Go Back

Baked Tuscan Chicken Casserole

Baked Tuscan chicken casserole with golden chicken thighs in a sun-dried tomato and spinach Parmesan cream sauce. Oven-baked until 165°F, with a bubbly, thickened sauce that clings to the chicken and turns silky with visible tomato and herb pieces.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 670
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs and seasonings
  • 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
  • 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
Creamy Tuscan 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 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 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 golden on the second side. Remove the chicken from the pan.
Build the sauce
  1. In the same pan, cook the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes for 1 minute. Pour in the chicken broth and deglaze, scraping up the browned bits.
  2. Stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Keep stirring until the sauce looks smooth and lightly thickened.
Bake the casserole
  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.
Finish and serve
  1. Stir in the baby spinach until wilted and coated by the sauce. The sauce should look bubbly and hold a silky thickness around the chicken.
  2. Garnish with fresh basil and serve. Let the casserole rest briefly so the sauce pools slightly more around the chicken.

Notes

For the richest, most cohesive sauce, use grated Parmesan and stir until fully melted before baking. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat in a 350°F oven or microwave until hot. Freezing is not recommended because the cream sauce can separate after thawing. If you want a lighter option, swap heavy cream for half-and-half (the sauce will be thinner but still tasty).