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Close-up of creamy Tuscan chicken in an iron skillet.
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4.67 from 15 votes

Creamy Tuscan Chicken

Skin-on chicken thighs browned in ghee until the skin is crisp, then finished in a creamy sauce of chicken broth, onion, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, Parmesan, and heavy cream, with baby spinach stirred in at the end. It all cooks in one skillet in about 40 minutes and makes 4 servings.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: bone-in chicken thighs, creamy Tuscan chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, Tuscan chicken thighs
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 504kcal
Author: Sara Nelson

Ingredients

  • 4 skin-on bone-in chicken thighs
  • 3 Tablespoons ghee or unsalted butter divided
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 small onion thinly sliced
  • ⅓ cup jarred sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil drained and chopped
  • ¼ cup white wine (optional)
  • 2 cloves fresh garlic thinly sliced
  • 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ⅔ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • ½ cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 cups fresh baby spinach

Instructions

  • De-Bone Chicken Thighs: De-bone chicken thighs (see Note below for video instruction on how to do this). Then, if some of the thighs are quite thick, transfer them to a storage bag, and, using a rolling pin or meat mallet, roll or pound them a few times to flatten so they cook evenly (see Note below for written instructions on how to do this).
  • Crisp Chicken Skin: In a large (12-inch) skillet over medium heat, melt 2 Tablespoons of ghee or unsalted butter. Once melted, add chicken thighs skin-side down, increase heat to high, and cook for 2 minutes before reducing heat back to medium and cooking until skin is crisped, about 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Cook Chicken: Flip chicken over and cook until chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F, about 10 to 13 minutes. Transfer cooked chicken from skillet to a plate, loosely cover plate with foil, set aside, and allow chicken to rest. Do not discard cooking fat from the skillet.
  • Start Making Sauce: To the same skillet with cooking fat in it, over medium heat, add chicken broth, onion, sun-dried tomatoes, white wine (optional), garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a slight boil, stir, then reduce heat to low to simmer the mixture. Simmer on low heat for 3 minutes before adding grated Parmesan, heavy cream, and remaining 1 Tablespoon of ghee or unsalted butter.
  • Finish Making Sauce: Cook for an additional 3 minutes on low heat, until the sauce thickens. Carefully taste test to check seasoning and, based on taste preferences, add more salt and/or pepper.
  • Final Steps: Add spinach and gently stir through until almost wilted, about 1 minute, before adding the cooked chicken back to the skillet and spooning the cream mixture atop the chicken.

Video

Notes

How To De-Bone Chicken Thighs: Follow this method to de-bone your chicken thighs. You can use boneless chicken thighs to avoid the hassle of de-boning your chicken. I've often found that bone-in thighs are the more affordable option, so keep that in mind when you're shopping.
How To Flatten Chicken Thighs Into An Even Layer: Follow this method to pound chicken into an even layer properly.
Refrigerator Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I would not suggest freezing this dish after cooking as thawing the cream sauce will yield a different texture than the recipe intended.

Nutrition

Serving: 1chicken thigh in cream sauce | Calories: 504kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 160mg | Sodium: 1003mg | Potassium: 568mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 2195IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 224mg | Iron: 2mg