Home » Recipes » Creamy Oven Baked Chicken Thighs Recipe

Creamy Oven Baked Chicken Thighs Recipe

Written by Published on

I sear chicken thighs to build a golden crust, then finish them in a creamy garlic-Parmesan sauce that takes under an hour, an Easy Dinner With Chicken Thighs.

Jump to Recipe

A photo of Creamy Oven Baked Chicken Thighs Recipe

I love a dinner that looks like you tried but didn’t take all night, and these Creamy Oven Baked Chicken Thighs do just that. Crisped skin, warm garlic and a cheesy hit of Parmesan cheese turn plain chicken into something you actually want leftovers of.

I won’t give away the little trick that makes the Sauce For Baked Chicken Thighs so silky, but if you keep hunting Juicy Chicken Thigh Recipes you’ll be glad you found this. It’s the kind of weeknight dish that somehow behaves like a date night meal, and yes people will ask for the recipe again.

Ingredients

Ingredients photo for Creamy Oven Baked Chicken Thighs Recipe

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)
  • Chicken thighs: Good protein and iron, skin adds fat and lots of flavor, it’s juicy.
  • Garlic: Pungent, low calorie, offers antioxidants and savory depth, it gets milder when cooked.
  • Heavy cream: Very rich in fat, makes sauce silky, adds calories and a decadent mouthfeel.
  • Parmesan: Salty, umami packed, adds protein and calcium, but it’s high in sodium.
  • Lemon juice: Bright acidic touch, cuts richness, adds fresh citrus lift, wake up the sauce.
  • Thyme: Earthy herb, subtle floral notes, low calorie, pairs great with chicken and cream.
  • Olive oil: Provides heart healthy fats, helps sear chicken, and gives a mild fruity note.

Ingredient Quantities

  • 6 bone in, skin on chicken thighs (about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds)

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more if needed

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 4 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 small shallot, minced (or 1/4 small onion)

  • 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth

  • 1 cup heavy cream (or half and half if you wanna lighten it)

  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish

How to Make this

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

1. Preheat oven to 400°F 200°C. Pat 6 bone in, skin on chicken thighs very dry with paper towels, then rub with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.

2. Heat a large oven safe skillet over medium high, add 1 tablespoon olive oil until shimmering. Place thighs skin side down and sear undisturbed until deep golden and crispy, about 6 to 8 minutes. Flip and sear the other side 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate, leave rendered fat in the pan but pour off any excess leaving about a tablespoon.

3. Reduce heat to medium, add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter to the pan. When it melts, add 4 cloves minced garlic and 1 small minced shallot and sauté until fragrant and soft, about 1 to 2 minutes, scraping up browned bits.

4. Pour in 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth to deglaze the pan, scraping with a wooden spoon. Let it bubble for a minute to reduce slightly.

5. Stir in 1 cup heavy cream, 1/2 to 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh), and 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Simmer gently until sauce thickens a bit, about 3 to 5 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

6. Stir in 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and remove the pan from the heat. If the sauce seems too thick, loosen with a splash more chicken broth or cream.

7. Nestle the seared chicken thighs back into the sauce skin side up. Spoon some sauce around but try not to drown the skin so it stays crisp.

8. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake until chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest part, about 20 to 25 minutes for bone in thighs. If you like extra browning, you can broil for 1 to 2 minutes at the end but watch it closely.

9. Let the chicken rest 5 minutes, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley and an extra dusting of Parmesan. Serve spooning the creamy garlic Parmesan sauce over the thighs. Trust me, this is better than it sounds.

Equipment Needed

1. Large oven‑safe skillet (cast iron or ovenproof stainless steel)
2. Long tongs
3. Instant read meat thermometer
4. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula
5. Good chef’s knife
6. Cutting board
7. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
8. Microplane or fine grater for Parmesan
9. Paper towels
10. Oven mitts or potholders

FAQ

A: Yes. Boneless thighs cook faster so plan on about 25 to 30 minutes at 400 F (200 C) or until internal temp reads 165 F (74 C). Youll lose that crisp skin and a bit of flavor, so try to sear them first to get some browning before you add the sauce.

A: Pat the skin very dry and salt it ahead of time. Sear skin side down in the skillet in hot oil for 4 to 6 minutes until golden, then finish in the oven skin side up. Bake uncovered at 400 F (200 C). If you want extra crisp, pop them under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes at the end but watch closely.

A: Too thin: simmer it a few minutes to reduce, or whisk in a cornstarch slurry (1 tsp cornstarch + 1 tsp cold water, then stir in and heat till it thickens). Too thick: stir in a little chicken broth or cream until it loosens. The right consistency coats the back of a spoon.

A: Yes, you can use half and half instead of heavy cream to cut calories, or low fat milk plus a little cornstarch to thicken. Avoid adding plain yogurt while the pan is boiling because it can curdle. If you want Greek yogurt, take the sauce off the heat and temper the yogurt with a few spoonfuls of hot sauce before stirring it in.

