Chicken Florentine
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (sliced in half length-wise and tenderized)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- salt & pepper
- 8 oz pasta (your choice, penne works great!)
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 shallot (diced)
- 2 garlic cloves (minced)
- 4 tbsp dry white wine
- 2 tsp fresh thyme (stripped from stems)
- 1 red bell pepper (sliced thin)
- 2 oz cream cheese
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 3 tbsp parmesan cheese (grated)
- 3 oz baby spinach
- 2 oz chicken stock (optional)
- fresh basil (for garnish)
- lemon (cut into wedges, for garnish)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425°F
- Make sure chicken breast is tenderized to the point that it is even in thickness from top to bottom. This will help ensure even cooking and prevent parts of it from drying out
- In a deep skillet (about 2 inches) heat olive oil over medium heat
- Season chicken with salt and pepper
- Once the oil is nice and hot, sear both sides of the chicken breast until golden brown. There's no need to cook them all the way through here, we're just trying to give the chicken a nice color and help it reserve it's juices while we bake it off in the oven
- Move the chicken to a baking sheet and place in the oven, cooking until it reaches 165°F – about 10-15 minutes depending on the thickness of the chicken
- Meanwhile, start cooking the pasta according to package directions (if you're using fresh pasta, go ahead and wait until you've added the red bell peppers below to start cooking so you're pasta doesn't get soggy) and melt the butter in skillet used to cook the chicken and add shallot
- Cook the shallot until just soft – about 5 minutes
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant – about 2 minutes
- Pour in the wine and add the fresh thyme leaves. We'll want to cook until the wine is almost completely reduced and there's just a little bit of moisture left at the bottom of the pan – about 5 minutes
- Add red bell pepper slices, stir to coat and then add the cream cheese and stir until it has completely melted
- Add in the heavy cream and parmesan cheese, stirring until cheese has melted
- Mix in baby spinach until it has started to wither a little bit and then add some chicken stock if the sauce seems too thick. If you're fine with the consistency don't worry about adding the chicken stock
- Remove the chicken from the oven if you haven't already and serve on top of pasta and sauce, garnish with fresh basil and a squeeze of lemon
Chicken Florentine has always been a favorite, go-to meal for me since I was fresh out of high school. Over the years, the recipe has evolved quite a bit but, for the most part, remains the same. This dish features three of my favorite ingredients: butter, shallots and white wine. The white, creamy sauce is rich in flavor and squeezing in some fresh lemon juice brightens and sweetens the entire meal!
The first step is to cook the chicken and bring some salted water to a boil for the pasta. When cooking chicken breast, I’ve found that it’s worth every second it takes to tenderize and even out the meat. This helps the chicken cook evenly without drying out the edges while waiting for the center to reach temp. Once the chicken is tender and even, season it and give it a nice sear in a deep skillet before finishing it off in the oven. Next, start on the sauce. In the same pan used to sear the chicken, melt butter and cook shallot until fragrant and soft. Add garlic and cook for just another minute or two. Splash in wine, add herbs and cook until wine has reduced and there’s just a little bit of moisture left in the bottom of the pan. Stir in bell peppers until coated and then melt cream cheese. Finally, Add the heavy cream and parmesan, allowing the parmesan to melt and then incorporate spinach until it’s withered. If the sauce is a little too thick, add a splash of chicken broth or pasta water.
To finish the chicken florentine, combine sauce with pasta and garnish with fresh basil and a squeeze of lemon juice!