Chicken Florentine
Golden Parmesan-crusted chicken breasts simmered in a silky white wine and cream sauce with wilted spinach — an elegant weeknight dinner that eats like a special occasion.
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
- Salt and black pepper
- 4 thin-cut boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 tablespoons butter (salted or unsalted)
- 1 medium shallot, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried basil (or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (or 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 cups packed baby spinach (about 3 ounces)
- On a large plate or shallow dish, stir together the flour, grated Parmesan, and a generous teaspoon each of salt and black pepper until evenly blended. Press each chicken breast into the mixture, turning to coat both sides completely — this thin, cheesy crust is what gives the chicken its golden color and helps thicken the pan sauce later on. Shake off any excess coating before setting the breasts aside, ready for the pan.
- Warm a large skillet over medium heat, then add the olive oil along with 2 tablespoons of the butter, swirling the pan until it melts and combines with the oil. Lay the coated chicken breasts in the pan and cook for about 4 minutes per side, until each side turns a deep golden brown — the goal here is color and a head start on cooking, not to cook the chicken all the way through, since it will finish later in the sauce. Once both sides are browned, transfer the chicken to a plate and set it aside.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the same pan and let it melt over the residual heat. Stir in the minced shallot, garlic, and a pinch of salt, cooking for about 2 minutes and stirring frequently until the shallot turns soft and translucent and the garlic smells fragrant — watch it closely, since garlic can turn bitter if it browns too much.
- Pour in the white wine and chicken broth, then add the basil and oregano, stirring and scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan, since those bits carry deep flavor that will dissolve straight into the sauce. Let the liquid simmer and reduce by about half, which should take 3 to 4 minutes, concentrating the flavor. Stir in the heavy cream and cream cheese, continuing to stir as the cream cheese softens and melts into the liquid, until the sauce thickens and turns silky, about 6 minutes. Add the baby spinach and stir it through the sauce for about a minute, just until the leaves begin to wilt and turn a vibrant green.
- Nestle the browned chicken breasts back into the pan along with any juices that have collected on the plate, and let everything simmer together for 4 to 5 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked through and no longer pink in the center. Remove the pan from the heat and serve immediately, spooning extra sauce over each piece and finishing with a scattering of freshly grated Parmesan on top.
Chef's Note: The name "Florentine" signals a spinach-and-cream style of cooking, and this version leans into that with a glossy, restaurant-worthy sauce built from reduced white wine, cream, and a generous knob of cream cheese. The cream cheese is the trick here, giving the sauce body and a silky texture without needing a separate flour-based roux.
This dish is especially good spooned over egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or a simple bed of rice to soak up every bit of the sauce. If you have leftovers, reheat them gently over low heat rather than in the microwave, stirring often, since the cream sauce can separate if it gets too hot too quickly.
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