A: Make ahead: you can cook it and refrigerate for up to 3 days, reheat gently over low heat and add a splash of broth or cream if it looks thick. Freeze: cream based sauces change texture when frozen, so freeze the cooked chicken without the sauce for best results up to 2 months. Thaw overnight, reheat, then make a fresh sauce.

A: Serve with mashed potatoes, rice, pasta, roasted veggies or crusty bread to soak up the sauce. Taste the sauce before serving since Parmesan and broth add salt. Start with the 1 teaspoon kosher salt listed, then add a little more at the end if needed.

Creamy Oven Baked Chicken Thighs Recipe Substitutions and Variations

  • Heavy cream: full-fat coconut milk, 1:1. It’s dairy free and stays rich, you’ll get a faint coconut taste.
  • Low sodium chicken broth: dry white wine (1/2 cup) or vegetable broth, same amount. Wine adds brightness and helps deglaze the pan.
  • Parmesan: Pecorino Romano or Asiago, same amount. Both are sharper and saltier so taste before adding more salt.
  • Dijon mustard: whole-grain or stone-ground mustard, same amount. Gives similar tang and a bit of texture.

Pro Tips

1. Let the thighs sit at room temp for about 20 minutes and pat them really dry with paper towels. If they go straight from the fridge the pan temp drops and you get soggy skin, and damp skin never crisps right.

2. Don’t overcrowd the skillet, use a heavy pan and get it good and hot so the skin renders and browns. Pour off excess fat but leave roughly a tablespoon behind for flavor, it helps the sauce without drowning the dish.

3. Take the pan off the heat before stirring in the Parmesan or temper the cheese first by whisking a little hot cream into it separately, then add it back. Pre grated cheese often makes the sauce grainy, freshly grated melts smoother.

4. Brighten and fix the sauce at the end: add the lemon juice last to lift the flavors, and if the sauce is too thick loosen with a splash of chicken broth or cream. If it starts to break, whisk in a cold knob of butter off the heat and it will usually come back together.

Creamy Oven Baked Chicken Thighs Recipe

Creamy Oven Baked Chicken Thighs Recipe

Recipe by James Level

0.0 from 0 votes

I sear chicken thighs to build a golden crust, then finish them in a creamy garlic-Parmesan sauce that takes under an hour, an Easy Dinner With Chicken Thighs.


Pin

Servings

6

servings

Calories

478

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large oven‑safe skillet (cast iron or ovenproof stainless steel)
2. Long tongs
3. Instant read meat thermometer
4. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula
5. Good chef’s knife
6. Cutting board
7. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
8. Microplane or fine grater for Parmesan
9. Paper towels
10. Oven mitts or potholders

Ingredients

  • 6 bone in, skin on chicken thighs (about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds)

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more if needed

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 4 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 small shallot, minced (or 1/4 small onion)

  • 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth

  • 1 cup heavy cream (or half and half if you wanna lighten it)

  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F 200°C. Pat 6 bone in, skin on chicken thighs very dry with paper towels, then rub with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
  • Heat a large oven safe skillet over medium high, add 1 tablespoon olive oil until shimmering. Place thighs skin side down and sear undisturbed until deep golden and crispy, about 6 to 8 minutes. Flip and sear the other side 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate, leave rendered fat in the pan but pour off any excess leaving about a tablespoon.
  • Reduce heat to medium, add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter to the pan. When it melts, add 4 cloves minced garlic and 1 small minced shallot and sauté until fragrant and soft, about 1 to 2 minutes, scraping up browned bits.
  • Pour in 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth to deglaze the pan, scraping with a wooden spoon. Let it bubble for a minute to reduce slightly.
  • Stir in 1 cup heavy cream, 1/2 to 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh), and 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Simmer gently until sauce thickens a bit, about 3 to 5 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
  • Stir in 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and remove the pan from the heat. If the sauce seems too thick, loosen with a splash more chicken broth or cream.
  • Nestle the seared chicken thighs back into the sauce skin side up. Spoon some sauce around but try not to drown the skin so it stays crisp.
  • Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake until chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest part, about 20 to 25 minutes for bone in thighs. If you like extra browning, you can broil for 1 to 2 minutes at the end but watch it closely.
  • Let the chicken rest 5 minutes, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley and an extra dusting of Parmesan. Serve spooning the creamy garlic Parmesan sauce over the thighs. Trust me, this is better than it sounds.

Notes

  • Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts

  • Serving Size: 250g
  • Total number of serves: 6
  • Calories: 478kcal
  • Fat: 38.8g
  • Saturated Fat: 17.3g
  • Trans Fat: 0.2g
  • Polyunsaturated: 5.8g
  • Monounsaturated: 13.6g
  • Cholesterol: 271mg
  • Sodium: 560mg
  • Potassium: 313mg
  • Carbohydrates: 2.2g
  • Fiber: 0.5g
  • Sugar: 1.5g
  • Protein: 31g
  • Vitamin A: 483IU
  • Vitamin C: 0.8mg
  • Calcium: 123mg
  • Iron: 1.5mg

Please enter your email to print the recipe:




Comments are closed.