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Creamy Oven Baked Chicken Thighs

Creamy oven baked chicken thighs with a golden, crispy skin baked in a silky garlicky cream sauce that thickens and bubbles around the meat. Easy chicken thighs recipe featuring an herb-flecked, Parmesan cream sauce made right in the skillet.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 760
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs
  • 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
  • 0.5 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.5 tsp pepper to taste
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder to taste
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika to taste
  • 0.5 tsp Italian seasoning to taste
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
Cream sauce
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 0.25 fresh parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Preheat and season
  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Season chicken thighs generously on all sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and Italian seasoning.
Sear the chicken
  1. Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken skin-side down for 6-7 minutes until the skin is deeply golden and crispy.
  2. Flip the chicken and sear for 3 more minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate while you make the sauce.
Make the cream sauce
  1. Cook garlic in the same pan for 1 minute. Stir in chicken broth and deglaze, scraping up the browned bits.
  2. Stir in heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, dried Italian seasoning, and dried thyme. Cook just until combined and smooth, with herbs visible throughout.
Bake
  1. Nestle chicken thighs skin-side up into the cream sauce. Spoon a little sauce over the top so the chicken stays surrounded as it bakes.
  2. Bake uncovered for 25-28 minutes at 400°F until internal temperature reaches 165°F. The sauce should thicken and turn bubbly around the chicken skin.
Finish and serve
  1. Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve hot with the creamy sauce.

Notes

For best thick sauce, keep the skillet on a steady simmer after adding the cream and Parmesan so the mixture starts to cling to the chicken before baking. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat gently until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because the cream sauce can break after thawing. If you prefer a lighter option, use half-and-half in place of heavy cream (sauce may be slightly thinner).