Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Preheat and season
- Preheat oven to 400°F, then season chicken thighs generously with salt, pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika. Place the seasoned chicken aside while you heat the skillet.
Sear the chicken
- Heat olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, then place chicken in skin-side down and sear for 6-7 minutes until deeply golden. Flip and sear 3 more minutes, then remove the chicken to a plate.
Build the sauce
- Cook minced garlic for 30 seconds in the skillet, then add sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 1 minute. Pour in chicken broth and deglaze the browned bits, scraping up stuck flavor.
Creamy Parmesan simmer
- Stir in heavy cream, grated Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes, then simmer briefly until the sauce looks smooth and slightly thickened. Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer so it doesn’t break.
Add spinach and nestle chicken
- Stir in fresh baby spinach until wilted and dark green, about 1-2 minutes. Nestle the chicken skin-side up into the sauce so the crispiest surface stays visible.
Bake and garnish
- Bake uncovered at 400°F for 18-20 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F internal temperature. Garnish with fresh basil over the top before serving.
Notes
For extra flavor and better browning, dry the chicken thighs well before seasoning and sear without moving them too much. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet at low heat. Freezing is not recommended because the cream sauce can separate when thawed. For a lighter option, swap heavy cream for half-and-half and simmer a little longer to thicken.