Dust off your pressure cooker for this one, the sauce alone is worth it. Keto chicken florentine comes together in under 45 minutes, with a creamy Parmesan spinach sauce good enough to genuinely lick the plate.
This post may contain affiliate link(s). As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See Disclosure.
This is a simple recipe with nothing complicated in it, just chicken, spinach, cream, and Parmesan doing all the work. It comes out meaty and creamy every time.
Do not serve this with anything else heavily sauced or strongly flavored. It will compete with the chicken florentine sauce instead of complementing it.
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn commissions from qualifying purchases. For more information, see my Privacy Policy.
Jump-start your keto success! Grab a copy of my 4-week Easy Keto Menu Plan or check out my other cookbooks to help you along.
Join our Facebook group for friendly keto support, and for videos on how to make these recipes, subscribe to my YouTube channel!
Chef Jenn’s Take on Chicken Florentine
Boiling the sauce once the Parmesan is in it is the one thing to avoid here. Cheese does not like to be boiled, and the sauce goes from creamy to grainy fast if you push it too far.
Reduce the cooking liquid first, on the sautee setting, until it has reduced by about a quarter. Add the cream and simmer a few more minutes, then turn off the heat completely before stirring in the Parmesan and Dijon mustard. Wilt the spinach separately in the hot pot earlier in the process, and squeeze out the excess water once cooled, before it goes into the finished sauce.
Add mushrooms along with the onions for even more flavor. If your chicken breasts are especially thick, cut them in half horizontally so they cook more evenly.
This is flexible on chicken cut too. Chicken tenders cook faster, reduce the pressure cooking time to 9 minutes, while bone-in thighs need a bit longer, closer to 12 minutes. A pinch of red pepper flakes adds heat if you want it, and sliced green onion with fresh tomato makes a nice finishing garnish.
What You’ll Love About Chicken Florentine
- Flexible on chicken cut, so it adapts to whatever you have on hand.
- A sauce genuinely good enough to lick the plate for.
- Simple ingredients, nothing complicated, ready in under 45 minutes.
Ingredients
- Chicken breast – Boneless, skinless. Chicken tenders or bone-in thighs both work, adjust cook time accordingly.
- Spinach – Fresh, wilted separately and squeezed dry before adding to the sauce.
- Heavy whipping cream – Full fat.
- Chicken bone broth (or low-sodium chicken broth) – Homemade adds real depth, or use low-sodium store-bought.
- Parmesan cheese – Good quality, added off the heat.
- Dijon mustard – Adds depth to the sauce.
- Onion and garlic – Diced and minced. Add mushrooms alongside for more flavor.
- Olive oil – For sauteing.
How to Make Chicken Florentine
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Heat oil in a pressure cooker on the sautee setting. Season the chicken and sear for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until golden brown. Set aside.
Wilt the spinach in the hot pot for a few minutes. Set aside, and once cool, squeeze to remove excess water.
Add more oil and sautee the onion and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes, until soft and aromatic.
Return the chicken to the pot and add the broth. Seal and cook on the meat setting for 10 minutes, then let it release naturally for 5 minutes before manually releasing the rest.
Remove the chicken and set aside. Simmer the cooking liquid on sautee for 3 to 4 minutes, until reduced by about a quarter. Add the cream and simmer another 3 to 4 minutes, then turn off the heat.
Add the spinach, Parmesan, and Dijon mustard, stirring well. Season with salt and pepper, and ladle generously over the chicken.
Make It A Meal
I serve this with Pan-Roasted Asparagus most often. For more chicken dinners in the rotation, Garlic Chicken Skillet, Chicken Cacciatore, and Creamy Country Chicken are all worth adding.
Storage
Chill fully in the fridge, then package in the sauce and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat in the microwave or in an oven-safe dish at 325°F until heated through.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many net carbs are in keto chicken florentine?
This recipe runs about 6 net carbs per serving of 1 chicken breast with 1/2 cup sauce. The number in the recipe card below will recalculate once this post is republished, so use it as an estimate until then.
This happens when the sauce boils after the Parmesan has been added. Turn the heat off completely before stirring in the cheese, and keep it off from that point on.
Yes, chicken tenders cook faster, reduce the pressure cooking time to 9 minutes. Bone-in thighs need a bit longer, closer to 12 minutes.
No, this is a saucy main dish made in the pressure cooker, not something baked in the oven as a casserole.
Add Preferred SourceKeto Chicken Florentine
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup chicken bone broth
- 1 pound spinach washed and trimmed
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup sliced onion
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt divided
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
Instructions
- Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in your Instant Pot on the sautee setting. Season the chicken with 1/4 tsp of salt and a pinch of pepper. Sautee the chicken in the IP for 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown. Set aside.
- Wilt the spinach in the hot IP. This should only take a few minutes. Set it aside and when cool, squeeze to remove excess water.
- Heat the remaining tbsp of oil in the IP. Add the sliced onion and garlic and sautee for 2-3 minutes or until soft and aromatic.
- Return the chicken to the IP and add the broth. Put the lid on and set to 10 minutes on the Meat setting. Cook, then let it release naturally for five minutes before manually releasing.
- Remove the chicken from the IP and set aside. Put the IP back on sautee and simmer the cooking liquid for 3-4 minutes or until reduced by about a quarter. Add the heavy whipping cream and simmer another 3-4 minutes then turn off heat.
- Add the spinach, Parmesan and Dijon mustard to the liquid. Stir well to combine. Season with salt and pepper if needed, and ladle generously over the chicken. Enjoy!
Notes
Recipe Card Tips
- Never boil the sauce once the Parmesan is in it. It turns grainy fast instead of staying creamy.
- Wilt and squeeze the spinach dry before adding it to the sauce, to keep the sauce from turning watery.
- Cut thick chicken breasts in half horizontally for more even cooking.
- Garnish with some sliced green onions and fresh tomato for a pop of color and flavor!
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed. Erythritol carbs (sugar substitutes) are not included in the carbohydrate counts as they have been shown not to impact blood sugar, and they have zero calories and zero carbs. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Love keto and low carb dishes? There are even more goodies, especially if you love grilled veggies and casseroles. And, if you’re having trouble counting carbs, be sure to check out this calculator.
There’s Parmesan cheese in this recipe but you’ll also find it’s the star of the show in this sausage Parmigiana dish, and you can use it to garnish this beefy minestrone soup.
Love this recipe! I love cooking with spinach and this is so flavorful. Added bonus is it’s healthy too! 🙂
What a delicious creamy chicken dish. Total comfort food.
I haven’t used my Instant Pot in a while so time to get it out. This is my kind of easy dinner!
Love that it is creamy, cheesy and flavorful. The Instant Pot option is very interesting. Happy meal for sure.
I have everything I need to make this, so this is on the menu for dinner tonight! Thanks so much for sharing!
I added some red pepper flakes to this chicken florentine, it turned out sooo pleasing and incredibly delicious with a bit of heat.
Wow, this recipe is so easy and amazingly delicious !!
This was a delicious take on chicken Florentine and I loved how simple it was to make in the Instant Pot.
I love my Instant Pot and this chicken Florentine came out so good! Will definitely be making it again!
Made this with chicken thighs and it was *chef’s kiss!* Soooo good! Added some mushrooms, too. Will absolutely be making this again!