Creamy Chicken Florentine with Spinach and Sundried Tomatoes
This Chicken Florentine with Spinach and Sun-dried Tomatoes is an easy one-pot skillet dish that’s going to wow your guests with authentic Tuscan flavors. I’m making this creamy Italian chicken recipe with a variety of artisan Italian ingredients I picked up at the Mercato Centrale Firenze in Florence, Italy. However, you can use ingredients from your local market with the same results.
1tablespoongarlic-shallot puréeor 3-4 cloves of chopped garlic
1/2cupdiced sun-dried tomatoes
1teaspoonfresh chopped Italian thyme leaves
1/3cupChardonnay
2tablespoonsKerrygold butter
1 1/2tablespoonsflour
1cupchicken broth
1cupheavy cream
1cupfresh grated Parmesan Reggiano
3cupsrotisserie chickenor leftover turkey
4cupsbaby spinach leaves
1/2packagespaghetticooked and drained
Garnish
1tablespoonfresh cracked pepper
1tablespoonred pepper flakes
1/2cupgrated Parmesan
Instructions
To begin, soak the dried porcini mushrooms in warm water for at least six hours. That way, they'll be tender for our dish. You might want to save your mushroom stock for any other future recipes such as risotto.
Once the mushrooms are soaked, strain them well and give them a rough chop.
Preheat a large pan or Dutch oven to medium heat. I’m using the Le Creuset pan with the glass lid, which has proven to be a workhorse in our kitchen.
Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the pan. When it gets nice and hot, add 1 tablespoon of garlic-shallot purée or about three cloves of chopped garlic.
Next, stir in 1/2 cup of diced sun-dried tomatoes, followed by a 1 cup of our soaked and chopped porcini mushrooms. Stir for a couple minutes, and then add 1 teaspoon of fresh chopped Italian thyme leaves.
Once the garlic and shallots are cooked off, and the mushrooms are starting to sweat, deglaze the pan with about 1/3 cup Chardonnay. When you’re deglazing, you want to scrape the bottom of the pan to release those flavors.
As the wine cooks down, add 2 tablespoons of Kerrygold butter, followed by 1 1/2 tablespoons of flour to make a roux. Roux is made with equal parts fat and flour. I usually just eyeball it.
Once the roux is incorporated into the dish, about a couple minutes, you’ll smell a nutty aroma. At this point, stir in 1 cup of chicken broth. Continue stirring until it starts to thicken up, about a few minutes. Next, pour in 1 cup of heavy cream followed by 1 cup of fresh grated Parmesan Reggiano.
Finally, add 2-3 cups of pre-cooked skinless chicken pieces, or even leftover turkey. To finish, add 2-4 cups of baby spinach leaves. Stir well, then cover the pan to simmer for 15-20 minutes. The dish is ready when the spinach is cooked down.
To serve, toss in 1/2 package of cooked and drained spaghetti or your favorite pasta. Garnish with fresh cracked pepper, red pepper flakes, and more grated Parmesan.