Tuscan Chicken with White Beans and Spinach

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Let’s hear it for the one-pot wonder! Everyone (well, almost everyone) loves a good chicken-chicken dinner! And this is so delicious and so easy!

We just love a dish that is easy enough for it to be a fantastic busy weeknight meal, but, is also so spectacular that it could be the star attraction for a wonderful dinner party. It’s a meal all in and of itself. Finish the meal off with an Italian Rustic Ricotta Cheesecake

An overhead view of a large black cast-iron skillet filled with four pieces of Tuscan chicken with white beans and spinach.

How To Make Tuscan Chicken with White Beans and Spinach

 

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The Ingredients You Will Need

The ingredients in this dish a very straight-forward and many you might already have in your pantry or fridge. Here’s what you’ll need to have on hand:

Seasonings – Salt and pepper.
Butter – Unsalted.
Chicken – We recommend bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for great flavor. You could absolutely substitute boneless chicken thighs or breasts, too. See NOTES.
Shallots – Finely chopped, or chopped onion.
Garlic – Minced.
Herbs – Fresh basil and parsley, chopped.
White wine – Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc are great choices. Avoid cooking wine. If you prefer to not cook with wine, just omit it.
Chicken stock or broth – Can substitute vegetable broth, if desired.
Spinach – Baby spinach is perfectly fine. Mature spinach is a great choice, too, just be sure to thoroughly wash it and then remove the stems. If using frozen, let it completely thaw and then squeeze out all of the water.
White beans – Canned is great. Go with Cannelloni or Great Northern. Chickpeas (aka Garbanzo) would also be delicious. Be sure to drain them.
Tomatoes – Fire-roasted can be found in the canned tomato section of most well-stocked supermarkets. You could go with just regular diced tomatoes, too. Be sure to drain them.

EXPERT TIP: When you’re done searing the chicken pieces, the chicken won’t be fully cooked yet. That happens when you finish the dish off in the oven.

A straight-on view of four bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs that have been seared in butter in a cast-iron skillet.

Tips for Making Perfect Tuscan Chicken

Properly Sear the Chicken Thighs – Sear the chicken thighs in melted butter (or olive oit) in a hot skillet to develop a golden-brown crust, which will enhance the flavor and appearance of the dish.

Use Quality Ingredients – Choose high-quality fire-roasted tomatoes, fresh spinach, and white beans for the best flavor and texture.

Deglaze the Pan with White Wine – Deglaze the skillet with good-quality white wine to lift the flavorful browned bits from the bottom, adding depth and richness to the sauce. Simmer until wine has mostly evaporated.

Simmer to Marry Flavors – Allow the dish to simmer gently to allow the flavors to meld together, creating a harmonious and well-balanced sauce.

A wooden spoon in a cast-iron skillet that is filled with a simmering sauce of white beans, spinach, and tomatoes.

How To Serve

This dish is wonderful served directly from the skillet. Make sure guests (or family members) are aware the pot is hot.

You can also transfer the sauce to a nice large platter and then top with the chicken and pass it family style.

Of course, you can easily plate individual servings, too. All you really need to serve along side this dish is warm, crusty Italian bread!

A close-up view of Tuscan chicken with white beans and spinach in a large black cast-iron skillet.

Other Amazing Chicken Recipes To Try

Chicken is such a versatile protein and loved by families around the world. Here are some of favorites that we are sure you and your loved ones will love, too.

Creamy Tuscan Chicken
Chicken Saltimbocca with White Wine Butter Sauce
Baked Teriyaki Chicken
Caprese-Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Chicken Fricasse
Easy Chicken Florentine
Classic Chicken Piccata
Authentic Chicken Marsala
Chicken Francese
Baked Honey-Mustard Chicken
Classic Mexican Chicken Molé
Roasted Chipotle Chicken
Creamy Chicken Tikki Masala
Authentic Chicken Curry

These are all true winners, but, in the meantime, isn’t this dish grabbing you eye right about now?

An overhead view of two antique dinner bowls filled with a serving of Tuscan chicken on top of a white bean, spinach, and tomato sauce.

We love all kinds of dishes made with chicken, but, this may be our favorite. It’s really that good.

And don’t you just love preparing a dish that tastes like you’ve been working on it for hours, when, in fact, it took less than 1 hour to bring to the table?

Whatever you do, be sure to have plenty of bread to serve so family and guests can soak up the amazingly delicious sauce!

A person using a piece of a loaf of Italian bread to scoop up a Tuscan sauce of tomatoes and beans from a dinner bowl with seared chicken in it.

Ready to make the best chicken dinner in town? Go for it!

And when you do, be sure to take a photo, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!

An overhead view of a large black cast-iron skillet filled with four pieces of Tuscan chicken with white beans and spinach.

