love when one delicious recipe can bring everyone together!
I love all your recipes. Use them often. Can you please tell me what kind of white wine. Not a wine buff so don’t really know white or red wines for cooking. Would be so helpful to put kind of wine in recipes for us that don’t know wine. Thank you so much and keep the recipes coming.
Hi Donna, we often use whatever we have leftover in our fridge but some good options for this recipe are pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc, or chardonnay. You can also substitute the wine for chicken broth if you prefer. Thank you for the suggestion! We do try to add our wine suggestions or substitutions as we update and create our new recipes since we totally understand, it can be overwhelming if you don’t drink wine often. :)
I’m really excited to try this ASAP. I’ve never made Florentine before. Would sun dried tomatoes be good in this dish? I ended up with some but haven’t cooked with them before. Not sure if it would be good and if so… when to add them. Any advice would be appreciated
I would love sundried tomatoes in this dish Dionne!
Omg, that chicken looks so mouth watering!
This is so easy to make and was so good. It’s definitely on the list as a repeat recipe ❤️
Love your recipes
Why thank you Betty!
Should I use boneless chicken breasts or regular? The recipe does not say. How about chicken thighs as a substitute? Please advise. Thanks!
Hi Henry, we used boneless chicken breasts for this recipe. You can use a chicken thigh just make sure your chicken is fully cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F before serving.
Is this good as a make a head freezer meal?
Janae, I haven’t tried freezing this. I believe it would work, in theory! If you try it please be sure to come back and update us on the results!
I will try this recipe tonight. Has anyone made it with cutting the chicken into smaller pieces before browning?
I haven’t tried it Cleo, but I’m sure that it would work. Let us know if you try it with smaller pieces! Enjoy!
I am VERY picky when it comes to Italian food and this is the first dish I’ve made that not only my boyfriend by I also love! The pan-seared chicken tastes great and the sauce is heavenly. Tasted awesome as lunch the next day too, it made the office smell great and my coworkers jealous, haha. I love this recipe because it’s fast enough for a weeknight meal–I served mine with a side of instant gnocci. A keeper, thank you.
I am so glad you loved it Megan! Gnocchi sounds like a great side for this. I will have to try it!
Wow!!! This dish is AMAZING. Everyone loved it, even the picky littles. Thank you for sharing
I’m so glad your family loved it Jess! :)
The sauce is so good. Easy recipe family enjoyed.
So glad everyone loved it Melissa!
I will stir in some pappardelle.
Delicious addition!
I made the chicken florentine tonite, OM G, so so good, I did add a pasta to it, it was
something you would get at a high end restaurant. Can’t wait for more recipes.
I’m so happy to hear that you loved it so much Marge!!