Mary Berry Tuscan Chicken with Spinach Recipe

This creamy savoury Mary Berry Tuscan Chicken with Spinach is made with chicken breasts, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach, ready in 35 minutes. The rich parmesan cream sauce bubbles around the pan-seared chicken, wilting the fresh spinach just before serving. I find this recipe brings comfort to busy weeknights without needing complicated techniques.

What Makes This Version Different

I used to overcook chicken breasts when trying to build a pan sauce. The trick here is removing the browned chicken before creating the cream base.

Adding the spinach right at the end keeps it bright green instead of turning into a soggy mess. I learned that scraping the browned bits from the pan is essential for the sauce’s depth.

Mary Berry Tuscan Chicken with Spinach Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 100g sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 150ml chicken stock
• 150ml double cream
• 50g parmesan cheese, grated
• 100g fresh baby spinach
• Salt and black pepper to taste

How To Make Mary Berry Tuscan Chicken with Spinach

1. Sear the Chicken: Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat and cook the chicken for 6-8 minutes per side until golden, then remove to a plate.
2. Sauté Aromatics: In the same pan, add the diced onion and cook for 4 minutes until softened. Stir in the crushed garlic and sun-dried tomatoes, cooking for another minute.
3. Build the Sauce: Pour in the chicken stock to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Reduce the heat to low, then stir in the double cream and grated parmesan.
4. Wilt the Spinach: Simmer the sauce gently for 3 minutes until it slightly thickens. Stir in the fresh baby spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes until just wilted.
5. Finish the Dish: Return the seared chicken and any resting juices to the pan. Spoon the creamy spinach sauce over the chicken and heat through for 2 minutes before serving.

Recipe Tips

• Pound the chicken: Flattening thicker breasts ensures they cook evenly in the pan without drying out.
• Use room temperature cream: Adding cold cream directly to a hot pan can cause the sauce to split.
• Drain the tomatoes: Too much oil from the sun-dried tomatoes can make your finished sauce greasy.

What To Serve With Tuscan Chicken

This creamy sauce needs something to soak it up, making it ideal with fresh tagliatelle or crusty garlic bread. Roasted new potatoes also work beautifully for a more filling dinner.

How To Store

Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove over low heat to prevent the cream sauce from splitting. Freezing is not recommended as the cream and spinach will change texture.

FAQs

• Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts? Yes, boneless skinless chicken thighs work very well in this recipe. They will need slightly longer to brown in the pan initially.
• Can I substitute the double cream? You can use single cream or creme fraiche for a lighter version. Just be careful not to let it boil, or it will curdle.
• Why did my sauce split? High heat is usually the culprit when cream sauces separate. Keep the heat on low once you add the double cream.
• Do I need to use fresh spinach? Fresh baby spinach gives the best texture and colour. If you must use frozen, thaw it completely and squeeze out all excess water first.

Nutrition

• Calories: 480 kcal
• Total Fat: 32g
• Saturated Fat: 14g
• Cholesterol: 145mg
• Sodium: 650mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 10g
• Protein: 42g

Try More Recipes:

• Mary Berry Chicken and Leek Pie Recipe
• Mary Berry Chicken Lasagne Recipe BBC Recipe
• Mary Berry Chicken Pot Pie Recipe