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Baked Tuscan Chicken Casserole

Baked Tuscan chicken casserole with golden, skin-on chicken thighs in a sun-dried tomato and spinach Parmesan cream sauce. Oven-baked until bubbling, with a silky, thickened sauce and 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: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 780
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
  • 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
Sauce and aromatics
  • 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
Finishing
  • 2 cup baby spinach
  • 1 Fresh basil for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and prep
  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Season the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika.
Sear and build the sauce
  1. Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet or braiser over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear the chicken skin-side down for 6-7 minutes until deeply golden.
  2. Flip the chicken and sear for 3 more minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate.
  3. Cook garlic and sun-dried tomatoes in the same pan for 1 minute. Pour in the chicken broth and deglaze, stirring to lift browned bits.
  4. Stir in heavy cream, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Simmer until the sauce looks smooth and lightly thickened.
Bake and finish
  1. Return the chicken skin-side up to the pan. Transfer to the oven and bake uncovered for 20-22 minutes until chicken reaches 165°F.
  2. Stir baby spinach into the sauce until wilted. Let it fold into the bubbling Parmesan cream pool.
  3. Garnish with fresh basil and serve. Spoon sauce over the chicken so the sun-dried tomato pieces are visible.

Notes

For the richest texture, let the sauce reduce slightly right after adding cream and Parmesan so it bakes into a silky pool. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3-4 days in an airtight container. Reheat gently in a 325°F oven or on the stovetop with a splash of broth to loosen the sauce. Freezing isn’t recommended because the cream can separate after thawing; for a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream.