Can I use frozen chicken breasts in this recipe?

Yes, you can use frozen chicken breasts directly in the Instant Pot, but you'll need to skip the browning step and increase the pressure cooking time to 10-12 minutes. The sauce won't have quite the same depth of flavor, but it will still be delicious when you're short on time.

Why did my sauce curdle or separate?

This typically happens when the heat is too high or when dairy is added too quickly to a very hot liquid. Make sure to turn down the Sauté function to Low before adding the cream, and consider tempering the cream by mixing a little of the hot broth into it before adding to the pot.

Can I make this recipe dairy-free?

Absolutely! Replace the butter with additional olive oil, use full-fat coconut milk instead of heavy cream, and substitute nutritional yeast or dairy-free Parmesan alternative for the cheese. The flavor profile will change slightly, but it will still be delicious.

How can I make this in a regular pot if I don't have an Instant Pot?

You can easily adapt this for stovetop cooking. Brown the chicken in a deep skillet, remove and set aside. Sauté the garlic, add broth to deglaze, then return the chicken and simmer covered for about 15-20 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken, add cream and remaining ingredients to make the sauce, then return chicken to the pan.

Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Recipe

Description

This Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken is a quick and incredible main-course dish that is rich in flavor and easy to prepare. Tender chicken breasts are cooked to perfection in a creamy, cheesy sauce infused with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and spinach. It’s a restaurant-quality meal ready in under an hour, perfect for busy weeknights or special occasions.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Chicken:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For Cooking:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter (1/8 stick)
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the Sauce:

4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
8.5 ounces sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped (1 jar)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup baby spinach, chopped

Garnish:

Fresh parsley or basil (optional)

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Instructions

Prepare the Chicken:
Pat the chicken breasts dry and season both sides with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. This helps enhance the flavor of the chicken during cooking.
Sauté the Chicken:
Set your Instant Pot to the Sauté function. Once hot, add the butter and olive oil. Cook the chicken in batches if needed, browning both sides for about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the Instant Pot and set aside.
Cook the Aromatics:
Add minced garlic to the Instant Pot and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Turn off the Sauté function to ready the pot for pressure cooking.
Pressure Cook the Chicken:
Return the chicken to the Instant Pot, secure the lid, and set it to pressure cook for 4 minutes. Allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes before releasing any remaining pressure manually. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
Prepare the Sauce:
With the Instant Pot set to Sauté, stir in the heavy cream, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, grated Parmesan, and spinach. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach is wilted and the Parmesan has melted fully, creating a rich and creamy sauce.
Combine and Serve:
Turn off the Instant Pot and return the chicken to the pot. Spoon the creamy sauce over the chicken, ensuring it is well coated. Garnish with optional parsley or basil and serve immediately.

Notes

To make the sauce lighter, use an equal amount of half-and-half instead of heavy cream.
For a flavorful twist, use the oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes instead of olive oil.
Boneless skinless chicken thighs can replace the chicken breasts without changing the cooking time. If using bone-in chicken thighs, increase the pressure cooking time to 7 minutes.
For a slow cooker variation, consider trying a crockpot Tuscan chicken recipe.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with sauce
Calories: 480
Sugar: 6g
Sodium: 890mg
Fat: 32g
Saturated Fat: 15g
Unsaturated Fat: 16g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 11g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 38g
Cholesterol: 155mg