Chicken Florentine (with a twist!)

Chicken Florentine is an easy way to make a weeknight dinner feel a little more special. Cheese, wine, spinach… hello. And it’s ready in about 30 minutes.

Chicken can get a little repetitive, so I like to dress it up when I can. This one looks fancy, but it’s actually really simple. You make a quick filling, stuff the chicken, cook it, then use the same pan to whip up a rich, easy sauce.

This version has a little twist – I add blue cheese to the filling, which pairs really well with the spinach and adds extra flavor. Not a blue cheese fan? Feta works great too.

Honestly, stuffed chicken with a good sauce is always a win in my book.

Love the whole chicken/spinach thing? You’ll ADORE my Florentine Chicken Lasagna Roll-Ups, too!

Step-by-step photos and instructions are below. Jump to the recipe card if you wish!

What does Florentine style mean?

Typically, it means a dish includes spinach.

Why is spinach called Florentine?

It’s actually a French term, not Italian – which is kind of funny. The French associated spinach with Florence, possibly because of someone who introduced it to their cuisine, though the exact reason isn’t totally clear.

What is Florentine sauce made of?

In this recipe, it’s a simple pan sauce served over the chicken, made with Dijon mustard, garlic, onion, wine, stock, and a little sour cream for creaminess.

What goes with chicken Florentine?

I love serving mine with a simple salad, or some Roasted Broccoli, as well as maybe Risotto or mashed potatoes.

Step-by-step photos and tips and tricks are below. Jump to the full recipe card instead

• Onion. Dice finely so it melts into the dish and doesn’t overpower anything. Shallots are a great swap, especially for the sauce.
• Garlic. Fresh is best here. Adds tons of flavor, so don’t skip it.
• Spinach. I use fresh baby spinach. If using frozen, thaw and squeeze it really well so it’s not watery.
• Blue cheese. Optional, but adds a bold, creamy flavor. Not a fan? Swap with feta, a little cream cheese, or even parmesan.
• Dijon mustard. Adds tang and depth. Don’t swap with yellow mustard – use whole grain or deli mustard if needed.
• Chicken. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts work best. Smaller ones cook faster – if yours are large, cook a bit longer or finish in the oven. Always aim for 165°F (74°C).
• Wine. Use a dry white wine like sauvignon blanc. Skip “cooking wine” and use something you’d actually drink. No wine? Just use extra stock.
• Thyme. Dried works great, but fresh adds even more flavor if you have it.
• Chicken stock. Use store-bought or homemade. This helps build the base of the sauce.
• Sour cream. Makes the sauce creamy and rich. You can swap with heavy cream, yogurt, or half and half – just don’t let it boil or it can curdle.

How to make this recipe

Make the filling

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Add the onion, and cook until translucent.
• Add the garlic, and cook 1 minute.
• Add the spinach, and cook 3 minutes until the spinach has wilted.
• Combine spinach mixture, cheese and mustard in a small bowl.

Stuff and cook the chicken

• Season chicken with salt and pepper.
• Cut a pocket in each chicken breast and stuff spinach mixture into each.
• Heat the remaining oil in skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add chicken and cook 6 minutes per side or until chicken is done (165°F).
• Remove chicken, tent with foil to keep warm and set aside while you make the pan sauce.

Make the Pan Sauce

• Add diced onion to pan, and cook for about 5 minutes.
• Add wine and thyme; cook 3 minutes or until reduced by half.
• Add stock and Dijon mustard. Cook until thickened, stirring occasionally – then add sour cream and whisk until smooth.
• Return the chicken to skillet, cover and simmer 2 minutes or until heated through.
• Serve pan sauce over the chicken.
• Devour.

• Chicken Piccata Recipe. An old time classic, that is quick and easy to make and full of flavor. Butter, lemon juice and capers make the delicious sauce!
• Chicken with Romesco Sauce. Grilled Chicken paired with an amazingly full flavored Romesco Sauce brings YOUR dinner to new levels. Smoky and robust, you’ll find yourself looking for new things to eat it with!
• Pesto Stuffed Chicken (with Cream Cheese). Super easy to make, finishes in the oven for some hands-off cooking! Creamy and delicious, everyone will love this dinner!
• Balsamic Glazed Chicken. A simple homemade sauce is used to baste the chicken as it cooks. The result is tender chicken with a slightly sweet, and tangy taste.
• ALL CHICKEN RECIPES
• ALL WEEKNIGHT RECIPES

5 from 11 votes

Chicken Florentine (with a twist!)

Author Kylee Ayotte

Servings 4

Prep Time: 8 minutes mins

Cook Time: 25 minutes mins

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Florentine Chicken is a great way to make a weeknight dinner a bit more special. I mean, cheese! wine! spinach! hello!

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Ingredients

 

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FLORENTINE FILLING

• ▢ 2 teaspoons olive oil
• ▢ 1 1/4 cup onion divided
• ▢ 4 garlic cloves minced
• ▢ 1 1/2 cup fresh baby spinach
• ▢ 2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

CHICKEN

• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• ▢ salt and pepper to taste

PAN SAUCE

• ▢ 1 cup onion finely diced
• ▢ 1/3 cup dry white wine
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried thyme can sub 2 tsp fresh
• ▢ 1 cup chicken stock
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• ▢ 1/4 cup sour cream

Instructions

FLORENTINE FILLING

• Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Add the 1 1/4 cup onion (diced), and cook until translucent.
• Add the 4 garlic cloves (crushed) and cook 1 minute.
• Add 1 1/2 cup fresh baby spinach, and cook 3 minutes (until wilted).
• Combine spinach mixture, 2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese and 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard in a small bowl.

STUFF THE CHICKEN

• Season 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts with salt and pepper
• Cut a pocket in each chicken breast and stuff spinach mixture into each.

COOK THE CHICKEN

• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add chicken and cook 6 minutes on each side or until chicken is done (165°F). Remove chicken, tent with foil to keep warm and set aside while you make the pan sauce.

PAN SAUCE

• Add diced 1 cup onion to pan, and cook for about 5 minutes.
• Add 1/3 cup dry white wine and 1 teaspoon dried thyme; cook 3 minutes or until reduced by half.
• Add 1 cup chicken stock and 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard. Cook until thickened, stirring occasionally – then add 1/4 cup sour cream and whisk until smooth.
• Return the chicken to skillet, cover and simmer 2 minutes or until heated through.
• Serve pan sauce over the chicken.
• Devour.

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Nutrition

Calories: 307kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 391mg | Potassium: 741mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1205IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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Update: This was originally posted in 2015, and has been updated to improve reader experience with new photos, and more detailed instructions.

About Kylee Ayotte

I am a born and raised New Zealander (a Kiwi), now living in Phoenix, Arizona. I’m happily married to the love of my life – a hot American boy I met while traveling the world. I’m a mama to 2 awesome little boys and love red things, rugby, cheesecake, and bacon. Mmmmm. Bacon. Meet Kylee