Chicken Florentine

The weather may still be fairly warm here in California but with the end of summer my mind immediately starts to wander to more cool-weather dishes; braises, and creamy, hearty dishes. I like these recipes because they fall in a special “in between” category that is,  “in between” summery dishes made with vegetables and white meat and fall dishes that feature more hearty fare.

Give me a creamy sauce and I’m all in – like lick-the-plate-clean status. In this dish seared chicken thighs with crispy skin are topped with a creamy garlic spinach mornay sauce.

Chicken Florentine

What is Chicken Florentine?

Dishes that include the term “Florentine” refer to dishes influenced by Florence, Italy and typically feature spinach as a main ingredient.

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

• Chicken thighs – While most recipes for chicken Florentine use chicken breasts, I prefer seared chicken thighs instead since they are juicier and you get that crispy skin.
• Mushrooms – I typically use crimini also known as baby Bella mushrooms when I cook. They have a meatier, earthier mushroom flavor compared to white mushrooms. I recommend buying whole mushrooms and slicing them yourself so they are more evenly cut than pre-cut mushrooms. Use a damp paper towel to wipe away dirt before slicing the mushrooms.
• Sun-dried tomatoes – Sun-dried tomatoes add a contrast of texture and flavor in this recipe. I prefer oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes to the dried packaged version. The oil helps to keep them slightly hydrated.
• Spinach – Wilting spinach for this recipe is a great way to give a second life to spinach on it’s way out. The spinach can be substituted with other greens like kale in this recipe.

How to Make Chicken Florentine

1. Heat oven. Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC).
2. Sear the chicken. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Heat a medium cast-iron skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and heat through. Add the chicken thighs, skin side down, and sear until crispy and golden brown, about 10 minutes, rotating the chicken occasionally.
3. Cook the chicken in the oven. Move the skillet to the oven and roast for about 15 minutes, until completely cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate and let stand for at least 5 minutes.
4. Sauté mushrooms. To make the sauce, heat a medium sauté pan over medium heat, add the butter and allow to melt. Add the garlic and mushrooms and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are golden brown.
5. Add tomatoes. Mix in the sun-dried tomatoes and stir to combine. Stir in the flour stirring constantly until it turns an amber color, about a minute or two. Add the milk stirring to combine.
6. Simmer and add spinach. Bring the sauce to a simmer and stir in the red pepper and spinach. Continue to stir until the spinach has wilted. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper.
7. Assemble and serve. Serve the sauce ladled over the chicken thighs and garnish with parsley. Serve with a side of rice, pasta or quinoa.

Other Recipes to Try

If you enjoy this chicken Florentine recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:

• Coq au Vin Blanc
• Simple Salt and Pepper Chicken Thighs
• Roast Chicken Legs with Braised Kale

Chicken Florentine

Print Pin

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Serves 4

US Customary – Metric

Ingredients:

• 4 bone-in, skin on chicken thighs, about 2 pounds
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 cups sliced crimini mushrooms
• ¼ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 packed cups baby spinach
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon parsley, for garnish

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC).
• Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Heat a medium cast-iron skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and heat through. Add the chicken thighs, skin side down, and sear until crispy and golden brown, about 10 minutes, rotating the chicken occasionally.
• Move the skillet to the oven and roast for about 15 minutes, until completely cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate and let stand for at least 5 minutes.
• To make the sauce, heat a medium sauté pan over medium heat, add the butter and allow to melt. Add the garlic and the mushrooms and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are golden brown.
• Add the sun-dried tomatoes and stir to combine. Add the flour stirring constantly until it turns an amber color, about a minute or two. Add the milk stirring to combine.
• Bring the sauce to a simmer and stir in the red pepper and spinach. Continue to stir until the spinach has wilted. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper.
• Serve the sauce ladled over the chicken thighs and garnish with parsley. Serve with a side of rice, pasta or quinoa.

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