Vanya Insull's creamy Tuscan chicken

The face behind the popular VJ Cooks pages on Instagram and Facebook, Vanya Insull has now collated some of her fabulous affordable, no-fuss fare into a cookbook, Everyday Favourites, one that will be dog-eared with heavy use in no time.

Of this creamy chicken dish, Vanya says: "I guarantee you'll fall in love with the big flavours in this sauce: cream, parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, and Italian herbs. The chicken cooks in the delicious thick sauce and comes out so nice and tender. Serve it with focaccia— it's perfect for mopping up the yummy sauce. A fresh green salad with a vinaigrette dressing balances out the meal nicely."

Ingredients

1 Tbsp	olive oil
600g	chicken thighs
¼ cup	finely sliced sun-dried tomatoes
3 cloves	garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp	Italian herbs
1 cup	chicken stock
1 cup	baby spinach
½ cup	cream
½ cup	grated parmesan

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the chicken and brown for a few minutes on each side.
2. Make a gap in the centre of the pan and add the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and Italian herbs. Stir in the stock, scraping all the flavour from the base of the pan.
3. Add the spinach and stir everything together. Simmer over a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through.
4. Add the cream and parmesan, and simmer, stirring, for a few minutes until the sauce starts to thicken.
5. Coat each piece of chicken in the creamy sauce and serve immediately.

TIPS AND TRICKS
- Cooking times will differ depending on whether you use boneless or bone-in chicken thighs in this recipe. Either will work, just make sure they are cooked through before serving. I like to cut through the thickest piece to check.
- This recipe is also delicious served on top of cooked pasta.

Edited extract from Everyday Favourites: Delicious, easy meal solutions for busy families by Vanya Insull, published by Allen & Unwin NZ, RRP $39.99. Photography by Melanie Jenkins, Flash Studios

1. Serves: 4