This Lighter Creamy Tuscan Chicken Bake has the most perfect lightened up creamy garlic Parmesan sauce-smothered over thinly sliced chicken breast, sun dried tomatoes, and fresh spinach. This is a restaurant worthy dish you don’t want to miss out on-and the ultimate comfort food dinner!
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!
Ingredients
- 4 ( 4 oz.) thinly sliced boneless skinless chicken breasts (breast halves)
- ½ tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp paprika
Cream Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk mixed with 1/4 cup heavy cream or 1 and 1/4 cup fat free half and half *see notes for other options
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 garlic cloves or 2 tsp, minced
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
- ⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes, in olive oil, drained. You can also use the sun-dried tomatoes in a package without oil
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated. I like to use fresh grated Parmesan that you can get at almost any grocery store near fresh cheeses.
- 1 cup fresh spinach leaves, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels to get rid of excess moisture. (If using frozen, make sure the chicken breasts are completely thawed and patted dry before using.)
- Place thinly sliced chicken breasts on a cutting board and cover with a piece of plastic wrap. Use a rolling pin, smooth the chicken so that it’s at an even thickness.
- Spray a 9×13 baking dish with non stick cooking spray. Place chicken breasts in prepared baking dish.
- Spray the tops of the chicken with olive oil cooking spray.
- In a small bowl combine salt, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and paprika. Stir to combine.
- Sprinkle the tops of the chicken breasts with seasoning.
- In a medium mixing bowl whisk together fat free half and half or unsweetened almond milk and regular half and half, corn starch, garlic, salt, and pepper until combined.
- Stir in sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan cheese. Pour mixture around the chicken in the baking dish.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes or until chicken is throughly cooked.
- Remove from oven and stir spinach into sauce.
- Cover baking dish with foil to allow chicken to rest for 10 minutes while the spinach wilts.
- Serve as is or over rice or pasta, if desired.
Makes 4 ( 1 chicken breast and 1/4 cup sauce) servings
3 Points® per serving
Notes
- If you are unable to find fat-free half and half you can substitute the 1 and 1/4 cup fat free half-and-half with 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or skim milk mixed with 1/4 cup regular half and half.
- Why would the sauce curd? Keep in mind: Nut milks are very different from dairy milk in that they have a lighter consistency (they’re mostly water) and contain less protein, which makes them less stable when it comes to heat-therefore can if the heat is too intense, the protein molecules bond together and shrink into tight, grainy lumps of curdled protein.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, just microwave to your desired temperature. You may also freeze the leftovers for up to 2 months. To reheat, thaw in fridge overnight and then microwave as above.
Nutrition Information:
YIELD: 4 Amount Per Serving: CALORIES: 196TOTAL FAT: 8gSATURATED FAT: 2gCARBOHYDRATES: 7gNET CARBOHYDRATES: 6gFIBER: 1gSUGAR: 2gPROTEIN: 26g
