Creamy Skinless Chicken Thighs with Artichoke Hearts is a one-pan dinner that takes about 30 minutes and serves 4. Boneless chicken thighs get tossed in Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper, then seared in avocado oil until golden brown and cooked through. The same pan becomes the sauce: butter melts over the browned bits, garlic cooks until fragrant, and heavy cream, chicken stock, and Parmesan simmer for about 5 minutes before chopped artichoke hearts and lemon juice go in. The chicken goes back into the pan to get spooned with sauce, and you can serve it on its own or with cauliflower rice or steamed broccoli.
When it comes to protein, chicken thighs are almost always my go-to. They are often reasonably affordable and versatile.
These chicken thighs sear first, and the sauce gets built in the same pan. Once the butter melts, you scrape up the browned bits the chicken left behind, and they season the whole cream sauce.
Chopped artichoke hearts and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice go in at the very end, after the cream, chicken stock, and Parmesan have simmered for about 5 minutes. The lemon keeps a rich sauce tasting bright.
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Why you’ll love this recipe
- Ready in 30 minutes, from seasoning the chicken to spooning on the sauce.
- A one-pan dinner: the chicken and the cream sauce cook in the same pan, so there is less to clean up.
- Parmesan and the browned bits from the chicken make the sauce rich and savory.
- Pantry staples do the seasoning: a drained can of artichoke hearts, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder.
Ingredients for this dish
How to make creamy chicken thighs with artichoke hearts
Chicken: To a large mixing bowl, add chicken thighs and seasonings and, using tongs, toss until chicken is coated.
In a large pan over medium heat, heat oil. Add seasoned chicken thighs and cook until outside is golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F, about 5-7 minutes on each side.
Using clean tongs, transfer cooked chicken to a clean plate and set aside.
Creamy Artichoke Sauce: In same pan, melt butter. Then, using a wooden spoon, scrape up any browned bits from bottom of pan. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
To pan, add heavy cream, chicken stock, grated Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Simmer until sauce begins to form, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add artichokes and lemon juice and simmer for additional 30 seconds before adding chicken back to pan.
Spoon sauce over chicken before removing pan from heat.
Final Steps: Garnish with fresh parsley, freshly cracked pepper, and red pepper flakes and serve.
Ingredient substitution suggestions
- Chicken Thighs: Chicken breast can be used in place of chicken thighs.
- Avocado Oil: You can substitute olive oil at a 1:1 ratio for avocado oil.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Combine 1/4 cup of melted butter with 3/4 cup of milk and mix thoroughly to make the equivalent of 1 cup of heavy cream. You can also sub in half-and-half at a 1:1 ratio. Another option is full-fat canned coconut milk at a 1:1 ratio. I haven’t tested that swap myself, and it will change the flavor of the sauce quite a bit.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese: A 1:1 sub of grated romano or asiago cheeses would make an excellent alternative to Parmesan.
- Unsalted Chicken Stock: Salted chicken stock can be used instead of unsalted at a 1:1 ratio. If using salted chicken stock, omit the added salt to the cream sauce.
FAQs
Can I use half-and-half in place of heavy whipping cream?
Yes, a 1:1 ratio of half-and-half may be used in place of heavy whipping cream in this recipe. Keep in mind that if you use half and half, the sauce will likely not be as thick or creamy as it would be with heavy whipping cream.
Will frozen artichoke hearts work in this recipe?
Yes. Thaw about 240 grams of frozen artichoke hearts, the same amount as a drained 14-ounce can, then pat them dry and roughly chop them. The artichokes only simmer in the sauce for 30 seconds before the chicken goes back in, so pieces added straight from the freezer would cool the sauce and water it down.
How should leftovers be stored?
Store leftover chicken thighs and sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The chicken soaks up more of the creamy artichoke sauce overnight. Warm leftovers in a covered skillet over medium-low heat until the chicken is heated through.
Can I freeze creamy skinless chicken thighs?
No. I don’t recommend freezing these chicken thighs. When you try to reheat from frozen, the oils and creamy artichoke sauce tend to separate, resulting in a different taste and texture.
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Creamy Skinless Chicken Thighs with Artichoke Hearts
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs, (~18 oz)
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp 15mL avocado oil
Creamy Artichoke Sauce:
- 1 tbsp 0.5 oz butter
- 1 tbsp 15g minced garlic
- 1 cup 240mL heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup 60mL unsalted chicken stock
- ¼ cup 30g grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp pepper
- 1 drained 14 oz can quartered artichoke hearts, ~240g, roughly chopped
- 2 tsp 10mL lemon juice
Optional Garnishes (Not Included In Nutrition Info):
- Fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- Freshly-cracked pepper
- ⅛ tsp red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Chicken: To a large mixing bowl, add chicken thighs and seasonings and, using tongs, toss until chicken is coated.
- In a large pan over medium heat, heat oil. Add seasoned chicken thighs and cook until outside is golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F, about 5-7 minutes on each side. Using clean tongs, transfer cooked chicken to a clean plate and set aside.
- Creamy Artichoke Sauce: In same pan, melt butter. Then, using a wooden spoon, scrape up any browned bits from bottom of pan. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- To pan, add heavy cream, chicken stock, grated Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Simmer until sauce begins to form, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add artichokes and lemon juice and simmer for additional 30 seconds before adding chicken back to pan. Spoon sauce over chicken before removing pan from heat.
- Final Steps: Garnish with fresh parsley, freshly cracked pepper, and red pepper flakes and serve.
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