Creamy Oven Baked Chicken (Printable Version)

Juicy chicken thighs baked in a creamy garlic parmesan sauce with herbs for a comforting weeknight meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

→ Dairy

02 - 1 cup heavy cream
03 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
04 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

05 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

→ Liquids

07 - 1/2 cup chicken broth

→ Spices & Seasonings

08 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
09 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
13 - Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Position the rack in the center.
02 - Pat chicken thighs thoroughly dry with paper towels. Combine salt, pepper, smoked paprika, thyme, and basil, then season all sides of each thigh evenly.
03 - Melt butter in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken skin-side down and sear for 3 to 4 minutes until deeply golden. Flip and sear the opposite side for 2 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
04 - In the same skillet, sauté onion for 2 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Pour in chicken broth, scraping up all browned bits from the bottom. Stir in heavy cream and Parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened.
05 - Nestle the chicken thighs back into the skillet, skin-side up. Spoon sauce over each piece. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the sauce is bubbling.
06 - Remove from the oven, garnish generously with fresh chopped parsley, and serve immediately.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The sauce practically makes itself while the chicken bakes, so you get a rich, velvety pan sauce without standing over the stove stirring for half an hour.
  • Bone in, skin on thighs stay incredibly juicy even if you accidentally leave them in the oven a few minutes too long, which I have done more times than I care to admit.
02 -
  • Do not skip drying the chicken with paper towels before seasoning because wet skin will steam instead of sear and you will end up with flabby, pale thighs that no amount of sauce can rescue.
  • Let the skillet sauce simmer and reduce for a minute before adding the cream because a watered down base means a thin, disappointing final sauce that runs everywhere instead of coating each piece of chicken like velvet.
03 -
  • Take the chicken out of the fridge fifteen minutes before cooking so it comes closer to room temperature because cold chicken straight from the fridge sears unevenly and takes longer to cook through in the center.
  • Use a cast iron or stainless steel skillet rather than nonstick for the searing step because you need those stuck on browned bits on the bottom of the pan to create a sauce with real depth and character.

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