Creamy Oven Baked Chicken Thighs (Printable)

Juicy chicken thighs baked in a rich garlic parmesan cream sauce with herbs in one skillet.

# 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 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)

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Position the rack in the center of the oven.
02 - Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Combine salt, pepper, smoked paprika, dried thyme, and dried basil in a small bowl. Season all sides of each thigh evenly with the spice mixture.
03 - Melt butter in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken thighs skin side down and sear for 3–4 minutes until the skin is golden and crisp. Flip and sear the opposite side for 2 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
04 - In the same skillet, sauté the chopped onion for 2 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese, continuing to stir until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened.
05 - Nestle the seared chicken thighs back into the skillet, skin side up. Spoon some of the creamy sauce over each piece.
06 - Transfer the uncovered skillet to the oven. Bake for 25–30 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the sauce is bubbly and golden at the edges.
07 - Remove from the oven, garnish with freshly chopped parsley, and serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce practically makes itself while the chicken roasts, so you get a luxurious meal with almost no hands on effort.
  • That crispy skin sitting on top of velvety, garlic infused cream is the kind of contrast that makes people close their eyes when they take a bite.
02 -
  • Drying the chicken thoroughly before seasoning is the single most important step for getting that skin truly crispy instead of steamed and flabby.
  • Do not skip deglazing the pan because those browned bits on the bottom hold more concentrated flavor than any spice you could add.
03 -
  • Let the skillet sauce simmer for a full minute before adding the cream so the broth reduces and concentrates its flavor.
  • Pull the chicken from the oven when the internal temperature reads 160 degrees F because carryover heat will bring it up to 165 while it rests.

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