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Baked Tuscan Chicken Casserole

Baked Tuscan chicken casserole with golden chicken thighs in a sun-dried tomato, spinach and Parmesan cream sauce that bakes into a silky, bubbling pool. This Tuscan chicken bake is an easy one-dish dinner with browned Parmesan edges and tender, juicy chicken.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs
  • 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
  • 0.5 tsp Salt Use to season.
  • 0.5 tsp pepper Use to season.
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder Use to season.
  • 0.5 tsp Italian seasoning Use to season.
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika Use to season.
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
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning For the sauce.
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
Finish
  • 2 cups baby spinach
  • 1 Fresh basil for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Preheat and season
  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Season the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika.
Sear the chicken
  1. Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet or braiser. Sear chicken skin-side down for 6-7 minutes until deeply golden.
  2. Flip the chicken and sear 3 more minutes. Remove to a plate and keep rendered drippings in the pan.
Build the cream sauce
  1. Cook garlic and sun-dried tomatoes in the same pan for 1 minute. Stir to coat and lightly toast for fragrance.
  2. Pour in chicken broth and deglaze the pan. Stir and scrape up browned bits.
  3. Stir in heavy cream, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Simmer gently just until the sauce looks thick enough to coat a spoon.
Bake
  1. Return chicken skin-side up to the pan. Spoon sauce over and bake uncovered for 20-22 minutes at 400°F until the chicken reaches 165°F.
Wilt spinach and serve
  1. Stir baby spinach into the hot sauce until wilted. Keep the casserole bubbling so the sauce thickens into a silky pool.
  2. Garnish with fresh basil and serve. Let it rest 2-3 minutes so the sauce sets slightly.

Notes

For best browning, don’t move the chicken during the first sear—let the skin get deeply golden before flipping. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat in a 325°F oven or microwave until hot. Freezing is not recommended because the cream sauce may separate after thawing. For a lighter version, use half-and-half in place of heavy cream and add the Parmesan a little at a time to keep the sauce smooth.