Low Fat Chicken Florentine
Course: Chicken, Main CourseDifficulty: EasyServings
2
servingsPrep time
10
minutesCooking time
25
minutesLooking for a dinner that brings all the flavor without all the fat? Well, you’re in the right place because this low fat chicken Florentine recipe has you covered.
Flavorfully seasoned chicken is pan-seared and served with a lightened-up version of the classic mornay sauce on a bed of spinach and pasta. It’s simple enough for a weeknight dinner yet elegant enough to make for a dinner party.
Hailing from the Florence province of Italy and sharing the same name as the capital of the Tuscany region, you can thank Catherine de Medici for her hand in its creation. Chicken Florentine goes way back to the 1500s when Catherine, an aristocrat of Florentine, wed a French prince. Even as she left her native land behind, she took her favorite recipes along with the best chefs in the region along with her. This now beloved recipe was made possible because she also brought spinach seeds to ensure the chefs could make her favorite meal.
In case you’re wondering, something that is served Florentine-style means that it features spinach as a key component. Typically, a main ingredient like chicken, is cooked in butter, and then the sauce is composed from the pan drippings along with cream. It’s delightfully rich and sophisticated, but you won’t lose out on any of this spectacular flavor by lightening things up a bit.
So, what’s different in this low fat version of chicken Florentine? For starters, we’re using olive oil to sauté our chicken up to that lovely golden brown hue, a heart-healthy option compared to butter.
We’re also using low fat cream to render the roux-based sauce. These small swaps help keep the dish a bit healthier without sacrificing any flavor whatsoever.
The key to keeping the flavors intense and bright is in remembering when to add the spinach and herbs. You want to put them in at the end of the cooking process so that they impart their flavors without dissipating. As for the spinach, you want it to wilt but not to the point where it looks like there’s no spinach in the dish.
After all, the whole point of a Florentine dish is to make spinach the focus.
You’ll want to serve this atop freshly cooked pasta. Broad noodles are an excellent option, though any shape can work. Penne or even bowtie pasta may look pretty for the presentation.
A little addition of fresh basil leaves on top is the ultimate garnish, but if you’re keen on cheese, feel free to grate fresh parmesan on there too. Don’t use the shelf-stable stuff, but rather, go for the aged stuff you’ll find in the gourmet cheese section. Believe it or not, this stuff is good for you in small doses, and it can add even more savory and rich flavors to the dish.
Flavorfully seasoned chicken is pan-seared and served with a lightened-up version of the classic mornay sauce on a bed of spinach and pasta. It’s simple enough for a weeknight dinner yet elegant enough to make for a dinner party.
Hailing from the Florence province of Italy and sharing the same name as the capital of the Tuscany region, you can thank Catherine de Medici for her hand in its creation. Chicken Florentine goes way back to the 1500s when Catherine, an aristocrat of Florentine, wed a French prince. Even as she left her native land behind, she took her favorite recipes along with the best chefs in the region along with her. This now beloved recipe was made possible because she also brought spinach seeds to ensure the chefs could make her favorite meal.
In case you’re wondering, something that is served Florentine-style means that it features spinach as a key component. Typically, a main ingredient like chicken, is cooked in butter, and then the sauce is composed from the pan drippings along with cream. It’s delightfully rich and sophisticated, but you won’t lose out on any of this spectacular flavor by lightening things up a bit.
So, what’s different in this low fat version of chicken Florentine? For starters, we’re using olive oil to sauté our chicken up to that lovely golden brown hue, a heart-healthy option compared to butter.
We’re also using low fat cream to render the roux-based sauce. These small swaps help keep the dish a bit healthier without sacrificing any flavor whatsoever.
The key to keeping the flavors intense and bright is in remembering when to add the spinach and herbs. You want to put them in at the end of the cooking process so that they impart their flavors without dissipating. As for the spinach, you want it to wilt but not to the point where it looks like there’s no spinach in the dish.
After all, the whole point of a Florentine dish is to make spinach the focus.
You’ll want to serve this atop freshly cooked pasta. Broad noodles are an excellent option, though any shape can work. Penne or even bowtie pasta may look pretty for the presentation.
A little addition of fresh basil leaves on top is the ultimate garnish, but if you’re keen on cheese, feel free to grate fresh parmesan on there too. Don’t use the shelf-stable stuff, but rather, go for the aged stuff you’ll find in the gourmet cheese section. Believe it or not, this stuff is good for you in small doses, and it can add even more savory and rich flavors to the dish.
Ingredients
2 chicken breasts
100 g (3.5 oz) spinach
Fresh or dry basil
Fresh or dry oregano
Fresh or dried sage (optional)
1 tbsp Olive oil 1
A Cup of low fat cream
A Cup of chicken broth
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp minced garlic
Salt/pepper to taste
Directions
- Cut the chicken breasts lengthwise to make 4 slices. Salt and pepper on each side.
- Sauté the chicken in olive oil on all sides for about 15 minutes. Approximately 7 minutes each side. Set the cooked chicken aside on a separate plate.
- Saute the garlic in the same skillet for about 1 minute.
- Add flour to the pan.
- Constantly stirring, cook the mixture for about 1-2 minutes.
- Now add cream and chicken broth to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes until the mixture thickens.
- Toward the end, add the spinach and other herbs (dried or fresh) to the pan and cook for about 1 minute.
- Finally, add the chicken and cook over low heat for about 2 minutes, covered with a lid.
- Garnish with fresh basil if you have any. This Low Fat Chicken Florentine goes great with any kind of pasta.
