Healthier Creamy Tuscan Chicken Recipe (Slow Cooker or Instant Pot™) by 30Seconds Food

"Creamy dreamy goodness!" says Rachel Maser, mom of four and founder/creator of the clean eating blog, Clean Food Crush®. "This is real comfort food at its finest. I served this over quinoa and alongside our Parmesan roasted broccoli. My teenagers honestly licked their plates clean."

To make this high-protein, gluten-free Tuscan chicken recipe you will need coconut oil or ghee, boneless chicken breasts, chicken broth, gluten-free flour or arrowroot powder, unsweetened coconut milk, sundried tomatoes, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, dried Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes and fresh baby spinach. The Italian-inspired chicken dinner can be made in the slow cooker or Instant Pot™.

Serve this clean-eating recipe for dinner with your favorite side dishes.

Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 1/2 to 4 hours (slow cooker) or 15 minutes ( Instant Pot™)
Total Time: 15 minutes to 4 hours
Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil or ghee
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup chicken bone broth
• 1 tablespoons gluten-free flour or arrowroot powder
• 15 ounces (1 can) unsweetened coconut milk
• 6 ounces sundried tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 8 ounces baby spinach leaves

Here's how to make it in a slow cooker: 

1. Heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add in the chicken to the pan and season with sea salt and pepper. Sear until nicely golden brown on both sides. (You could use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts.)
2. Roughly break the chicken into large chunks and add it into the slow cooker.
3. In a small bowl whisk the broth and flour together really well. Pour it into the skillet where you cooked your chicken. Place the skillet back over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer to deglaze, stirring constantly. Once this sauce thickens, transfer it to your slow cooker.
4. In a mixing bowl, stir together all remaining ingredients except for the spinach.
5. Pour this mixture over the chicken and stir well to combine everything.
6. Cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours or on high for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
7. Once the chicken is done, add in your fresh spinach and stir until wilted.
8. Serve immediately with an extra sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, if desired. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

Here's how to make it in an Instant Pot™: 

1. Set Instant Pot™ to sauté. Once hot, add your oil. Add the chicken and season with sea salt and pepper. Sear until nicely golden brown on both sides. Roughly break the chicken into chunks and remove it from the instant pot. Set chicken aside on a plate.
2. In a small bowl whisk the broth and flour together really well. Pour it into the Instant Pot where you just cooked your chicken. With your instant pot on sauté, bring to a gentle simmer to deglaze, stirring constantly. Add chicken back into this mixture.
3. In a mixing bowl, stir together all remaining ingredients except for the spinach. Pour this mixture over the chicken and stir well to combine everything. Cover and seal the lid. Make sure the valve points to Sealed. Change setting to Manual and adjust time to 6 minutes on High Pressure.
4. When finished cooking, let naturally release for 10 minutes. Release the rest of the pressure using "quick release" and, after the pin drops, carefully remove the lid.
5. Add fresh spinach to your hot creamy chicken, then stir to combine just until your spinach is wilted. Serve immediately with an extra sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, if desired. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Clean Food Crush®.

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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