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Baked Tuscan Chicken Casserole

Baked Tuscan chicken casserole with golden-browned chicken thighs in a sun-dried tomato, spinach, Parmesan cream sauce. The bake thickens the sauce into a silky pool with visible tomato and herb pieces around the chicken.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs
  • 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp pepper
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
Sauce
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 0.5 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 cup baby spinach
  • 1 fresh basil for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Preheat and season
  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F and bring the oven rack to the middle position. Season the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika.
Sear chicken
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet or braiser over medium-high heat. Sear chicken skin-side down for 6-7 minutes until deeply golden.
  2. Flip the chicken and sear for 3 more minutes until the second side is browned. Remove the chicken to a plate.
Build the cream sauce
  1. In the same pan, cook the minced garlic and sliced sun-dried tomatoes for 1 minute. Stir to coat with the pan drippings.
  2. Pour in the chicken broth and deglaze, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir until the sauce looks cohesive.
  3. Stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Keep stirring until the mixture begins to thicken slightly and looks smooth.
Bake
  1. Return the chicken to the pan, skin-side up, and spoon some sauce around the chicken. Transfer to the oven uncovered and bake for 20-22 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F and the casserole bubbles at the edges.
Finish and serve
  1. Stir the baby spinach into the hot sauce until wilted. Let it settle in a visible green layer.
  2. Garnish with fresh basil and serve. The top should look golden with browned Parmesan at the edges and spinach-tomato specks in the cream sauce.

Notes

For best browning, pat the chicken thighs dry before seasoning and don’t move them while they sear. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat covered at 325°F until hot through. Freezing is not recommended because the cream sauce can break slightly after thawing. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, expecting a slightly thinner sauce.