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Baked Tuscan Chicken Casserole

Baked Tuscan chicken casserole with golden chicken thighs and a sun-dried tomato and spinach Parmesan cream sauce. The bake is uncovered until the chicken reaches 165°F and the sauce turns into a thick, silky pool with visible tomato and herb pieces.
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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: 610
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs
  • 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
Seasonings for chicken
  • 0.25 tsp Salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp pepper to taste
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder to taste
  • 0.5 tsp Italian seasoning to taste
  • 0.25 tsp smoked paprika to taste
Sauté base and sauce
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, 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
Flavor and greens
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 cup baby spinach
  • 0.25 cup fresh basil for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Preheat and season
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Season the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika.
Sear and build the cream sauce
  1. Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet or braiser over medium-high heat. Sear the 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 from the pan.
  3. Cook the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes in the same pan for 1 minute. Pour in the chicken broth and deglaze, scraping up browned bits.
  4. Stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Cook just until the sauce looks cohesive and starts to thicken.
Bake and finish
  1. Return the chicken skin-side up to the pan, nestling it into the sauce. Transfer to the oven uncovered and bake for 20-22 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F.
  2. Stir the baby spinach into the sauce until wilted. The sauce should bubble around the chicken with visible tomato and herb pieces.
  3. Garnish with fresh basil and serve. The top of the chicken should be golden with Parmesan browned at the edges.

Notes

For the silkiest sauce, scrape the skillet well when you add the broth so the browned bits dissolve into the cream. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently until steaming. Freeze not recommended as the cream and spinach can change texture. Dietary swap: use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a lighter casserole while keeping the Parmesan for thickness.