Tuscan Chicken with White Beans and Spinach

This is a deeply flavorful one-pot recipe that comes together in less than an hour. Serve with warm, crusty bread for a delicious fulfilling meal. Great for a busy weeknight mealt, but elegant and scrumptious enough for a wonderful dinner party.
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Entree
Cuisine: American / Italian
Keyword: easy chicken recipe, One pot chicken dish recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 376kcal

Equipment

  • Cast-iron skillet

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 to 6 chicken thighs skin-on, bone-in
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 small shallot chopped, about 1/4 cup
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • ½ cup white wine
  • ½ cup chicken stock
  • 2 cups spinach baby, or mature, washed and stems removed
  • 1 tbsp basil fresh, chopped
  • 1 tbsp parsley fresh, chopped
  • 1 15 oz. can fire-roasted tomatoes drained
  • 1 15 oz. can white beans drained, such as cannelloni or Great Northern

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Brush olive oil all over the chicken thighs. Liberally season the chicken with salt and pepper.
    1 tbsp olive oil, 4 to 6 chicken thighs, Kosher salt and black pepper
  • Heat the butter in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat.
    2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • Add the chicken, skin side down, and sear for 10 minutes, or until the skins are golden and crispy. Flip the thighs over and cook for another 3 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet onto a platter. Discard all, but 2 tbsp, of butter/grease from the pan.
  • Return the pan to the stove over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds to 1 minute.
    1 small shallot, 3 cloves garlic
  • Add the wine and cook until almost completely evaporated, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Add the spinach and simmer until completely wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes.
    ½ cup white wine, ½ cup chicken stock, 2 cups spinach
  • Stir in the basil, parsley, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper. Simmer for a few minutes.
    1 tbsp basil, 1 tbsp parsley
  • Stir in the tomatoes and beans. Nestle the chicken into the sauce, skin-side up.
    1 15 oz. can fire-roasted tomatoes, 1 15 oz. can white beans
  • Place in the oven and bake until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F, usually about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve at once, garnishing with extra chopped parsley (if desired).

Notes

See the video near the top of the blog post for visual guidance. If you liked the video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts can be substituted for the thighs. Brush them with oil and then season with salt and pepper. Sear each side for about 5 minutes. 
Baby spinach is perfectly fine to use with this dish. We usually prefer mature fresh spinach, but, baby spinach is great for this recipe because it's already washed and is easy. If using frozen, let it completely thaw, and then squeeze out excess water before adding to the sauce. 
An instant-read thermometer will ensure the chicken is fully cooked (165°F). Or, until the juices run clear. 
Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in a 350°F for about 15 to 20 minutes. 

Nutrition

Calories: 376kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 127mg | Sodium: 146mg | Potassium: 408mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1783IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe? Take a Picture!Mention @HowToFeedALoon or tag #HowToFeedALoon!

POST UPDATE: This recipe was originally published in September, 2014, but was updated with improved tweaks to the recipe with new tips and photography and a fabulous new video in November, 2023!

16 Comments

  • 5 stars
    I thought the recipe was excellent. I will make one change though the next time I make it. Wilting the spinach and then cooking it an additional 15 minutes in the oven resulted in a mushy texture and dark green appearance. I had a flashback to my childhood when my Mother would boil the heck out of all vegetables to ensure all taste and texture were removed. Next time I will wait to add the spinach until the chicken comes out of the oven. I thinking tossing it in, putting a cover on it for 5 minutes, and adjusting seasoning as needed will give a better color and texture for me.

    • Hi Jeff! We are so so happy you made the Tuscan chicken and enjoyed it! Your tips with the spinach sound great! Thank you SO MUCH for sharing and for the wonderful review. That means the world to us! Please stay in touch! Best, Kris & Wesley

  • 5 stars
    Another winner from my favorite chefs! Made exactly as written and it was so delicious. Next time I may increase the chicken stock a little just to give it a little more liquid in which to dunk that crusty bread! Thank you Kris and Wesley!

    • Hi Stephanie! You are cookin’ machine and we LOVE it!!!! So glad you enjoyed the Tuscan chicken! And we agree…it’s all about that sauce! Extra sauce is never a bad thing! Thank you so so much for sharing and for another great review. That means soooooo much to us!!!

  • My husband and I loved this. Next time (tonight in fact) I will not completely drain the liquids as we wanted more of the sauce!

    • Hi Mary! So sorry for the delayed reply! We are THRILLED that you and you hubby enjoyed our Tuscan chicken recipe! We love it so much, too! And we agree…the sauce!!! Thanks so much for sharing!! xoxo Kris & Wesley

    • Hi Donna! Woo hoo!! We are so so thrilled you made the Tuscan chicken and loved it! It’s one of our faves, too, and we often use chicken breasts, too! Thank you so much for sharing! Stay in touch! xoxo Kris & Wesley

  • 5 stars
    Made this last night! Another winner! Bart and I were actually amazed at how much flavor it had so it’s definitely a keeper. We used chicken bone broth for our just because we like the fullness of the flavor. And the crusty bread is definitely a must ๐Ÿ™‚

  • I made this tonight! It was really very good! I used chick peas because I only had a huge can of cannalleni beans. I must say the gravy, sauce that is produced from all the ingredients after cooking was SO WONDERFUL! I placed the chicken, sauce, toms and beans over a bed of cooked kale. YUM!

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