Tuscan chicken with creamy sun-dried tomato sauce

This flavoursome Italian-style recipe is super versatile. Serve it with pasta, potatoes, salad or even just a few slices of crusty bread to stretch it a bit further.

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts
• 1 large egg
• 3 tbsp plain flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried paprika
• 1/4 tsp garlic salt
• 3 tbsp olive oil
  Sauce
• 1 brown onion, peeled, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled, minced
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 cup (160g) sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 red capsicum, de-seeded, sliced
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/3 cup (90ml) white wine
• 1 cup (240ml) chicken stock
• 1/3 cup (90ml) heavy cream
• 1/2 packed cup (50g) Parmesan cheese, grated
• 3 packed cups (90g) fresh baby spinach
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160C. Trim chicken breasts to remove any fat.
2. Whisk the egg lightly in a shallow bowl. In a separate shallow bowl, mix together flour, salt, pepper, oregano, thyme, dried paprika and garlic salt.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan on medium-to-high heat. Dip chicken breasts in egg, then dip in flour mixture. Place chicken in the pan and fry on both sides until golden. Take chicken out of pan and place on a tray in the oven for 10 minutes to finish cooking.
4. For the sauce, add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan and heat on medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until it starts to soften. Add garlic, oregano, paprika, sun-dried tomatoes, capsicum and tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes, moving around the pan with a spatula, then pour in the wine. Leave to bubble for 2 minutes, then add chicken stock and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Stir in cream and cheese, then remove the chicken from the oven. Check the chicken is cooked by inserting a knife into the fattest piece of one of the breasts and place in the pan. Add spinach to the sauce and stir to cover. Cook for a further 3-4 minutes until spinach wilts. Serve topped with a sprinkling of fresh parsley.