There’s nothing better than pulling a piping hot baking dish out of the oven that’s filled to the brim with a delicious, filling dinner to warm you up. One that’s got you covered regarding proteins, veggies and starches, so that all you have to do is put it on the table and scoop it onto your plate and you’re set. This baked chicken dish might at first seem simple, but don’t be so quick to judge; it’s chock-full of spinach and potatoes, and topped off with a decadently creamy, herbed garlic parmesan sauce that bumps the whole dish up several notches – and if you sneak a couple spoonfuls of the sauce while no one’s looking, no one will be the wiser!
If it isn’t already obvious, the sauce is what makes this dish so amazing, bringing together the chicken, veggies and tots, and creating a dinner that’s perfect for either a standard weeknight meal or for a time when you’ve got friends over. The best part is that once you’ve got it in the oven, dinner prep is totally over – no need to throw together a side dish or salad, since this has everything you need!
So basically, if you can sauté some spinach and whip up this easy sauce, all you need to do is “assemble” it all in your baking dish and dinner is done. You definitely want to try out this dish, so get cooking, then revel in how much time you get to spend enjoying said dish, instead of standing over slaving away over more meal components.
Garlic Parmesan Chicken
45 minutes to prepare serves 4
INGREDIENTS
6 bone-in chicken thighs (skin-on, optional)
1 pound baby Dutch potatoes, halved or quartered
3-4 cups baby spinach, chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Fresh parsley, optional
Sauce:
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 400º F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or non-stick spray.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat and sauté spinach until just wilted. Remove from heat.
For the sauce: lower heat to medium and add butter to skillet. Add minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently so it doesn’t burn.
Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute, or until roux is thick and golden brown, then slowly whisk in chicken broth until incorporated.
Stir in parmesan cheese and half-and-half, and cook for another 3-5 minutes, or until thickened, then stir in thyme, basil and oregano. Season with salt and pepper.
Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper and Italian seasoning and place in baking dish.
Place chicken thighs skin side up in your greased baking dish, then top with sauteéd spinach and halved potatoes. Top with cream sauce, then place in oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
Optional: broil for final 5 minutes, or until skin is crispy, if not already seared.
Remove from oven and serve hot.