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Baked Tuscan Chicken

Baked Tuscan chicken with golden-roasted, crispy-skinned chicken thighs and a sun-dried tomato and spinach Parmesan cream sauce. Parmesan bubbles around the chicken while the spinach wilts into the sauce for a rich Italian-American dinner.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

chicken thighs
  • 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs Reserve chicken for nesting skin-side up into the sauce before baking.
seasonings
  • 0.25 tsp salt To taste
  • 0.25 tsp pepper To taste
  • 0.25 tsp garlic powder To taste
  • 0.25 tsp Italian seasoning To taste
  • 0.25 tsp smoked paprika To taste
sauce base
  • 2 tbsp olive oil For searing
  • 4 cloves garlic Minced
  • 0.5 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil Drained and sliced
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth For deglazing and sauce body
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
spinach & flavor
  • 2 cup fresh baby spinach
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning 1 teaspoon added to sauce
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
garnish
  • 1 fresh basil For garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Preheat and season
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and season the chicken thighs generously with salt, pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika. Pat the seasoning in so it sticks to the skin-side.
Sear chicken
  1. Heat olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken skin-side down for 6-7 minutes until deeply golden. Flip and sear for 3 more minutes, then remove the chicken to a plate.
Build the sun-dried tomato cream sauce
  1. Cook the minced garlic for 30 seconds in the skillet. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 1 minute, then deglaze with the chicken broth.
  2. Stir in the heavy cream, grated Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes, then simmer briefly until the sauce starts to thicken. Scrape up any browned bits so they melt into the sauce.
Wilt spinach and bake
  1. Stir in the fresh baby spinach until wilted. Nestle the chicken skin-side up into the sauce so the thighs are partially surrounded.
  2. Bake uncovered at 400°F for 18-20 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Garnish with fresh basil and let the sauce settle for about 2 minutes before serving.

Notes

For the crispiest skin, make sure the skillet is truly hot before searing and avoid moving the thighs during the first 6-7 minutes. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days; reheat gently in a skillet or microwave until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because the cream sauce can break. Dietary swap: use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a lighter sauce (the texture will be slightly less rich).