I don't know about you, but if I stumble upon a one pot recipe, it automatically gains ten points in my book. This one pot chicken Florentine comes together in less than 30 minutes and is a delicious weeknight meal.
One of my favorite parts about cooking Italian food, other than the fact that it always tastes amazing and usually involves pasta, is looking into the meaning behind the name of the dish. I sound like a nerd saying that but it's actually the truth. Ever since I made chicken saltimbocca, and found out it means "jump in my mouth" I have made sure to research the literal translations of popular Italian dishes before I make them. Today's chicken Florentine's translation might not be as literal as the saltimbocca but it turns out that Florentine is in reference to the style of cooking in Florence. Eggs Florentine, chicken Florentine, Florentine fish, all have one thing in common. Spinach. Perhaps I am just getting older but I feel like the stigma of spinach being the worst thing in the world no longer exists. It seems like everyone is down to hang around with spinach these days. Even kids. I'm even drawn to recipes that include spinach because who doesn't want a little greenery these days?
The best part about this chicken Florentine is the fact that you only need one pot. I'm definitely not one to steer away from complicated recipes. Unlike most, I look forward to cooking dinner all day. It's my way to relax after a long day of work. Cooking is like some weird meditation therapy for me. I become totally zen. The 2 - 3 glasses of wine that accompany my dinner prepping have nothing to do with it at all. I swear. Cooking is great and all but the non tranquil part of the experience is the clean up. If you are anal like me, you cannot sit and enjoy a meal with a stack of dirty pots in the sink. Even when I make lunch in the middle of the day, I have to make sure all the dishes are clean before I eat. Eating is such a treat to me, I don't want the stress of a huge clean up looming over me. The people that go to bed with dirty dishes in the sink are some kind of lazy masochists. Well you can rest assured that the only thing you will be needing for this chicken Florentine is a sturdy pan and a couple of utensils.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp butter
8 oz small mushrooms sliced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tbsp Italian seasoning (basil, oregano, parsley)
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup heavy cream (I used half and half)
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes
2 cups spinach
Place flour into a shallow bowl and mix together with salt and pepper. Place each piece of chicken individually into the flour to coat on both sides. Brush off the excess flour and set aside. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet. Cook chicken until golden brown on both sides (3-5 minutes on each side). Remove from the pan and set aside. Place butter into the pan and add in mushrooms and garlic. Cook until the mushrooms have become soft. About 3-4 minutes. Add in chicken broth, cream (or half/half), parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning. Whisk over medium heat until sauce thickens and is fully combined. Add spinach and sun-dried tomatoes. Stir together until spinach is wilted. Return chicken to pan and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Serve over pasta or rice and top with extra parmesan cheese.
2 tbsp olive oil
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp butter
8 oz small mushrooms sliced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tbsp Italian seasoning (basil, oregano, parsley)
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup heavy cream (I used half and half)
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes
2 cups spinach
Place flour into a shallow bowl and mix together with salt and pepper. Place each piece of chicken individually into the flour to coat on both sides. Brush off the excess flour and set aside. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet. Cook chicken until golden brown on both sides (3-5 minutes on each side). Remove from the pan and set aside. Place butter into the pan and add in mushrooms and garlic. Cook until the mushrooms have become soft. About 3-4 minutes. Add in chicken broth, cream (or half/half), parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning. Whisk over medium heat until sauce thickens and is fully combined. Add spinach and sun-dried tomatoes. Stir together until spinach is wilted. Return chicken to pan and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Serve over pasta or rice and top with extra parmesan cheese.
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