You can make Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and spinach in 30 minutes! You'll love these skillet chicken thighs in a sun-dried tomato sauce accented with garlic, Parmesan, white wine and a hint of cream! It's one of our favorite chicken recipes!
The first time I made this Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomatoes for my hubby, he thanked me for such a delicious meal. Hmmm...maybe that's why some people call it "Marry Me Chicken!"
Of course, I proceeded to test my version over and over, trying a little more of this and a lot less of that. The result is a lighter "Tuscan Chicken," which is another name for this dish that apparently, Olive Garden invented.
Haha! Don't let that stop you from trying this!
I'm confident you're going to love these tender, sautéed chicken thighs cooked in a sun-dried tomato sauce that's accented with garlic, Parmesan, white wine, a hint of cream and basil.
What's not to love?!!
Recipe ingredients
See the card at the end of this post for the full recipe, but here's an overview.
Chicken Thighs: I love using boneless, skinless chicken thighs here. They turn out so tender and flavorful.
You could substitute boneless, skinless chicken breasts that are sliced in half to make them thinner. Speaking of that, don't miss my collection of thinly sliced chicken breast recipes!
Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Buy sun-dried tomato halves in olive oil because you'll use some of the oil from the jar in this recipe. I prefer the Bella Sun Luci brand, because it doesn't have a strong oregano taste.
You have to try them in this rotini pasta salad!
White Wine: This adds delicious flavor to our sun-dried tomato sauce. Sauvignon-Blanc works well here, but you could use Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc or Pinot Grigio if you prefer.
If you need an alcohol-free substitute for the wine, use more chicken stock.
Chicken Stock: I always use chicken stock instead of broth, because it provides deeper flavor. If needed, you could substitute chicken broth.
Cream: Unlike the creamy Tuscan chicken recipes all over the internet, my recipe contains just half a cup of cream. Any more than that overpowers the sauce and makes it bland. Trust me, we tried it with more cream and unanimously agreed less is better!
Parmesan: Always use freshly grated Parmesan cheese instead of the one from the can, or else the sun-dried tomato sauce will turn out grainy.
Spinach: This recipe calls for three cups of fresh spinach leaves, which looks like a lot but cooks down quickly. You should be able to substitute thawed, frozen spinach if you dry it well.
Basil Leaves: They're not pictured with the other ingredients, but those fresh herbs you see in the plated chicken photos are basil! I highly recommend adding them for a fresh, savory complement to the sun-dried tomatoes.
How to make it
See the card at the end of this post for the full recipe, but here's an overview.
- Sear seasoned chicken thighs in olive oil until they're browned on both sides.
- Remove them from the pan and add garlic and wine. Then add chicken stock and cream.
- Add the sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and Parmesan.
- Let the sauce come to a simmer and cook it for five minutes before adding back the chicken and cooking everything for a few more minutes.
Recipe tips
- If the chicken thighs seem stuck to the pan, let them cook longer before flipping them. Once they've browned nicely, they'll be easy to flip over.
- You'll have leftover olive oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes. Refrigerate it and use it for salad dressing or to make Baked Sausage, Peppers and Onions.
What to serve with it
My family loves to use crusty Italian bread to mop up the sauce from the Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomatoes. So good!!
But, you could serve this chicken over orzo, rice cooked like pasta, or Parmesan polenta. Sautéed eggplant or rapini with garlic would make a nice side dish.
More chicken recipes to try
- Chicken Sorrentino
- Baked Pesto Chicken Breasts
- Roasted Chicken Thighs with Vegetables
- Italian Chicken Cutlets
- Chicken Marsala with Mushrooms
- Keto Chicken Drumsticks with Parmesan
Enjoy!
If you try this Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomatoes recipe, please leave a comment and a rating!
Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil from a jar of sun-dried tomatoes (divided use)
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken thighs
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- 2 cloves garlic (medium or large)
- ¼ cup white wine (preferably Sauvignon Blanc but can use Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, etc.)
- 1 cup chicken stock
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 8.5 ounces jar of sun-dried tomato halves in olive oil (Use all of the tomatoes but reserve the leftover olive oil for another use.)
- 3 cups fresh spinach
- ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4-6 fresh basil leaves
- crusty bread for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Add two tablespoons of the olive oil from a jar of sun-dried tomatoes to a 12-inch, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is sizzling, add the thicken thighs in a single layer, being sure to open them if they're folded under at the ends. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the chicken. Sear the chicken for six minutes, or until it's easy to flip over.
- While the chicken is cooking, press the garlic using a garlic press or peel and chop it finely. Measure out the wine. Then in a large measuring cup, measure out the chicken stock and cream (they can be together.)
- Flip the chicken over and cook the second side for five minutes or until browned. Remove the chicken to a platter or 9x13 pan.
- Add one tablespoon of olive oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes to the pan over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic and cook it for 15 seconds. Whisk in ¼ cup of white wine, scraping up the browned bits from the pan, and cook it for two minutes.
- Whisk the chicken stock and cream to combine them, then add the mixture to the pan, whisking some more. Stir in the drained sun-dried tomatoes, three cups of spinach leaves, and ⅓ cup of Parmesan. Let the sauce come to a simmer. Then, let it cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the chicken back to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes longer, or until the chicken is cooked through (no longer pink inside) and the sauce is thickened. Sprinkle on ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Top with ribbons of fresh basil leaves.
- Serve the sun-dried tomato chicken with crusty bread for dipping in the sauce. Or, you can serve this over orzo or rice. Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Notes
Nutrition
(Recipe Source: Cooking with Mamma C)
Bob says
I had this over fettuccine and it was FABULOUS! It was the best lunch I’ve ever had!!!
Mamma C says
Hi Bob - I'm so happy to hear that! What a compliment!