Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken with Spinach

Steps

1. Lay each breast flat and

   slice (how to slice)

   Slice Cut food into flat pieces of the same thickness. 1. Give round food a flat side to sit on.2. Hold it with your fingertips curled under.3. Cut with long strokes, pushing the knife forward and down rather than straight down.4. Move your guiding hand back the same distance each time so every slice matches. Done when: The slices are even. For meat, slicing across the grain (across the lines of muscle) gives the tenderest bite. Safety: Keep the fingertips of your guiding hand curled under, knuckles toward the blade, and set the board on a damp towel so it can't slide. Slice hot roasts on a board with a groove for the juices.How to slice evenly: mistakes to avoid

   it in half horizontally to make 4 thin cutlets.
2. Pat the cutlets dry and

   season (how to season to taste)

   Season to taste Add salt (and pepper or acid) bit by bit, tasting as you go, until the food tastes fully of itself. 1. Season meat and vegetables before cooking, holding the salt high so it falls evenly.2. Taste the dish near the end with a clean spoon.3. If it tastes flat, add a pinch of salt, stir and taste again.4. If it tastes heavy or dull, a squeeze of lemon or a splash of vinegar brightens it.5. Stop when another pinch wouldn't make it better. Done when: The flavors are clear and bright, not flat and not salty. Safety: Don't taste dishes that hold raw meat, poultry or eggs; season them by the recipe's amounts and adjust after cooking.How to season to taste: mistakes to avoid

   both sides with the salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.
3. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
4. Cook the cutlets until golden on the first side.
   ⏱ Sear side 1: 4 min
5. Flip and cook until they reach 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part. Move them to a plate.
   165°F⏱ Sear side 2: 3 min
6. Lower the heat to medium. Melt the butter in the pan, add the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes and stir until fragrant.
   ⏱ Garlic: 1 min
7. Pour in the broth and

   scrape up the browned bits (how to deglaze)

   Deglaze Pour liquid into a hot pan and scrape up the browned bits stuck to the bottom, which hold a lot of flavor. 1. After browning, pour off all but a spoonful of fat.2. With the pan still hot, pour in wine, broth or water; it will sizzle and steam.3. Scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon or flat spatula until the brown layer dissolves.4. Let it bubble down, as the recipe says, into the base of a sauce. Done when: The bottom of the pan is clean and the liquid has turned brown and tasty. Safety: Take the pan off the flame before pouring in wine or spirits, and turn your face away from the steam.How to deglaze a pan: mistakes to avoid

   from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
8. Stir in the cream and red pepper flakes (if using) and

   simmer (how to simmer)

   Simmer Cook liquid just below a boil, with small bubbles breaking the surface now and then. 1. Bring the liquid up over medium-high heat.2. As soon as bubbles rise steadily, turn the heat down.3. Adjust until only a few small bubbles break the surface every second or two.4. Stir now and then and check that it hasn't crept back to a boil. Done when: You see lazy, small bubbles, not a rolling boil. A "bare" simmer has just a bubble here and there. Safety: Steam burns fast: lift lids and foil away from your face, tipping the far edge up first.How to simmer: mistakes to avoid

   gently until slightly thickened.
   ⏱ Simmer: 3 min
9. Stir in the parmesan until melted, then add the spinach and stir until it wilts.
10. Return the chicken and its juices to the pan, spoon the sauce over and simmer just until hot.
    ⏱ Warm through: 2 min

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Tips

• Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer once the cream goes in so it stays smooth.
• Serve over pasta, rice or with crusty bread for the sauce.
• Use a separate cutting board for raw poultry, and wash hands, boards and knives in hot soapy water after handling it. Don't rinse raw chicken; it only spreads germs around the sink.

Storage

Refrigerate in an airtight container within 2 hours, up to 3 days. Reheat until hot all the way through (165°F). Add a splash of broth when reheating to loosen the sauce.

How long leftovers keep, and freezing and reheating: leftovers and storage. In season: spinach (March to May and September to November).