One-Pan Creamy Tuscan Chicken Casserole
A skillet dinner with seared chicken thighs, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach in a rich garlic cream sauce.
Equipment
- Large oven-safe skillet
- Whisk
- Meat thermometer
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs boneless works too, watch cook time
- salt, pepper, and garlic powder for seasoning the chicken
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 small onion diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 cup chicken stock low-sodium if available
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard heaped
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan freshly grated preferred
- 2 cup baby spinach
- fresh thyme sprigs a few, for seasoning
Instructions
- Pat the chicken thighs dry and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken skin-side down for 5-6 minutes until deeply golden. Flip and sear another 3 minutes, then remove to a plate.
- Lower heat to medium and add the diced onion to the same pan, scraping up browned bits. Cook about 3 minutes until softened, then stir in garlic and sun-dried tomatoes and cook 1 minute more.
- Pour in the white wine and simmer for a couple of minutes until reduced by half.
- Push the mixture to one side and melt the butter in the empty space. Whisk in the flour and cook 90 seconds. Slowly whisk in the chicken stock, then the cream, stirring until smooth. Stir the onion and tomato mixture back in with the Dijon mustard and Parmesan until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
- Add the baby spinach a handful at a time, stirring until wilted, about 30 seconds.
- Nestle the chicken thighs back into the sauce, skin-side up, along with any accumulated juices. Tuck in the thyme sprigs.
- Transfer the skillet to a 375°F oven and bake uncovered for about 35 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F internally and the sauce is bubbling at the edges.
- Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Refrigerate leftovers up to 3-4 days in an airtight container; reheat gently with a splash of stock. Freezes well up to 2 months. Serve over egg noodles, pappardelle, or rice.
