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Baked Tuscan Chicken Casserole

Baked Tuscan chicken casserole with golden chicken thighs in a sun-dried tomato and spinach Parmesan cream sauce. The sauce bakes into a silky, bubbling pool with visible tomato and herb pieces and Parmesan browned at the edges.
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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: 780
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
  • 0.75 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
Sauce and cooking base
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 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
  • 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
 

Prep and season the chicken
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Season the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika.
Sear the chicken
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet or braiser. 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.
Make the Tuscan cream sauce
  1. In the same pan, cook the minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes for 1 minute. Stir so the aroma rises without browning too much.
  2. Pour in the chicken broth and deglaze, scraping up the browned bits. Stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes until the sauce looks smooth.
Bake
  1. Return the chicken skin-side up to the pan. Transfer to the oven and bake uncovered for 20-22 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F and the sauce is bubbling.
Finish and serve
  1. Stir the baby spinach into the hot sauce until wilted, with a darker green and softened leaves. Keep stirring just until all spinach is incorporated.
  2. Garnish with fresh basil and serve. Finish with a quick visual check that Parmesan is browned at the edges and the sauce pools around the chicken.

Notes

For a thicker, silky sauce, keep the pan heat gentle while stirring in the cream and Parmesan so it melts smoothly before baking. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days and reheat in a covered oven or skillet until hot throughout; freeze is not recommended because the cream sauce may split. Dietary swap: use half-and-half in place of heavy cream for a lighter version (sauce may be slightly thinner).