Chicken Florentine

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for my creamy chicken Florentine recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

• Chicken – I’ve made this dish with boneless, skinless chicken breasts as well as chicken thighs. Pick your favorite!
• Spinach – I use baby spinach because it wilts fast, but regular works, too. I’ve tried frozen (you’ll need much less by weight, since it’s more dense), but personally don’t recommend it because the texture isn’t as nice as wilted fresh spinach.
• Aromatics – I used cremini mushrooms and garlic this time, but sometimes add diced onion as well. The version I had in Paris actually didn’t have mushrooms at all, but in my testing I liked my version better with them included. Feel free to swap in white button mushrooms, or even shiitake mushrooms if you’re feeling fancy.
• Chicken Broth – I usually have homemade broth or bone broth on hand and use that for extra flavor, but reduced sodium store-bought works, too.
• Dry White Wine – I use this to deglaze the pan and give the sauce restaurant-style depth. I recommend choosing a wine you’d enjoy drinking, like pinot grigio, chardonnay, and sauvignon blanc, rather than cooking wine. (Bonus: You can serve the extra with your chicken Florentine dinner, too!) I love this clean-ingredient brand. But if you’d rather skip it, you can just use extra chicken broth instead.
• Heavy Cream – Makes the sauce creamy. I don’t recommend using milk as it’ll be too thin. You can get away with half and half if you reduce the amount a bit and add a little extra cheese (below), or you can use half and half in combination with a few tablespoons of cream cheese.
• Grated Parmesan Cheese – Some versions dredge the chicken Florentine in flour before cooking, but I used my signature method of thickening the sauce with cheese instead. I recommend the powdery grated kind, not shredded, because it melts in more smoothly without getting stringy.
• Olive Oil, Unsalted Butter, Sea Salt, & Black Pepper

How To Make Chicken Florentine

I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.

1. Season the chicken. I pat the chicken dry with paper towels (this helps get a better sear later), then season both sides with salt and pepper.
2. Sear until golden. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, until hot and shimmering. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook just until browned on both sides

3. Add the garlic and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are browned and the liquid has mostly evaporated.
4. Make the sauce. Stir in the butter until melted, then pour in the broth and wine. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom (that’s where the flavor is!) and simmer until the liquid reduces by half. Add the cream and keep simmering until slightly thickened. Lower the heat and stir in the parmesan, until smooth and creamy.
5. Add the spinach. Cook until wilted, then return the chicken to the pan. Let the chicken Florentine simmer in the sauce until cooked through.

How I Serve This Dish

My chicken Florentine recipe is almost a meal on its own, but I do recommend serving it over a base to soak up the sauce. I usually go for mashed cauliflower (pictured above), mashed potatoes, or cauliflower rice. If you’re in the mood for noodles, grab your faovirte pasta, zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash, or even my cauliflower gnocchi.