Chicken Florentine

Chicken Florentine, Step by Step

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1. Season the chicken with the salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat and cook the cutlets for 4 minutes on each side, until golden and cooked through. Move to a plate.

   Mark done Start 4 min timer

2. Add the remaining oil and the garlic to the pan and cook for 30 seconds. Pour in the stock, scrape up the browned bits and simmer for 4 minutes, until reduced by about a third.

   Mark done Start 30 sec timer

3. Lower the heat, stir in the half-and-half and the oregano and simmer gently for 3 minutes. Add the Parmesan and stir until melted.

   Mark done Start 3 min timer

4. Add the spinach in handfuls and stir until wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice, return the chicken and its juices to the pan and warm through for 2 minutes.

   Mark done Start 2 min timer

Small Things That Help

• Use baby spinach; it wilts faster and has no tough stems to remove.
• If the sauce looks too thin, simmer it for a minute or two before the chicken goes back in.
• Grate the Parmesan finely so it melts smoothly into the sauce instead of clumping.

Swaps and Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
• Vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock makes this meat-free without changing the method, if that is what you need.
• Fresh herbs work in place of the dried oregano at roughly three times the quantity — a teaspoon of dried is about a tablespoon of fresh, chopped.

Serving Suggestions

• Steamed broccoli
• Roasted tomatoes
• Zucchini noodles

Keeping and Reheating

Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of stock if the sauce has thickened.

Chicken Florentine: Questions and Answers

What's in a Serving

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.