Savor the harmonious blend of Italian flavors with our Tuscan Chicken Thighs recipe. recipe. Bake the pan-seared chicken thighs on a bed of rice, infused with sun dried tomatoes, spinach, heavy cream, and chicken broth. Whether you're looking for a weeknight dinner to impress your family or a special meal for a romantic evening, this one-pan meal promises a delightful gastronomic journey, that's both easy to prepare and incredibly satisfying.
This recipe is based on our popular Cilantro Lime Chicken and Rice and Chicken and Rice Bake recipes. For a chicken thigh recipe without rice I highly recommend our Baked Teriyaki Chicken Thighs with a delicious homemade Teriyaki sauce.
Ingredients for this dish
- Chicken Thighs
- Shallot
- Garlic
- Fresh Spinach
- Sundried Tomato
- Chicken Broth
- Heavy Cream
- Basmati Rice (not instant)
See recipe card for quantities.
How to cook Tuscan Chicken Thighs
Cooking the rice in the oven with the chicken, infuses it with the juices of the chicken and all the flavors of the dish. It also creates a delicious baked crust of rice on the bottom of the skillet.
Start by placing the chicken thighs, skin side down, in a skillet on medium-high heat. Cook the thighs on both side to get a nice golden color. They do not have to cook through at this time. Remove from the pan and reserve.
In the same skillet, cook the sliced shallot and garlic. Scrape up any stuck on bits from the pan at the same time. Cook for a couple minutes.
Add the sundried tomatoes and the spinach to the pan. Cook until the spinach has broken down.
Deglaze the skillet by slowly adding in the chicken broth. Continue by adding the heavy cream to the pan and mix everything together.
Pour the rice evenly into the skillet. Make sure that the rice is well distributed in the pan so that it cook evenly.
Place the seared chicken thighs on top of the rice, with the skin side up. Place the lid on the skillet and place in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Take the lid off of the pan and place back into the oven for another 10 minutes to crisp things up.
Hint: Before serving, I love to squeeze few lime or lemon juice over the dish to brings all the flavors to life. You may also want to garnish with freshly chopped parsley.
Storage
Place a couple of the Tuscan Chicken Thighs with rice in an air-tight container to make a great lunch. Refrigerate for 2-3 days. You can also freeze any leftovers for up to a month.
Recipe
Tuscan Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 9 large Chicken Thighs , bone-in with skin
- 1 large Shallot , sliced thin
- 4 cloves Garlic , minced
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ⅓ cup Sundried Tomatoes , roughly chopped
- 4 cups Fresh Spinach
- 4 cups Chicken Broth
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 2 cups Basmati Rice (not instant)
- 2 tbp Lemon Juice , freshly squeezed
- 2 tablespoon Fresh Parsley , to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F and prepare an oven-safe skillet with a lid.
- Place the skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the pan and place your chicken thighs skin side down in the skillet. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, just to get a crispy, golden color on them. They do not have to cook through at this time. Take out of the skillet and reserve on a clean plate.
- In the same skillet, cook your shallot and garlic for 2-3 minutes. Then, add the chopped sundried tomatoes and the spinach. Stir around until the spinach has cooked down.
- Deglaze the skillet by slowly pouring in the chicken broth. Add to it the cream. Stir together and bring to boil. Once boiling, turn the heat off. Pour the rice evenly in the skillet. You want to make sure that it is level to ensure even cooking.
- Place the braised chicken thighs on top of the rice in the skillet, skin side up. Place the lid on the skillet and place into your preheated oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for an additional 10 minutes to crisp things up. Make sure that the internal temperature is at least 165F before taking out of the oven.
- When fully cooked, take out of the oven. Before serving, squeeze some fresh lemon (or lime) juice over the entire dish. Garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy!
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