Updated June 2024: This Tuscan Garlic Butter Chicken might be my number one back-pocket recipe. It’s the kind of recipe that is almost always a hit, no matter who I’m cooking for (except for vegetarians, then just use tofu or tempeh or something) and I genuinely crave it more than any other thing. This could be due to my insatiable love for garlic, but jury’s out there. With only a handful of cheap pantry ingredients required, this is a 30-minute, one-pan recipe that just absolutely wins the day. This is the best version of Tuscan Garlic Butter Chicken that I’ve ever made/tried and I think you guys are going to dig it, too.

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What is Tuscan Garlic Butter Chicken?

The “Tuscan” really just comes from the fact that this recipe has spinach in it. That always makes me laugh, if I’m being honest with you. Somehow, the addition of greens or spinach to a dish all of a sudden qualifies it as “Tuscan.” Not sure how people in Tuscany feel about that, but alas. But also, there are other key Tuscan ingredients going on in this dish … garlic, olive oil, parmesan cheese, and tomatoes to be exact.

A slightly lighter Tuscan Garlic Butter Chicken

A lot of recipes for garlic butter this-and-that call for heavy cream, and to be honest guys, I almost never use heavy cream in my recipes. Half and half usually works just as well and you’ll save a TON of calories without sacrificing any flavor or body in your sauce.

So, I’ve written my recipe with half and half. BUT. If you have cream and would rather use that – do it! You could even use milk in a pinch. Or coconut milk. Seriously, this recipe is flexible. It will still be amazing, no matter which road you take. Isn’t that such good news? And can’t we all use a little more of that right now?

Fresh vs. Canned Tomatoes

You can really use either in this recipe, to be honest. Another reason why I love it so much. I typically use canned, because (thanks to Costco) I’ve always got loads on hand. But you can easily chop up a few fresh Romas or a half-pint of cherry or grape tomatoes to accomplish the goal here.

When it comes to canned, I do think San Marzano are a notch above the rest, in case you find yourself in the canned tomato section, wondering which kind to buy. That’s your very best bet.

Anyway. I’ve got several “Garlic Butter” based recipes here on this site and – call them what you want – they are SO DELICIOUS. My Tuscan Garlic Butter Salmon and Shrimp is the best when you want to impress. Or, you can go a little smoky and spicy with things and try my Chipotle Garlic Butter Chicken (also a winner chicken dinner). If you’re into citrus, then my easy Herby Lemon Butter Chicken will happily fit the bill.

What you’ll need to make this Tuscan Garlic Butter Chicken recipe

A simple collection of accessible, affordable ingredients come together in this easy-as-can be recipe. The butter and half and half calm the acidity of the tomatoes, and combine with punchy garlic to create a gorgeous and basically addictive sauce.

Tuscan Garlic Butter Chicken INGREDIENTS

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise OR 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs, OR 8 to 12 chicken tenderloins (you choose the cut!)
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 TBSP dried oregano
3 TBSP olive oil, plus more as needed
4 TBSP butter (1/2 stick)
1 small to medium onion, diced
3 large garlic cloves, minced or grated
5 cups fresh baby spinach (give or take)
15-ounce can diced tomatoes (or 1.5 cups halved cherry/grape tomatoes)
2 teaspoons chicken stock concentrate
1.5 cups half and half
1 cup grated parmesan cheese (or pecorino, or Romano)

How to Make Tuscan Garlic Butter Chicken

This is a 30-minute, one-pan meal that costs pennies to make (especially if you opt for chicken thighs), so it is a true My Kitchen Little classic. Here’s the low-down:

Tuscan Garlic Butter Chicken DIRECTIONS

You can use whatever chicken you’ve got on hand (boneless, preferably). I have made this with boneless, skinless chicken breasts, tenderloins and thighs and all turn out great. If you’re using boneless skinless breasts, just take your chef’s knife and, working lengthwise, cut the breasts in half so they’re smaller. I also like to pound my chicken breasts a little with a heavy-bottomed glass. This flattens them so they lay better for me in the pan and can pick up even more brown color (that part is optional, just a nice tip). Bigger pieces of chicken will just take a bit longer to brown, but the directions are the same for any cut.
Brown your chicken in batches. This will enable them to get crunchier and browner without crowding the pan, all of the pieces messing with each other’ personal space. Personal space in crucial to proper browning.
After all of the meat is browned, transfer to a tray/plate and then we’ll build the sauce up in the same pan. DON’T WIPE IT OUT! The browned bits are called “fond” and equal major flavor for our sauce. The same goes for any juices that collect around the chicken as it waits. We’ll pour those back into the sauce when we add the chicken back in at the end, and it’s like hitting the “turbo boost” button so far as the flavor is concerned. It’s lush, let me tell you.
We’ll add butter to the pan and a little more oil. The oil will help keep the butter from burning while we saute’ our onions and then the tomatoes, spinach and garlic.
At this point, adding in a splash of wine, and allowing it to cook down for a couple of minutes wouldn’t be a bad idea. If you’ve got it – go for it!

I use canned diced or whole tomatoes when I make this, and I think it’s probably the best option. But let’s say you’ve got some cherry or grape tomatoes that you need to use up – those will work really well here, too. Just halve them and allow them to cook for a little longer in the pan before adding in the half and half, until they’ve started to shrink and release their juices a bit. Enjoy this one, friends.